It is considered the highest waterfall in the world. The biggest waterfalls in the world

the site presents an overview of the highest waterfalls in the world. Waterfalls in a simplified form are divided into two types: cascading and free fall. The first are a series (cascade) of small waterfalls running one after another, or flowing down a cliff at a large angle. Freefall waterfalls are the classic waterfalls we all imagine - the river breaks off the cliff and the water falls freely down. Most often, waterfalls are a mixture of several types, including both cascades and free fall.

1. Angel (1054 meters)

Angel - a waterfall on the Churun ​​River (basin of the Caroni River) on the Guiana Plateau. Located in the state of Bolivar, 60 km southeast locality Canaima. Tallest waterfall in the world, total height 1054 meters, the height of continuous free fall is 807 meters.

Named after aviator James Angel, who flew over the falls in 1933. The waterfall is in tropical forests Venezuelan state of Bolivar, in the Canaima National Park. Water overthrows from the top of Auyantepui, the largest of the Venezuelan tepui - its name in Russian means "mountain of the devil."

The height of the fall is so great that, before reaching the ground, the water is sprayed into tiny particles and turns into fog. Fog can be felt for several kilometers. Falling water falls into the Kerep River. In 1994, UNESCO contributed national park Canaima, which includes a waterfall, is a World Heritage Site.

2. Tugela (933 meters)

Tugela is a cascading waterfall on the Tugela River in the Dragon Mountains. Located in the province of Natal, 75 km southeast of the village of Estcourt. waterfall height 933 m.

It consists of five steps, the height of the largest step is 411m. Tugela falls in a narrow ribbon from the eastern cliff of the Drakensberg Mountains, in the Royal Natal National Park, KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. It is clearly visible after heavy rain or at the end of the day, shining from the reflection of the Sun.

The source of the Tugela River is located a few kilometers from the cliff from which the waterfall falls. The cliff is often covered in snow during the winter months.

3. Three Sisters (914 meters)

The Three Sisters (Spanish: Cataratas las Tres Hermanas) is a waterfall in South America, in the Rio Kutevirini river basin, in the central part. The water of the waterfall falls down into deep canyon, five ledges overall height 914 m.

The width of the waterfall is 12 m; on average, it discharges 1 m3 of water every second, and during the flood period, the water flow can reach up to 6 m3 / s. In terms of height, the Three Sisters waterfall ranks third in the world after the Angel and Tugela waterfalls.

The waterfall consists of three tiers separated from each other. Only two of them can be seen from the air, but the third is a huge pool, where the water falls as a result. The waterfall is surrounded on all sides by tall trees that reach 30 meters.

4. Olopena (900 meters)

Oloupena (eng. Oloʻupena Falls, or Oloupena Falls) - a waterfall with a height 900 meters, located in the northeastern part of the Hawaiian island of Molokai,. The waterfall was formed on a short, seasonal stream and falls over the edge of one of the highest coastal rocks world, located between the valleys of Pelekunu and Wailau.

Olopena is quite thin and is distinguished by numerous transitions down from one level to another. Water does not fall down, but slides along an almost sheer rock, falling directly into Pacific Ocean. The waterfall can only be seen from the ocean or from the air, because it cut deep into the rocks and therefore could not be found for a long time.

Not far from Olopen there are other, smaller waterfalls, which also fall directly into the Pacific Ocean along a sheer cliff.

5. Yumbilla (895.5 meters)

Yumbilla (eng. Yumbilla) - a waterfall in, in the Amazonas region. It is the fifth highest known waterfall in the world. It was opened at the end of 2007.

Although the waterfall is high, but the volume of water falling is negligible. The height of the falls was measured by the National Geographic Institute of Peru using laser equipment. The upper edge of the waterfall is located at an altitude of 2723.6 m above sea level, and the bottom - at an altitude of 1828.1 m above sea level. The height of the waterfall 895.5 meters.

The falls are located in an area that is part of the eastern Peruvian Andes, also known as the Cordillera Oriental.

It is said that a person can endlessly look at three things. One of them is the way water flows. And the sight of her falling from a height attracts even more. In our article we will talk about waterfalls - one of the wonders of nature.

