With 42,458 square kilometres (16,393 sq mi) of well-preserved Amazon rainforest, it is the largest fully protected tropical forest conservation unit in the world.

It has an area of 4,245,819 hectares (10,491,650 acres), which makes it the largest fully protected tropical forest conservation unit on the planet.

Others included the 1,200,000 hectares (3,000,000 acres) Maicuru Biological Reserve, the Paru, Trombetas, Faro and Iriri state forests and the Triunfo do Xingu Environmental Protection Area.

Creation of the protected areas was expected to reduce deforestation, mining and consequent mercury contamination of water, poaching, irregular farming and other threats.

Known numbers of species include 125 fish, 62 amphibians, 68 reptiles, 355 birds, 61 mammals, 125 ferns and 653 flowering plants.

Public visits are prohibited except for educational purposes subject to the Management Plan, and scientific research requires prior permission of SEMA/PA.

It lies entirely within the Pará Northern Corridor Full Protection Zone (Zona de Proteção Integral da Calha Norte Paraense).