A
swamp is a
wetland that is forested. Many swamps occur along large rivers where they are critically dependent upon natural water level fluctuations. Other swamps occur on the shores of large lakes. Some swamps have
hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by
aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodic inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or
swamp forests and "transitional" or
shrub swamps. In the boreal regions of Canada, the word swamp is colloquially used for what is more correctly termed a
bog or
muskeg. The water of a swamp may be
fresh water,
brackish water or
seawater. Some of the world's largest swamps are found along major rivers such as the Amazon, the Mississippi, and the Congo.