Waterfalls are called falls of water in the river from a certain ledge located on the path of the channel. This term is suitable for falling from a height of more than a meter of water. Waterfalls always attract the attention of tourists, because this is an impressive sight.

by the most famous waterfall in the world is Niagara, meanwhile it is far from the highest and not the widest in the world. The water here falls down from only 50 meters, but this is enough to impress many tourists. But not much is known about the highest waterfalls, meanwhile, these objects are quite interesting in themselves. Many of them are located in hard-to-reach places and were opened relatively recently.

Angel, 979 meters. This waterfall is located in Venezuela. Here the water of the Churun ​​River falls from the top of Auyantepui, the "mountain of the devil". The local Indians call the waterfall "Waterfall deepest place". Water falls down from such a great height that it turns into fog and dust, never reaching the ground. Civilization learned about Angel at the beginning of the last century. However, they started talking about the waterfall only after the American pilot James Angel flew over it in 1933. It was the waterfall was later named after him. It is said that he was looking for diamonds in these places, which the natives told him about. In fact, the plateau of the waterfall is strewn with quartz. Angel and partners made on a plateau emergency landing, returning to humans only after 11 days. The pilot spoke about amazing waterfall discovered during the journey. In 1994, UNESCO listed the entire Canaima National Park, along with Angel, as a World Heritage Site. Surprisingly, in 2009, the Venezuelan authorities, fighting imperialism, took and renamed Angel in his original name Kepepakupai-meru. Today, tourists from all over the world travel to see the highest waterfall in the world. However, it is located in a rather inaccessible area, so you can get here either by river or by plane. Tour prices start at $250.

Tugela, 948 meters. The second highest waterfall is located in South Africa on the river of the same name. In fact, it consists of five cascades, the height of the largest of which is 411 meters. Every second, about 400 cubic meters of water falls down from here. The Tugela River flows through the Dragon Mountains in Natal National Park. It is best to watch the waterfall after heavy rain or at sunset. Then its rays make the water falling from a height shine. The Tugela River originates just a few kilometers from the ledge. The water is so pure that it is considered drinkable. In winter, the waterfall often freezes, covered with ice and snow, and everything around turns into fairyland miracles. You can get to the foot of the Tugela waterfall with the help of foot mountain trails and suspension bridges. During the day, you can overcome the entire route and get to the very top of the mountain. There is Observation deck- An amphitheater, from which it will be possible to view the numerous cliffs covered with greenery, and the water falling below, and the entire national park.

Three sisters, 914 meters. This waterfall is located in South America. In Peru, there is a region of Ayaccuccio, quite remote from civilization. The world learned about the waterfall quite recently. A group of photographers went on an expedition to photograph another waterfall - Katarata, 267 meters high. But unexpectedly, travelers discovered another miracle of nature, even more spectacular. The waterfall got its name due to the structure. It consists of three tiers separated from each other. Only two of them can be seen from the air, but the third is a huge pool, where the water eventually falls. The waterfall is surrounded on all sides by tall trees reaching 30 meters. It was they who for a long time guarded this miracle of nature from prying human eyes.

Olopena, 900 meters. The already mentioned Niagara, even in America, is far from being the highest. But getting here is quite difficult. And Olopena is located not at all on the mainland of the country. The waterfall is located in Hawaii, its home was the island of Molokai. Not everyone knows that these remote islands have a waterfall, and one of the highest in the world. Most of the photographs of this object were obtained using aerial photography. The waterfall is surrounded on both sides by mountains volcanic origin. He himself is quite thin and is distinguished by numerous transitions down from one level to another. Water does not fall down, it slides on almost vertical rock falling straight into the ocean. The waterfall cut deep into the rocks, so for a long time they could not photograph and find it. It is best to observe it from the sea, many travel companies Hawaii offers tours to it. Helicopter flights to the falls require good weather conditions.

Umbilla, 895 meters. This waterfall is located in Peru and was also discovered relatively recently. It is located in the Amazon basin, and scientists are still arguing about its height. The figure is also called 895.4 meters, and 870 meters. Umbilla itself is a multi-level system with four steep slopes. The discovery of Umbilla made the Peruvian Ministry of Tourism very happy, which is developing a two-day tour of its largest waterfalls. This object itself, although tall, is very thin. You can see only about 600 meters from the entire path of the fall of water, while it is erupted down quite a bit. To get here, you need to hire local guide, because there are no identifying marks here. Due to the remoteness of the waterfall, there are very few photographs of it.

