June 22, 2025

Amazon rainforest, Ecuador

The Amazon Rainforest spreads across much of the Amazon basin in South America. One notable region is in Ecuador. Although smaller than Brazil's share, it's considered one of the most biologically dense areas on Earth. It also shelters an extraordinary range of life—jaguars, macaws, black caimans, electric eels and medicinal plants, many of which are still unknown to science.

Spanning about 600,000,000 hectares, Ecuador's Amazon covers nearly 40% of the country and is home to Indigenous groups such as the Huaorani and Shuar. Some communities, like the Yanomamo and Kayapo, remain uncontacted, choosing complete isolation from the outside world. But their way of life is increasingly threatened by industrial activities, especially oil drilling. From reducing paper use to supporting rainforest-friendly products, people can make tangible impacts that extend to Ecuador's Amazon and beyond.