The beauty and grandeur of water giants: what is a waterfall? Waterfalls in Russia. What waterfalls can be considered champions

Many of you think that Niagara Falls- the largest, tallest and widest in the world. This is wrong. It is popular due to professional and competent advertising. In the world there are higher and wide waterfalls, which are many times larger than Niagara.

The tallest waterfall in the world - Angel Falls

The waterfall is giant. He is deep in tropical forests Venezuela. The height of the Angel Falls is 973 meters(most high waterfall in the world).

The discovery happened quite by accident. In 1933 The Venezuelan government sent an expedition in search of ore deposits. An aviator named James Angel accidentally discovered Angel while making another overflight of the territory in search of ore. This is how the highest waterfall in the world was found.

photo of the highest waterfall in the world - Angel

Later, in 1937, James Angel, along with his wife and two other companions, decided to land on top of the falls, but they failed.

The plane on which they arrived was damaged and they were forced to return home on foot. The road home was 11 days, because this waterfall is located in one of the most inaccessible places.

Most fast way get to Angel - by river or air. In December 2009, by decision of the President of Venezuela, it was renamed Kerepakupai-meru after the name of the area where it is located. However, for most local residents, as well as tourists from all over the world, he remained just "Angel".

The tour, by local standards, is quite expensive - $ 300, however, the sight that you will see is simply breathtaking. You can choose to take a tour either by plane or along the mouth of the river.

The most beautiful waterfall - Tugela

In the province of Natal, which is located in South Africa, high in the mountains is the second largest in the world - Tugela Falls. It takes its name from the river of the same name. The place where the waterfall is located runs along the river and there are only two paths leading to it. You can reach the top of the waterfall on foot in 6-8 hours.

Tugela is an amazingly beautiful sight of five cascades falling down. highest height waterfall cascade - 411 meters. The total height of the cascade is 948 meters, and the width is 15 meters. Tourists love to visit this place. The cost of the tour is $50.

Tugela photo

The most unusual waterfall - "Three Sisters"

Most picturesque waterfall. It is surrounded on all sides by forest, the height of the trees in which reaches 30 meters. It is located in Peru and consists of three branches of a cascade of water falling down. The tiers of the cascade have many jets, which below form a pool with small islands and thickets. This waterfall is especially beautiful in the sun, when its top is illuminated by a rainbow. From the heat, tourists escape under the crown of trees. The waterfall is 914 meters high and 14 meters wide.

photo "Three Sisters"

The most famous and popular is Niagara Falls.

"Niagara" in Indian translation - "rumbling water". This name was not given to him in vain. The roar from the waterfall can be heard for many kilometers. Being near him, in the literal sense, you can not hear anything.

Niagara is the most popular and famous waterfall in the US, which separates the US and Canada. It was formed over a thousand years ago as a result of the melting of a glacier. The characteristic green color of the water was acquired due to the high content of rock particles dissolved in the waters of the Niagara River and Lakes Erie and Ontario.

The waterfall is 1200 meters wide and 53 meters high. Niagara Falls, although not the largest in the world, is definitely the most beautiful. Millions of tourists come to see this beauty. They can:

take a look around the area viewing platforms and towers;

commit walking tour by galleries;

ride on cable car, by helicopter and hot-air balloon right above Niagara.

Niagara Falls also attracts "extreme-seekers".

In 1859 Frenchman Charles Blondin crossed the Niagara Gorge on a rope suspended at a height of 500 meters.

In 1901 American Annie Taylor descended from him in a barrel and, at the same time, remained alive. Attempts to repeat this trick were made more than once, but ended in a hospital bed, due to numerous bruises.

In the USA it is considered the main attraction. Over the years, the popularity has only increased. The cost of the tour is $30.

photo of Niagara Falls

The largest and widest waterfall in the world - Victoria

The waterfall got its name in 1855, thanks to an explorer named David Livingston, who, having visited it, decided to name it in honor of Queen Victoria. The locals call it "Thundering Smoke". Victoria Falls is located in South Africa, on the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia. Victoria is 108 meters high and 1800 meters wide(This is the largest and widest waterfall in the world).

During rain showers, Victoria turns into a continuous rain stream in which nothing is visible. During a drought, Victoria dries up considerably and its flow becomes slower. The waterfall is also a place for people who prefer extreme view sports. Here you can do:

bungee jump tied to the legs;

fly over the canyon on a cable;

sail on a boat along the rivers;

make an excursion to the "Devil's Throat", etc.

The cost of excursions is $50.

photo of myself big waterfall in the world - Victoria

Iguazu Falls - 8 wonder of the world

It was discovered by the Spanish traveler Alvaro Caseso. In 1541, off the coast of Argentina and Brazil, he was looking for gold.

