Victoria Falls
The raw, human emotions of excitement and wonder at the sight of thousands of tons of water flowing over a cliff and plunging into the river below make waterfalls one of the most amazing creations nature has to offer. While we wish we could feature more of the beautiful waterfalls around the world, we settled for these amazing cascades.
1. Iguazú Falls, Brazil/Argentina
Consider a network of 275 different waterfalls and cataracts varying between 60 to 82 meters (197 to 269 feet) high and divided by numerous islands along a 2.7-kilometer-long edge divide, and you get the mammoth Iguazú Falls. Standing on the river that separates Brazil and Argentina, this natural wonder that UNESCO designated as a World Heritage Area in 1986, has a flow of around 1,756 m3/s.
2. Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe/Zambia
Lying on the Zambezi River and located on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia, when it comes to combined height and width, Victoria Falls is rivalled only by Iguazú Falls. However, Mosi-oa-Tunya, its indigenous name meaning The Smoke That Thunders, is classified as the largest based on its width of 1,708 meters (5,604 feet) and height of 108 meters (354 feet), creating the world’s biggest sheet of falling water.
3. Jog Falls, India
Jog Falls, also known as Gersoppa Falls and Jogada Gundi, stands alongside the Sharavathi River, which is located on the Shimoga District and Uttara Kannada District border. These segmented falls drop 253 meters (830 feet), making them the second-highest plunge waterfall in India. The Sharavati, flowing over a very rocky bed about 230 meters wide, reaches a tremendous chasm in depth, and the water comes down in four distinct falls.
4. Dettifoss, Iceland
Located in the Vatnajökull National Park of Northeast Iceland on the Jökulsá á Fjöllum River, these falls are 100 meters (330 feet) wide and have a drop of 45 meters (150 feet) down to the Jökulsárgljúfur canyon. Known to be the most powerful waterfall in Europe, Dettifoss is the largest in the continent in terms of volume discharge, having an average water flow of 193 m3/s.
5. Cascata delle Marmore, Italy
Created by the ancient Romans, Marmore Falls is the tallest man-made waterfall in the world as well as being one of the tallest in Europe. It is divided into three sections, which make a total height of 165 meters (541 feet). Located in Umbria, its source is a portion of the Velino River (the rest of the river flows into a hydroelectric power plant). Its flow is turned on and off, and of course the moments the gates are opened are the best time to visit.
6. Angel Falls, Venezuela
Angel Falls, also known as Salto Ángel or Parakupá Vená, is named after American adventurer James Angel. Located in the Canaima National Park in the Gran Sabana region of Bolivar State, the world’s highest uninterrupted waterfall stands at 979 meters (3,212 feet) with a plunge of 807 meters (2,648 feet). The falls are on the Gauja River and the main plunge is accompanied by about 400 meters (0.25 miles) of sloped cascades and rapids below the drop and a 30-meter (98 feet) high plunge.
7. Niagara Falls, Canada/America
Under this collective name, you will find three waterfalls, Horseshoe Falls, which is the most powerful waterfall in North America, the American Falls and the Bridal Veil Falls. Located on the Niagara River, they straddle the international border between Canada and the United States. The combined falls form the highest flow rate of any waterfall in the world, with a vertical drop of over 165 feet (50 meters). As well as being renowned for their beauty, the Niagara Falls are a valuable source of hydroelectric power.
