The Brazilian Amazon rainforest was once a sprawling garden metropolis, new research has revealed.

Anthropologists from the University of Florida have discovered that between 1,500 and 500 years ago, the world's biggest rainforest was a maze of interconnected tribal villages.

For the modern explorer, the Amazon still has a huge amount to be discovered though, with the rainforest covering an enormous area of 1.7 billion acres - about 40 per cent of the South American continent.

The adventurous traveller will find a wealth of fascinating activities within the never-ending rainforest, including steam-boat trips down the river's length and the spectacular site that is Iguana Falls.

The rainforest is also home to the bustling city of Manau - home to nearly three million Amazonian residents. Located on the Rio Negro, the city boasts the famous Teatro Amazonas, which achieved huge popularity during the height of the region's rubber trade.

The Amazon has perhaps the world's largest volume of rainfall, recording 15 trillion cubed millimetres of rain every year.

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