Vinnufossen, 860 meters. The highest waterfall in Europe is located in Norway. It is fed by the Vinnu river, and it falls from the Vinnufjellet mountain and flows into the Driva river. Water appears on the top of the mountain from a glacier, melted by the warm sun, it turns into a stream. The waterfall is cascading, while the height of the largest step is 420 meters. There are several other tourist attractions in the vicinity of the European record holder. So, from here it is only 39 kilometers to the Dovrefjell National Park.

Balaifossen, 850 meters. This waterfall has much in common with the previous one. It is also located in Norway and looks more full-flowing in spring. The source of the waterfall, 6 meters wide, is the Bala stream, which flows out of a mountain lake. And in this case, the water falls down three steps, soon falling into the nearby sea. The longest of them has 452 meters. For tourists, the waterfall is not particularly attractive, as it periodically dries up completely, and the volume of falling water here is low.

Puukaoku, 840 meters. Hawaiian island Molokai has two of the ten highest waterfalls at once. Puukaoku is 80 meters high. Most of the water in it during the rainy season, lasting from November to March. And in this case, the waterfall flows directly into the ocean, from where it can be clearly seen. And in this case, the water does not fall, but flows down the basalt cliff.

James Bruce, 840 meters. From the name of this Canadian waterfall, it immediately becomes clear that it is named after a man, a great traveler. It was the Scotsman Bruce who found the sources of the Blue Nile. This one is located natural object V British Columbia, in the Maritime Provincial Park named after Princess Louise. The waterfall is only 5 meters wide, and it is generated by two parallel streams created by glaciers. One stream is permanent, while the other dries up in the summer. Thus, the most full-flowing waterfall looks rainy in winter or autumn.

Brown, 836 meters. This waterfall is located in New Zealand's Fiordland National Park, on the South Island. Its width is 12 meters. Interestingly, between the beginning of the fall and the end of the horizontal distance is 1130 meters. As a result, the water does not fall at all vertically, but at an angle of 42 degrees. There is only one cascade, and the length of the highest drop is 244 meters. Brown Falls is located in the heart of the rainforest typical of these islands. The water for it comes from alpine lake Brown. The waterfall flows down through the cascades to the fjord in the Gulf of Arm.

When the riverbed encounters a sharp drop in height on its way, the flow does not stop, but begins to fall vertically, forming a waterfall. This a natural phenomenon strikes the imagination with its beauty and picturesqueness, and often grandeur. In the article we will talk about the most wonderful waterfalls on the planet. We will focus not only on the height of the flow, but also on its power.

Kerepakupai-meru

Venezuela, a country in the northern part of South America, is home to the most big waterfall in the world. Its streams fall from a height of 979 meters. This natural attraction is hidden in the rainforests of the Canaima National Park in the state of Bolivar.

Kerepakupai Meru is the new name given to the waterfall by the President of Venezuela in 2009. Prior to that, he was called Angel - in honor of the pilot who accidentally discovered this miracle of nature in 1933. locals and tourists still use the old name.

The largest waterfall, not only in South America, but throughout the world, originates at the top of the table mountain Auyan-Tepui, which means "mountain of the devil" in translation, and flows into the waters of the Kerep River.

The area where Angel Falls is located is wild and impregnable. The easiest way to get to these parts is by air or by river, the ascent on foot takes 10 or more days. An excursion to Angel costs about 300 US dollars, but despite the high cost, tourists from all over the world strive to see the largest waterfall in the world.

Tugela

It is the largest waterfall in Africa and the second highest in the world. It falls in a five-step cascade from the eastern cliff of the Drakensberg Mountains, located in the Natal National Park, South Africa. His highest point is located 948 meters above the ground, and the foot is the source of the river of the same name.

Travelers can approach the waterfall from two sides along specially equipped trails. A visit to the largest waterfall in Africa costs only 50 US dollars. But for this money, tourists get real pleasure, admiring the narrow ribbon of roaring water in the rays of the setting sun.

Three sisters

It ranks third in the "Largest Waterfall on Earth" rating. It is an unusually picturesque sight: three branches of the cascade are rapidly flying down from a height of 914 meters. It is located in the south of Peru, in the country of Ayacucho. It is not easy to approach it because of the inaccessibility of the surrounding forest.

It is noteworthy that in the world there is another beautiful waterfall with the poetic name Three Sisters. He settled down in North Ossetia. It starts at one point on the Taimazi glacier, but then it splits into three branches, falling from a height of more than 300 meters. Officially they are called Taimazinsky waterfalls.

