The Iguaçu Falls originate from the Iguacu River and form the border between Brazil and Argentina.
The name of the falls originates from the Tupi or Guarani language, and means “big water”. While the ancient Brazilian tribes knew of its thunderous beauty, it was only officially ‘discovered’ in 1541, when the European explorer, the Spanish Conquistador Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, came across its awe-inspiring beauty. Today, the two UNESCO World Heritage Sites own the Iguacu Falls: the Iguazú National Park in Argentina and the Iguaçu National Park in Brazil.
The Iguacu Falls stretch in width for 2.7 kilometres (or 1.7 miles). Their height varies between 60 metres (200 feet) and 82 metres (or 269 feet). This makes the Iguacu Falls taller than Niagara Falls and twice as wide. A large proportion of the water is thrust down Devil’s Throat, a long chasm that is 82 metres high, 150 metres wide and 700 metres long. This chasm has a distinguishing U-shape. Interestingly, there are several islands within the river and the falls.
