This comprehensive introduction to Amazon geography offers insights into hydrography, climate, and conservation. A must for travelers, educators and scientists.

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Product Description

This definitive illustrated atlas of the Amazon River and its tributaries presents full-color maps and spectacular photos From headwaters high in the Andes the Amazon River flows more than 4,000 miles through the world’s greatest rainforest, into the Amazon delta, and finally into the Atlantic Ocean. More water moves through the Amazon than any other river in the world; it is a giant hydraulic system that drains almost 40 percent of South America. This extraordinary atlas is the first comprehensive view of not only the Amazon River but also its 13 major tributaries.

More than 150 color maps and nearly 300 vivid photographs provide spectacular views of the river and rainforest. Along the way, the authors explore many intriguing topics such as why some of the Amazon’s tributaries have black water, what happens when the freshwater of the Amazon reaches the salty ocean, and why we all should be concerned about the deforestation that contributes to the loss of species biodiversity.

Surely a benchmark in the rising fight for preservation of this mighty river, The Smithsonian Atlas of the Amazon will undoubtedly be the standard source for years to come.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #138071 in Books
• Published on: 2003-03-17
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 253 pages

About the Author
Michael Goulding is a rainforest ecologist with the Amazon Conservation Alliance and author of several books, including Floods of Fortune. Ronaldo Barthem is a biologist with the Goeldi Museum in Belém, Brazil. Efrem Ferreira is a fisheries ecologist with the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia in Manaus, Brazil.

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Customer Reviews

THE BEST ATLAS OF THE AMAZON AVAILABLE
The Atlas of the Amazon is the best comprehensive view of the many different natural and social aspects that emcompass the Amazon river basin. It does a thorough job of describing the natural environment and the differences between sub-regions.

Unfortunately, the entire Amazon is altogether too large and too diverse for a single volume such as this one, but I believe that it does reasonably well at condensing some of the main aspects and choosing specific themes to focus on. For example, the book focuses on the geology of the reason, explaining the differences in river color by showing the different origins of the rivers (there are yellow, black, green, and transparent waters). Additionally, the book singled out the lifecyle of local catfish, that crisscross the region by their feeding and breeding habits.

One of the outstanding qualities of this book is the images, which try to do justice to the beauty of the region. Through the pictures, one can tell the deep differences between the sub-regions; some are mountainous, some are planes, some are swamps, in some places the forest is denser, etc.

If you are planning a visit to the Amazon, or have a strong interest in the Amazonian ecosystem, this may be the best book available today. I strongly recommend it.

Good effort, but far from comprehensive
While thorough in some areas, such as its discussion of sedimentation and flow volume river by river, this atlas of the Amazon is sorely lacking in others. Some examples: while major tributaries are named, many large ones that are minor only by Amazonian standards are never named. Despite the fact that many maps cover significant mountainous areas, including the Andes, none of the maps are colored to show altitude, which would greatly help the reader in visualizing the direction and rate of riverine flow.

Too few cities are shown on the maps, and then only on some. Cities that are mentioned as being in a map area are sometimes not shown on the relevant map at all. Other items significant to an atlas are completely omitted. Areas used for cattle ranching, rice growing, etc., are mentioned, but there are no maps that delineate them. Such areas are only shown as "deforested". Important roads, such as Pucallpa-Lima, are not labeled. Important proposed roads are referred to, but their routes are not shown. With the exception of Macchu Picchu, important archeological sites are mentioned but not shown. Contentious oil discoveries are discussed, but their locations are not shown on any maps, nor are the relevant pipelines. On page 213, protected-reserved areas are shown via three separate maps, but the areas are not combined, which would give a clearer picture of how much of the region being discussed (Rio Negro) is actually under some form of protection.

Writing tends to the repetitious. Despite the biological diversity of the Amazon basin, virtually no photos of indigenous wildlife are included. Some photos look like low-rez digital shots that have been enlarged too much. A couple are notably blurry.
A useful reference book to be sure, but far from definitive.

An atlas it's not
An atlas is generally defined as a collection of maps and charts. Calling the Smithsonian Atlas of the Amazon an "atlas" is a bit of a stretch. It is more a compilation of statistics about the region; useful and interesting to be sure, but not an "atlas" in the conventional sense. I was looking for detailed maps and charts of the region. You will not find them in this "atlas."