Olopena

The Hawaiian island of Molokai is known not only wonderful beaches and beautiful resorts, but also the 900-meter Olopena waterfall. Water slides like a thin ribbon between the rocks, squeezed from both sides volcanic mountains. Therefore, it is difficult to find this attraction on your own. But excursions are regularly organized to the waterfall, which are very popular among tourists.

Yumbilla

And again we return to South America - to the country of Peru. It was here, in the Amazonas region, in 2007 that another 896-meter-high stream was discovered falling from a cliff. Although it rounds out the top five highest waterfalls in the world, it is far from being the largest waterfall. The amount of water discharged is very small, moreover, in the dry season, the stream dries up completely.

Niagara Falls

"Rumbling Water" - this is how the name Niagara is translated from the language of local Indians. It is given very accurately. The water rumbles with such force that in the region of 500 meters nothing is heard at all, and the noise of the stream is carried for many kilometers around.

How high is Niagara Falls? Only 53 meters. Of course, in this parameter it cannot be compared with Angel. As mentioned above, the height of the highest waterfall in the world is almost a kilometer. But the power of Niagara is simply amazing - every second it dumps 5700 cubic meters of water or 3 million liters. According to this indicator, it has no equal on the entire planet. That is why it is often referred to as the largest waterfall in the world.

He is located in North America, in the middle reaches of the Niagara River, on the border of the United States and Canada. Every year it is visited by millions of tourists, since the tour costs only $30. There are many other attractions around. The infrastructure of the region is very well developed.

Victoria

This is the widest waterfall in the world. Its streams stretched for 1800 meters along a huge cliff, which stood in the way of the Zambezi River, South Africa. The height of the Victoria Falls is also significant - 120 meters. Modern name The stream was given by the Scottish geographer David Livingston in honor of Queen Victoria. Although the natives still call the waterfall Mosioa-Tunya, which means "thundering smoke".

Built in this region special city for travelers who want to admire this wonder of the world. In connection with the revolutionary unrest in Zimbabwe and Zambia, which are located in close proximity to the Victoria Falls, the flow of tourists to this area has somewhat decreased.

Iguazu

This is a complex of waterfalls in South America, on the border of Argentina and Brazil. It is called the eighth wonder of the world. In total, about 270 streams are connected here, which stretched for 3 kilometers. The largest of them is the "Devil's Throat" with a height of 83 meters. Every hour, Iguazu overthrows more than 1 billion tons of water with a terrible roar, and water dust rises many tens of meters up. Iguazu, translated from the language of the local tribe of Guarani Indians, means "great water", which is fully justified. After all, the seething power of the streams is simply mesmerizing. Every year, more than 1.5 million tourists visit the natural attraction, which is included in world heritage UNESCO. Only here you can observe an amazing phenomenon: a huge rainbow in the light of the moon.

The most significant waterfall in Europe

It is located in Norway, in the county of Mere og Romsdal, and is called Vinnufossen. It is a cascade system with a height of 860 meters, which makes it the sixth highest waterfall in the world.

Streams run down a steep slope and get lost in dense forest thickets. The waterfall looks especially impressive from afar, when you can appreciate all its picturesqueness and grandeur.

The largest waterfall in Russia

This is Talnikovy waterfall. He is in hard to reach place on the Putorana Plateau, or more precisely, in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, near the left bank of Lake Dyupkun. The height of this waterfall is 700 meters. It falls like a sheer wall from the flat top of Mount Trapezium and rushes down in 15 cascading steps.

It is noteworthy that the Talnikovy waterfall is a seasonal phenomenon. It is formed in the spring during the period of snow melting and lasts for several months, completely drying up by the end of summer.

Russia is an immense country, its remote corners hide many secrets. It is possible that soon a higher waterfall will be found in our country.

Angel Falls is considered the highest in the world. Its height is 1054 m (according to other sources - 979 m). Angel Falls (in English - Angel, local name - Churum-meru) is located on the river. Churum - a tributary of the river. Carrao (Orinoco river basin) in South America, in Venezuela.

