What is the largest rainforest in the world?

The world's largest rainforest is the Amazon jungle, which covers about 40 percent of South America. It is as big as the 48 contiguous United States and is home to the Amazon River, which is the second-longest river in the world.

The Amazon jungle covers parts of eight countries: Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana and Suriname. It includes many ecosystems, such as savannas and swamps, and is home to 20 percent of the world's plants and about 10 percent of all mammal species. Rainforests, which cover only 6 percent of Earth's surface, are home to more than 50 percent of the world's animal and plant species.