Where does the Amazon River start and end?

The origin of the world's largest river—by volume—has been surprisingly hard to pin down. Explorers and scientists have argued over where to locate the start of the Amazon River since at least the mid-1600s, with no fewer than five rivers in southwestern Peru given the honor over the years. read more

Quick Answer. The Amazon River begins in the Peruvian Andes and flows east until it ends at the Atlantic Ocean. It is the second longest river after the Nile and flows through the countries of Peru, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Guyana and Ecuador. read more

In 2009, a new study pinpointed the age of the Amazon River, as a transcontinental river, at 11 million years old, although it did not achieve its current shape and course until about 2.4 million years ago. read more