Angel Falls is the most famous natural treasure Venezuela and one of the most impressive places in the world. It is 2.5 times taller than the famous Empire State Building in New York, and 15 times the famous Niagara. The discoverer of the waterfall is considered to be the American pilot Jimmy Angel, who dreamed of finding the Golden River all his life. The American adventurer never found the gold, but instead discovered one of our planet's most famous natural landmarks. Although the local Pemon Indians knew about the existence of the waterfall for thousands of years, the water cascade was named after Angel (but in the Spanish manner, Angel), because it was he who discovered it to the modern world.

Angel in translation into Russian means "angel". Although the names of waterfalls are usually very figurative and poetic, this waterfall is not named by an angel in honor of biblical angels and not because of its "proximity to heaven." The giant of the 1st magnitude bears the name of its discoverer, the Venezuelan pilot Juan Angel, while the Indians called the waterfall Apemey or Maiden's Eyebrow. Angel Falls, more than a kilometer high, was discovered relatively recently - in 1935. This proves how much our beautiful planet Earth.

To get started, watch this awesome video:

Now, let's get things straight...

On November 19, 1933, an American pilot first witnessed the majesty of the highest waterfall in the world, falling from a height of 979 meters in the jungles of Venezuela. Jimmy Angel described his experience as follows: "When I saw the waterfall, I almost lost control of the plane. A cascade of water straight from the sky!"
How could such a phenomenal miracle of nature - a vertical stream of water a mile high - be hidden from mankind throughout history? The fact is that Angel is located in one of the most remote and inaccessible corners of the earth. Southeastern part of Venezuela - mountain range Auyan-Tepui (Devil's Mountain) is composed of porous sandstones, has a height of up to 2600 m, abruptly breaks off with a sheer rock wall. The approaches to the wall are blocked by the selva - a dense tropical forest.

What was Angel looking for there? In the 1930s, a "diamond rush" broke out in Venezuela. Hundreds of adventurers, greedy businessmen, and simply the poor rushed into the impenetrable jungle. Angel bought a small sports plane and flew to the Auyan Tepui massif. In those places, the tops of the mesas are often covered with clouds. Angel flew in clear weather and was the first to see a kilometer-long water vertical.

It turned out that the waterfall did not fall from the very edge of the highland ledge. The Churum River "sawed through" the upper edge of the cliff and falls 80-100 m below its edge. Water consumption-300 sq. m/s.

On October 9, 1937, Angel accurately glided his El Rio Caroni light plane for a summit landing. huge mountain Auyantepui (a waterfall falls from its summit) in the isolated Gran Sabana region of Venezuela. According to Jimmy, his plan was to stay on top of the mountain for a few days in search of gold. But the author's plans were thwarted by an unsuccessful landing. The aircraft nosed down during landing and damaged a fuel line. The accident did no harm to Jimmy, his wife Maria, and two colleagues Gustavo Heni and Miguel Delgado, but now they were cut off from the outside world at the top of the Auyantepui mesa.

The only way out was to descend on foot, through an uncharted territory, with limited food. Eleven days later, exhausted but alive, the group reached the city of Kamarata. As word of the event spread around the world, Jimmy Angel's name became inextricably linked to the waterfall he first saw back in 1933.

Juan Angel (Angel) did not discover diamond deposits. Others have done it. He had an accident (the plane nosed over) and was literally saved by a miracle. He landed in the very place that Conan Doyle chose to unfold the events of his famous novel "lost World Reaching the nearest post office, Angel announced his discovery to the National geographical society United States, and his name is now on all the maps of the world. On Latin American maps, the waterfall is often referred to as Salto Angel, i.e. "angel's jump".

The discoverer spent the last years of his life in Venezuela, in the state of Ciudad Bolivar, died in 1956. According to the will of Angel, his ashes were scattered over the waterfall named after him.

Twelve years later, American photojournalist Ruth Robertson made the first successful expedition to the foot of Angel, measured it and officially proclaimed it the highest waterfall in the world. Her article, "Jungle Journey to the World's Highest Falls," published in November 1949 in National Geographic, is a fascinating account of this journey.

In 1955, the Latvian explorer Aleksander Laime became the first Westerner to reach the source of the river that feeds the Angel Falls. Nowadays, tourists use the Laime trail while climbing to the top of Mount Auyantepui.

Jimmy Angel's plane remained atop Auyantepui for 33 years. In 1964, the Venezuelan government declared the aircraft national monument. In 1970, it was dismantled and taken by Venezuelan Air Force helicopters to the Aviation Museum in Maracay for restoration. Later, the aircraft was installed on a green lawn in front of the passenger terminal of Ciudad Bolivar Airport, where it remains to this day.

