The lives of the men, women and children who inhabit the Amazon are often very different from ours. These pictures open an important window on them.

The destruction of the Amazon is a disaster which is affecting all of mankind. These images show the activities whcih contribute to that process; logging, cattle and soya farming, illegal gold mining, and oil and mineral exploitation.

The people of the Amazon are incredibly varied. The indigenous communities are varied, often iconic, but there are people whose origins, though lost in time, are to be found in Europe, Africa, Japan and even the Arabian peninsula.

The vivacity and colour of the plants and flowers of the Amazon is legend. The uses to which they can be put is incredible.

The Amazon rainforest, its rivers, its trees, plants and its moods. Our images show the forest in all its glory and complexity.

Vital for the future of the Amazon rainforest and important to the whole world, projects to replace some of the trees which have been lost through deforestation are very important.

The rivers are the highways and byways of the Amazon, and the vessels which ply those routes are as varied as the jobs they do and the people who travel in them. From the smallest dugout canoes to huge multi-deck cruisers, the boats of the Amazon are to be found here.

Far from being an empty green hell, the Amazon is home to millions. Many live in the towns and cities you will find here, from the smallest settlements of a few houses to the huge cities of Manaus and Belem.

Tourism in the Amazon is growing rapidly. There are lodges for an unforgettable immersion in the soiunds, smells and sights of the rainforest, but there are historic icons too.

From birds and fish to insects and reptiles, the Amazon is home to an incredible variety of living creatures.