Iguazu is considered the eighth wonder of the world. Every hour they spew over 1 billion tons of water. Height - 82 meters, width of all cascades - 4000 m.

The name "Iguazu" means " big water” and this is completely true. They began to form about 250 million years ago and consist of 270 cascades. Most of the Iguazu Falls are located in Argentina. Excursions for tourists are arranged both from the Brazilian and from the Argentinean side. The cost of the tour is $30.

Photo: Iguazu Falls

I present to you a selection of waterfalls that amaze with their power and height, surrounded by the pristine beauty of wild landscapes. One vacation photo against the background of any of these creations of nature - and life has not been lived in vain.
It is impossible to deny that the waterfalls are one of the most beautiful natural phenomena. Crystalline jets of water that roar from dizzy height, splitting and playing in the rays of the sun - a truly bewitching sight, especially against the backdrop of sheer cliffs and picturesque meadows. Any waterfall represents power and grandeur, but there are such instances in the world that you can admire for hours.
Tugela, South Africa


The Tugela Falls are the second largest in the world. It is located in South Africa, in the royal national park. The height of the waterfall is 411 meters.
Iguazu, Argentina




This waterfall, located on the border of Brazil and Argentina, is considered one of the most powerful in the world. In fact, Iguazu is not just one waterfall, but a whole system of 275 waterfalls ranging in height from 60 to 80 meters and a length of about 3 kilometers. The largest waterfall is a U-shaped natural formation, called the "Devil's Throat" by the Spanish conquistadors.
Yosemite waterfall in Yosemite National Park, USA



This waterfall can be admired in California, in the national park of the same name. Yosemite is one of the highest waterfalls in the world - 739 meters. It is interesting that in winter the waterfall almost “calms down”, and in spring and summer it reaches its maximum scope. The national park is also known for its rocks, which the most desperate lovers of extreme recreation try to conquer.
Angel Falls, Venezuela



Angel is the highest waterfall in the world. Its height is 979 meters, which is 15 times more than the height of the famous Niagara. The waterfall is located in Venezuela, in the Canaima National Park, and every year thousands of tourists come to the country to see this miracle of nature with their own eyes, and risky base jumpers even jump from it. The waterfall is named after the American aviator Jimmy Angel, who, flying over Venezuela, noticed this waterfall from a height and opened it to the whole world.
Waterfalls of Kauai Island, Hawaii




Kauai is the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands that emerged 6 million years ago. A huge amount of precipitation contributes to the formation in the mountains deep canyons with many waterfalls. The Guinness Book of Records listed the rain that lasted on this island for 247 days without a break, from August 27, 1993 to April 30, 1994.
Niagara Falls, USA






Niagara Falls in the northeastern United States is one of the most powerful in the world - about 2.8 million liters of water per second falls from a height of 53 meters. Tourists love Niagara Falls because it is relatively easy to get to and see from all angles.
Victoria, South Africa




Victoria Falls is also called the Thundering Smoke of Africa because of the unimaginable rumble emitted by thousands of liters of water falling every second into the white abyss of the water haze they raise. Victoria is one of the giant waterfalls, its height is 108 meters. His official name the waterfall is indebted to David Livingston, an explorer from Scotland. He visited here in 1855 and was so delighted with the beauty and power of the waterfall that he named it after the queen.
Gokta, Peru




Gokta is the fifth largest waterfall in the world, located in Peru. Its height is 771 meters. Unbelievable, but true: the world learned about this waterfall only in 2005, and before that only natives admired its beauties.
Sutherland, New Zealand



There is a waterfall in New Zealand called Sutherland. It is located on the South Island and is considered one of the most beautiful and mysterious waterfalls peace. Getting to the waterfall is not easy, but it's worth it - a narrow jet of water flying from a height of 580 meters, surrounded by dense greenery and rocks, is a fantastic sight!
Kaieteur, Guyana


This miracle of nature lurks in the rainforests of Guyana, a country in South America. Kaieteur is one of the largest waterfalls in the world. Its height is about 226 meters. For a long time, only locals knew about this waterfall, but in 1870 an English geologist accidentally discovered it. Getting to the waterfall is quite difficult, but this does not stop the flow of tourists who want to see Kaieteur with their own eyes.
Vinnufossen, Norway


Norwegian waterfall Vinnufossen - the highest in Europe (860 meters). Falling from a great height, the water splits into four streams, which makes the waterfall even more beautiful.
Dettifoss, Iceland




The Icelandic waterfall Dettifoss is the most powerful in Europe. Its height is about 40 meters, and its capacity is about 200 cubic meters of water per second. The waterfall is surrounded beautiful rocks, gorges and lakes and is very popular with both locals and tourists.
Inga, Congo