Angel never dreamed that his plane would become a national monument. Years before, Patricia Grant had asked Jimmy if he would like his plane to be taken off the top of Auyantepui. Then he replied: "No, staying there, he will serve as a memory of me."

Angel Falls is located in tropical jungle southeast region Venezuela called Gran Sabana. A large area of ​​this region (more than 3 million hectares) is included in the Canaima National Park, the largest national park in Venezuela and the sixth largest in the world. Gran Sabana means large plain (or shroud) in Spanish, but the area's most famous feature is the dozens of exotic, sheer, flat-topped mountains rising in the middle of the plain. Named in the language of the local Indian tribe "tepui", these pink sandstone mesas are the product of millions of years of erosion, and have unique flora and fauna not found anywhere else in the world - frogs that do not jump or red carnivorous plants.

The most famous attraction of Gran Sabana is Roraima, the highest tepui with a height of about 2800 meters. Fans of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle believe that his science fiction novel The Lost World, about dinosaur hunters in the jungles of South America, was based on the first scientific expedition to Roraima. Angel Falls falls from the top of Auyantepui (translated from the language of the Pemon Indians "Devil's Mountain"), one of the largest tepui of Venezuela.

Canaima serves as the starting point for a trip to the Angel Falls. Located on the edge of the lagoon (pictured), surrounded by pink sandy beaches, beautiful waterfalls and untouched jungle, the word " paradise” most fully reflects the beauty surrounding nature this area. Although you can visit other waterfalls and lagoons from here, as well as go for climbing the flat tops of the mesas, the main reason why tourists fly to Canaima for a few days is the opportunity to see the Angel Falls.

The highest waterfall in the world is also one of the most inaccessible. Venezuela did absolutely nothing to develop this region at least somehow. Its remoteness and inaccessibility have kept untouched nature local area and made Angel Falls one of the most inaccessible tourist attractions in Venezuela. Until now, there is no way to travel by car, as greater territory Canaima National Park has almost no roads. small runways to receive light aircraft connect this remote region with the outside world.

Most tourists visiting Angel Falls do so from an airplane window. Almost all flights to Canaima, both commercial and charter, run close to this waterfall. But, given the fact that Angel falls from the wall of a steep canyon, often shrouded in clouds (especially during the rainy season), it is not always possible to see him. Moreover, even on a clear day, when the plane makes a couple of passes on each side, you can often catch a glimpse of it.

If you want to truly enjoy the splendor of the highest waterfall in the world, then a boat trip is a must. Almost all hotels and travel agencies in Canaima offer 1, 2 or 3 day tours. All of them follow the same route, the difference is only in the amount of time, which completely depends on the desire of visitors.

Angel Falls is located about 5 hours canoeing upriver from Canaima town, followed by a hike through the jungle to its base (about an hour). The path to the waterfall from Canaima is no less interesting part of the trip and gives you the opportunity to get acquainted with the unique views of the Venezuelan flora and fauna, enjoy beautiful scenery surrounding nature (pictured). If the flow of water is rather moderate, you can swim in a small reservoir at the foot of the waterfall.

If you are interested in the overnight stay of climbers, HERE YOU CAN SEE this is more

The waterfall is at its most full during the rainy season from May to November, but at this time of the year clouds often cover the top of Auyantepui. During the dry season from December to April, it looks less attractive.

In May 1956, Angel's light aircraft crashed in Panama. He escaped with a large abrasion on his forehead, it would seem that everything is in order. A few days later, he suffered a stroke and, without regaining consciousness, died in December of that year at the age of 57. The last wish of the pilot was a request to scatter his ashes over the Angel Falls he discovered.

In 1960, Maria (wife) and his 2 sons, Jimmy and Roland, took Angel to Venezuela. On his last flight over the falls, he was accompanied by close friends Gustavo Henie and Patricia Grant. Later, Henie told his sister Carmen that "when the plane entered the canyon, nothing could be seen because of the high cloud cover, then suddenly something happened. It became so clear, so beautiful, we could see everything. It looked like a mountain took something incomparable - it was Jimmy."

In 2009, President Hugo Chávez proposed that the most famous national landmark should henceforth bear the name of the indigenous people of Venezuela, and not the American gringo. On December 20, 2009, the President of Venezuela signed a decree renaming Angel Falls to Kerepakupai Meru. But in other countries it is still called by the old name.

