The Amazon jungle is the world’s largest biological reserve and has unequalled natural resources, and one-third of the planet’s living spieces. The rivers of the Amazon basin, in which a fifth of the world’s fresh water flows, are “roads” that lead to the heart of the jungle. Ten of Earths 20 largest rivers are found in the Amazon River Basin. The Amazon River itself carries a greater volume of water than any other river in the world. 15.000 different species of animals live in this forest, not to mention the millions of species of plants and exotic trees which thrive in temperatures varying from 22 to only 27 degrees Celsius, all year around.

Manaus is the capital of the state of Amazonas, the largest state in Brazil with 1,5  million km2 occupying 18% of Brazils territory. The city has a population of about 1,6 million inhabitants and is a duty-free zone. Manaus had its glory in the last century during the rubber period, when europeans set up an efficient urban infrastructure for the period in Manaus. With the wealth from the latex extraction, various imposing structures were built in Manaus, such as the Amazon Theatre, an opera house built in 1896 in eclectic and neo-classic style with material and artists brought from Europe. The Municipal Market built in the style of the former “Les Halles” in Paris and the sophisticated floating docks complex built to accompany the rise and fall of the Negro river. Another interesting place to visit is the Indian Museum, established in 1952. It contains a great variety of objects and displays of the indigenous peoples from the Upper Negro River. In 1967, Manaus underwent a radical change with the establishment of the commercial and industrial free zone.