Inga Falls is part of the famous Livingston Falls in the Congo. This is one of the largest and most powerful waterfalls in the world. Its height is 96 meters.
Rovijoki, Norway




Rovijoki waterfall in the Norwegian town of Skibotn, famous primarily for its astrophysical observatory, which is the northernmost observatory in the world.
Salto del Laja, Chile


Salto del Laja is a picturesque 35-meter waterfall in Chile, which is often called the pearl of this country.
Zhenzhutan, China


The Zhenzhutan Waterfall in the Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve in China is irresistible in its pristine beauty. At the top of the rock there is a threshold, against which its waters hit, forming many smaller waterfalls, and with swift jets it falls down like real water pearls.
Rideau, Canada


Frozen Rideau Falls in Ottawa, Canada. The name of the waterfalls was given by Samuel de Champlain in 1613, for whom the sight of falling water resembled a curtain (rideau - curtain, French). Later, the Rideau River was named after the falls, and many other objects in Ottawa were named after it.

It is constantly washed away under the waterfall, the power of water smoothes rocks, stones, making a convenient path for itself. By smoothing the ground, waterfalls become calm rivers. But it happens that as the rocks corrode, pieces of stones break off, and a new stream of water flows down at the place of the break, forming a waterfall. A new waterfall can occur both downstream of the river and above the old waterfall. Thus, the waterfalls seem to travel along the river, sometimes for several kilometers. Such waterfalls are cataract-type waterfalls. This type of waterfall has many rapids on big river. Most often cataract waterfalls or, as they are also called - streams, flow down the rapids and carry with them a very large volume of water.

The most famous waterfalls

• Most powerful waterfall in the world - Iguazu on the border of Brazil and Argentina.
• Niagara Falls in North America holds the record for the amount of water carried.
• Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River in Africa is the only one in the world that is over 100 meters high and over a kilometer wide.

Waterfalls in Russia

In terms of attendance, the waterfalls of the Krasnodar Territory are in the lead, located near Sochi, Gelendzhik, Anapa, 2-10 meters high, especially "33 waterfalls".

highest waterfalls

The highest waterfall in Central Asia is located in Kazakhstan in the mountains of the Dzungarian Alatau in the gorge of the Kora River. It is called Burkhan-Bulak. The total height of the 4 cascades is 168 m, and the visible part of the three lower cascades is 114 m.

In the world

In Russia

For the sake of this phenomenon of nature, dozens of different peoples, without saying a word, combined two roots into one word: "water" And "fall" .

Thus was born the English waterfall, Finnish weighty, Thai "nyamtok" and others. The Japanese designate the waterfall with a compound hieroglyph "daki"; one part is "water" , the other - "the Dragon" . A powerful stream of roaring water, indeed, reminds of some fabulous creature.

Scientists-geographers put a strictly defined meaning into the term: a waterfall is a free fall of water with a sharp difference in heights in adjacent areas or a stream. A waterfall is usually born if:

- the slope between the sections of the channel is steep, steep, overhanging;

- the current is quite fast;

- flow more or less full-flowing;

- the height difference is great.

When at least one of the first three conditions is absent, water most often does not come off the bed, but flows peacefully. And if the slope is at least 30 °, not a waterfall appears on the river, but a threshold. Waterfalls are common in the mountains, where solid rocks come to the surface and where elevation changes are common. There are also waterfalls underground - in caves and other cavities through which water streams have made their way.

Changes in nature affect the waterfalls. During the hot season, the influx of water and its speed sharply decrease, and many waterfalls turn into weak streams, or even temporarily disappear. In winter, many waterfalls become ice mountains with a "beard" of icicles. Influence and. So, on the Isle of Mull (Scotland), they are so strong that they turn up and back the streams of water falling from the mountains, and they turn into pillars.

How are waterfalls formed?

There are at least three groups of factors that can be called the "parents" of waterfalls.

1. Water erosion. Usually the rivers downstream more full-flowing and faster. Therefore, here the stream erodes the bottom and shores more strongly. This is helped, as well as the sand and stones that it carries. If soft rocks come across along the way, the river pulls out and carries away their fragments, the bottom sags. This is how the height difference is formed. Then the water begins not to flow down the slope, but breaks and falls.

2. Disasters. Volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and landslides shift the earth's layers. After them, the course of the rivers is cut through by deep cracks, one of the "banks" of which has sunk or, conversely, risen. In addition, fields of hardened volcanic lava, mountain landslides can dramatically raise one area of ​​the terrain above another, or even block the flow of the river.


3. Glaciation. When an ice sheet up to 3.5 km thick slides down from the mountains, it plows through the valleys with thousands of tons of ice. The mass of ice in the main valley is greater than in the shallower side valleys - its "tributaries". Therefore, its bottom becomes much lower. When the glacier melts and recedes, streams of water, flowing down from the mountains, form waterfalls as they flow into the main valley. That is why they are so characteristic of the mountainous northern regions (Scandinavia, Karelia, Canada).