Did you find a man on a rock here? :-)
The most vivid description of the waterfall - perhaps the best in world literature - belongs to the chairman of the Soviet Peace Committee Yu. A. Zhukov, who surveyed Angel Falls from an airplane in April 1971. "The pilot flies his plane close, close to him. Before us is incredibly high - a kilometer!—an elastic foamy-white water column—a taut jet of stream plunges from the plateau into the abyss, at the bottom of which the Churum River revives, whose flow is interrupted by this crazy water jump... We have already heard and read that the height of the water fall is here so great that the stream, before reaching the bottom of the abyss, turns into water dust, which settles on the stones as rain.But you had to see it in order to imagine all the originality of the spectacle that presented itself: somewhere below, at a distance of about three hundred meters from the bottom of the abyss, a powerful, resilient, seething stream suddenly seemed to melt and break off in the fog, and even lower, as if born out of nothing, the river raged... How I would like to approach the waterfall not by plane, but on the ground - to stand near it, listen to its rumble, breathe in the smell of water falling from the sky! But this is impossible..."

A waterfall is a river, on the way of which there are elevation changes, and a sharp break in the bottom ensures a steep fall of the stream. The spectacle fascinates with beauty and grandeur, the higher the cliff, the grander the view of the sparkling mass falling into the abyss. The highest waterfall in the world is Angel Falls, located in South America.

Interesting facts about falling rivers

In the register of world waterfalls, and such exists in the United States of America, two main types are distinguished: the height is greater than the width, for example, Angel, and the second type, Niagara - the width is much more height. In some cases, the height of the water stream is comparable to the width.

These are the main types, but there are many more subtypes, such as: cataracts - traveling rivers; leaf - with a flat wide cliff; ponytail - water throughout the entire stream does not come off the surface of the rock; keyhole - the flow forcefully makes its way to free fall, and others that can also affect the classification.

Waterfall classification

Three main parameters are usually taken into account.

Height

In this category, the record holder is the Venezuelan Angel, whose height, if you count with the first and last cascade after free fall, is almost a kilometer. True, Angel is impressive only in the rainy season, while in dry times it is a miserable trickle. By the way, Hugo Chavez renamed Angel to Kerepakulai-meru in 2009, but the name remained the same on world maps.

In general, many falling rivers are endowed with this characteristic, for example, Tugela 900 m high distinguished itself on the African mainland. In New Zealand, Sutherland, falling in three cascades from 550 meters. There are many such streams in Norway, but, firstly, they are seasonal, since they occur only during heavy rains, and secondly, they are not waterfalls in the sense of free fall, it is just a river flowing along a rocky bed to the bottom of the mountain.

Visible area

This concept means the height multiplied by the width. This is exactly what impresses, from which the viewer enjoys. According to this indicator, three great falls can be distinguished: Victoria, Iguazu and Niagara.

Falling water consumption in cubic meters

Indeed, an essential characteristic, but the trouble is that it is not related to the flow height. For example, Congo every second distills 17 thousand tons of water over the Levingston threshold, but it is only 6 meters high, so it does not make an impression and can not be considered a waterfall. The second place in terms of volume is occupied by the Mekong, followed by Niagara, Iguazu and the Yellow River.

8 most famous waterfalls

There are many flowing rivers in the world, it is probably impossible to count them all and catalog them. Everyone is beautiful and magnificent simply because falling water is already a most beautiful phenomenon that has a beneficial effect on mood. But the most famous sheer streams in the world are listed below. These wonderful rivers rightfully bear the title of "the most".

Supreme

The highest waterway in the world is called Angel. It falls to the ground, according to some reports, from more than a kilometer high. There is a huge river on the mainland South America, In The Cainama National Park Of Venezuela. Pilot Jimmy Angel in 1935 on his monoplane was looking for diamonds in this area, and found the highest waterfall in the world and opened it to mankind. Now this most beautiful natural phenomenon is called by his name Angel (Angel), that is, Angel.

Biggest

On the African mainland is the largest waterfall in the world - Victoria. From a height of more than 100 meters, this giant rushes down with frightening power and a rolling rumble, as if it is escaping from a huge reservoir. David Livingstone, who discovered this attraction to the world, gave it the name of Queen Victoria.

