About
Victoria Falls, on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe, is the world's largest sheet of falling water. The Zambezi River plunges 108 meters over a 1.7 km wide basalt cliff, creating the 'smoke that thunders' (Mosi-oa-Tunya in the local Lozi language). The spray creates a permanent rainforest around the falls visible from 50 km away.
David Livingstone was the first European to see the falls in 1855 and named them after Queen Victoria. During peak flow (February–May), 500 million liters of water per minute thunder over the edge. A natural infinity pool at the lip of the falls, Devil's Pool, is accessible during low water season — one of the world's most extreme swimming spots.
# Top 10 Victoria Falls facts
- 1Victoria Falls is the largest waterfall in the world by total area — neither the tallest nor widest alone, but both combined
- 2The spray creates a permanent rainbow visible from miles away and a constant 'mist forest' of vegetation
- 3Devil's Pool — a natural infinity pool at the edge of the falls — is swimmable in low water season
Fascinating Facts
- ◆Victoria Falls is the largest waterfall in the world by total area — neither the tallest nor widest alone, but both combined
- ◆The spray creates a permanent rainbow visible from miles away and a constant 'mist forest' of vegetation
- ◆Devil's Pool — a natural infinity pool at the edge of the falls — is swimmable in low water season
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