What waterfalls can be considered champions?

The highest waterfall in the world is the Venezuelan Angel Falls, recently renamed Kerepakupai Meru. Its height is at least 979 m (according to other sources - 1054 m). From such a height, the stream does not have time to reach the ground and is all sprayed in the form of fog.

The widest on Earth is the Khon waterfall cascade in southern Laos. With a modest height (21 m), it reaches almost 13 km (12,954 m) at its widest point. The most full-flowing is the Inga Falls in the lower reaches of the African Congo River. It releases over 42 million liters of water every second! And during the rainy season, this figure almost doubles.

Records in the nomination "beauty and grandeur" are not recorded, but most often include Iguazu (on the border of Argentina and Brazil), Niagara (USA), Victoria (Zambia and Zimbabwe).

And in terms of the number of waterfalls, the first place is in the highland kingdom of Lesotho in South Africa. On its territory, approximately equal to the Kursk region, there are over 3000 of them!

Are there waterfalls in Antarctica?

In Antarctica, they appear when the snow and ice begin to melt. Moulins are often born here - waterfalls in which the stream breaks off the edges of ice cracks or holes and goes under the ice. In the east of Antarctica there is also a unique "bloody waterfall".

Brick-red water rushes down from the crack from time to time. It is pushed out by the glacier from the subglacial lake. This water is rich in iron salts washed out of the rocks. When it breaks out to the surface, the iron oxidizes, forming rust particles. They make the waterfall "bloody".

Is it true that waterfalls can move along the river by themselves?

Yes, this happens often. If the place of fall is composed of not very strong rocks, then a powerful stream gradually erodes them. There are collapses, and the beginning of the waterfall moves upstream the river. This happens, for example, with Niagara. The ledge from which she "jumps" down is composed of hard limestone. Under them, softer shales and sandstones lie, on which water falls. The bottom of the waterfall deepens, under the pressure of water and its own mass, stones break off from solid layers.


As a result, the waterfall is steadily moving up the river. In former times, it moved by a meter and a half, now by 30 cm per year. Since his birth, he has already retreated 11 km!

Hi all! Today I again have something interesting to read for you. And so I thought it would be interesting to speculate about what a waterfall is?

The water forms a picturesque landscape, falling steeply over several ledges. Those waterfalls that fall gently are called waterfalls. Mighty and wide waterfalls are called cataracts, an example is the waterfall on the river. Congo.

Gradually, the ledge of the waterfall collapses, especially in places near the base, and then it recedes upstream. For example, the famous Niagara Falls, striking in its scale, annually "eats" 0.7 - 0.9 m of the rock from which it falls.

And for the entire time of its existence, it "moved away" more than 10 km from the place where it arose. And if it continues like this, then it will reach Lake Erie in 20 thousand years, and having swallowed it, it will cease to exist.

Famous waterfalls of the world.

On the river of the same name (border of Canada and). This waterfall is divided into two main parts: American - 49 m high and Canadian - 50 m high. The waterfall is famous for its loss of water - about 426,000 m 3 / min.

on the Zambezi River (border between Zimbabwe and Zambia). The height of this waterfall is from 60 m to 107 m, the length is about 1.5 km. He is thrown into a narrow huge abyss and disappears in it.

Waterfall on the river of the same name (border of Brazil and Argentina) 73 m high.

on the Churun ​​River (Basin of the Caroni River, Venezuela). It is the tallest waterfall in the world. The total height is 1054 m, and the height free fall- 979 m.

On the Merced River (California, USA), 491 m high.

Yellowstone Lower and Upper waterfalls on the Yellowstone River (Yellowstone national park, Wyoming, USA) with a height of 94 m and 33 m, respectively.

On the river of the same name (Natal province, PAR). Its total height is 859 m, and the free fall height is 518 m.

On the Parana River (border of Paraguay and Brazil) with a height of about 114 m. It is believed that this waterfall has the largest average water loss among all waterfalls - 793,000 m 3 / min.

- This is a cascade of waterfalls on the Yosemite Creek (California, USA). Its total height is 739 m, and the Upper Yosemite Falls is the highest at 436 m.

On the Meadow River (California, USA) with a height of 357 m.

On the river of the same name (Orinoco river basin, Venezuela) with a height of 625 m.

On the river Po (basin of the river Adour, Central Pyrenees, France) with a height of 422 m.

On the Maclay River (New South Wales, Australia) 482 m high.

That's all, I hope that now it has become clear what a waterfall is, and a journey through the most famous waterfalls the world you liked 🙂