Backwaters

/ˈbækwɔːtərz/ noun

Definition

Remote or isolated places that seem behind the times, or areas of water that flow backward or remain still behind a main current.

Etymology

Plural of 'backwater,' from 'back' plus 'water.' Originally a nautical term (1600s) describing water trapped behind a current, later applied figuratively to isolated rural regions.

Kelly Says

Many of Earth's most biodiverse ecosystems are actually backwaters—the Amazon's flooded forests and Everglades are full of slow-moving water where incredible biodiversity explodes because predators move slowly.

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