The Amazon River or River Amazon (Portuguese: Rio Amazonas; Spanish: Río Amazonas) of South America is the largest river in the world by volume, with a total river flow greater than the top ten largest rivers flowing into the ocean combined.

The Amazon River accounts for approximately 1/5 of total world's river flow, and it has the largest drainage basin in the world.

Recent findings indicate that the Amazon may in fact be the longest river as well, since it is second to the Nile River by only 400 metres. Because of its vast dimensions, it is sometimes called The River Sea (o rio-mar in Portuguese), and at no point is it crossed by bridges.

In 1500, Vicente Yañez Pinzón was the first European to sail into the river. Pinzón called the river flow "Río Santa María de la Mar Dulce", later shortened to "Mar Dulce" (sweet sea).

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