The most powerful

Iguazu is located in Brazil and Argentina at the same time, or rather, on the border of these states, and is considered the most powerful water artery in the world. Iguazu absorbed a whole ensemble of two hundred and fifty rivers, stretching across the area in a 3-kilometer smooth arc. This giant is not only the most powerful, but also the most full-flowing in the world.

The widest

The mainland, where the widest river falls from a cliff, is Asia. Cambodia and Laos have sheltered the Khon River on their border, which does not shine with the height of the canyon, but it strikes the imagination with its width. Most wide waterfall in the world - Khon - stretches for almost 11 kilometers.

The most beautiful

Almost every waterfall in the world can be placed in this category, and yet the popularity of the Niagara Cascades among tourists is hard to beat. This wide tumbling river is located on the Canadian border and pleases not only tourists with its horseshoe-shaped view, but also local population supplying them with uninterrupted power.

The longest

India, where the most long river, did not lag behind world standards and included a waterfall under the name of Gersopp in the list of the longest water arteries. This handsome man is located on the Sharavati River, in the southern section of the Western Ghata mountains.

The smallest

You can consider the tap water in your bathroom as the smallest waterfall, but seriously, there is one and it is located in Kazakhstan, in the sands of Karagash. It truly is a magical place! After standing by the falling river for 10 minutes, visitors noted the healing effect of water.

The oldest

The oldest waterfall turned out to be a man-made canal called Marble, created by the Romans back in 270 BC. Manius Curius Dentatus, the Roman consul, ordered the river Velino to be diverted towards the Marmore rock, which gave the canal its name. Today this water monument belongs to Italy and is located in the Umbria region.

Unique waterfalls without outstanding parameters

On the continents of the whole world, a huge number of waterfalls are born, live and die, which, although not distinguished by outstanding parameters, but have their own special history or interesting nuance, which distinguished them from many other water arteries. In order not to get confused in an immense list and answer the question of which, where, on which continent and what is the name of the most desirable falling stream, you can consider this list:

• Kaieteur - listed in the World Falls Database at number 19 for size, and at number 26 for scenic beauty. Is located in National Park Caieteur of Venezuela;
• Detian is the fourth largest in the world qualification. Located on the Sino-Vietnamese border;
• Tis-Ysat - the river is located in Ethiopia. Tis-Ysat was loved by tourists from all over the world for the rainbow that regularly appears over the water;
• Huangguoshu - located in China and entered the Guinness Book of Records for picturesqueness, majesty, charm and inaccessibility;
• Jog is the pride of India. Poetic Indians compare their natural wonder with the dance of a beautiful woman;
• "Golden Falls", or, one of the most beautiful places in Iceland. Gullfoss survived the difficult times of the threat of destruction, when, rented by outsiders, it almost turned into a hydroelectric power station. Now the beautiful creation of nature is under the reliable protection of the Icelandic authorities.

Usually tourists take pictures of the waterfall and take selfies as a keepsake.

To capture water in motion, there are two techniques. The first is to “freeze” the movement with a short shutter speed, while the streams and sprays seem to freeze in space and time - this is spectacular, but dynamics is lost; the second way is to set a slow shutter speed, moving objects in the photo will be slightly blurry, foggy, but the appearance of water flow will remain.

Couples in love come not to perpetuate sights, but to capture themselves against the backdrop of the raging elements. The most universal advice of all professional photographers is not to shoot against the sun and choose the angle with taste.
The waterfall is a rather dangerous area, and visiting such an event must be approached with all seriousness. travel companies store the history of the excursions with a fatal outcome. To avoid any trouble with you, follow a few simple but important rules:

• strictly follow the instructions. Such a memo is given to tourists when visiting an excursion in almost any country, unless you, by the will of fate, found yourself in the wilderness in front of a waterfall unknown to science;
• never step outside the fence. They were not placed to limit your freedom, but to protect you from an accidental fall;
• think about comfortable shoes with hard soles and secure fixation with the surface. The stones around are always wet and slippery;
• prepare waterproof clothing to save your suit and equipment from the splashes that are sure to appear when the wind blows.

Streams of water crashing against the rocks turn into millions of tiny drops, sparkling with crystals in the sun. The deafening roar of a stream falling from a height can be heard a mile away. Next to such power it is impossible to remain indifferent. Millions of tourists visit the waterfalls every year to take with them a piece of the greatness of these amazing giants.