Waterfall
Encyclopedia
Formation
Bedrock
In stratigraphy, bedrock is the native consolidated rock underlying the surface of a terrestrial planet, usually the Earth. Above the bedrock is usually an area of broken and weathered unconsolidated rock in the basal subsoil...
, erosion happens slowly, while downstream the erosion occurs more rapidly. As the watercourse increases its velocity at the edge of the waterfall, it plucks material from the riverbed. Whirlpool
Whirlpool
A whirlpool is a swirling body of water usually produced by ocean tides. The vast majority of whirlpools are not very powerful. More powerful ones are more properly termed maelstroms. Vortex is the proper term for any whirlpool that has a downdraft...
s created in the turbulence as well as sand and stones carried by the watercourse increase the erosion capacity. This causes the waterfall to carve deeper into the bed and to recede upstream. Often over time, the waterfall will recede back to form a canyon or gorge downstream as it recedes upstream, and it will carve deeper into the ridge above it. The rate of retreat for a waterfall can be as high as one and half meters per year.
Often, the rock stratum
Stratum
In geology and related fields, a stratum is a layer of sedimentary rock or soil with internally consistent characteristics that distinguish it from other layers...
just below the more resistant shelf will be of a softer type, meaning that undercutting due to splashback will occur here to form a shallow cave-like formation known as a rock shelter
Rock shelter
A rock shelter is a shallow cave-like opening at the base of a bluff or cliff....
under and behind the waterfall. Eventually, the outcrop
Outcrop
An outcrop is a visible exposure of bedrock or ancient superficial deposits on the surface of the Earth. -Features:Outcrops do not cover the majority of the Earth's land surface because in most places the bedrock or superficial deposits are covered by a mantle of soil and vegetation and cannot be...
ping, more resistant cap rock will collapse under pressure to add blocks of rock to the base of the waterfall. These blocks of rock are then broken down into smaller boulders by attrition
Attrition (weathering)
Attrition is a form of coastal or river erosion, when the bed load is eroded by itself and the bed. As rocks are transported downstream along a riverbed, the regular impacts between the grains themselves and between the grains and the bed cause them to be broken up into smaller fragments. This...
as they collide with each other, and they also erode the base of the waterfall by abrasion
Abrasion (geology)
Abrasion is the mechanical scraping of a rock surface by friction between rocks and moving particles during their transport by wind, glacier, waves, gravity, running water or erosion. After friction, the moving particles dislodge loose and weak debris from the side of the rock...
, creating a deep plunge pool or gorge.
Kinetic energy
The kinetic energy of an object is the energy which it possesses due to its motion.It is defined as the work needed to accelerate a body of a given mass from rest to its stated velocity. Having gained this energy during its acceleration, the body maintains this kinetic energy unless its speed changes...
of the water hitting the bottom. Waterfalls normally form in a rocky area due to erosion. After a long period of being fully formed, the water falling off the ledge will retreat, causing a horizontal pit parallel to the waterfall wall. Eventually, as the pit grows deeper, the waterfall collapses to be replaced by a steeply sloping stretch of river bed. In addition to gradual processes such as erosion, earth movement caused by earthquakes or landslides or volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
es can cause a differential in land heights which interfere with the natural course of a water flow, and result in waterfalls.
A river sometimes flows over a large step in the rocks that may have been formed by a fault line. Waterfalls can occur along the edge of a glacial trough, whereby a stream or river flowing into a glacier
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
continues to flow into a valley after the glacier has receded or melted. The large waterfalls in Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Valley is a glacial valley in Yosemite National Park in the western Sierra Nevada mountains of California, carved out by the Merced River. The valley is about long and up to a mile deep, surrounded by high granite summits such as Half Dome and El Capitan, and densely forested with pines...
are examples of this phenomenon, which is referred to as a hanging valley. Another reason hanging valleys may form is where two rivers join and one is flowing faster than the other.
Waterfalls can be grouped into ten broad classes based on the average volume of water present on the fall (which depends on both the waterfall's average flow and its height) using a logarithmic scale
Logarithmic scale
A logarithmic scale is a scale of measurement using the logarithm of a physical quantity instead of the quantity itself.A simple example is a chart whose vertical axis increments are labeled 1, 10, 100, 1000, instead of 1, 2, 3, 4...
. Class 10 waterfalls include Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls
The Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is the collective name for the Horseshoe Falls and the adjacent American Falls along with the comparatively small Bridal Veil Falls, which combined form the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world and has...
, Paulo Afonso Falls
Paulo Afonso Falls
Paulo Afonso Falls is a series of waterfalls on the São Francisco River in the northeastern section of Brazil adjacent to the city of Paulo Afonso. It stands high. Upstream of the falls, a hydroelectric dam, the Hidrelétrica de Angiquinho blocks the flow of the river...
and Khone Falls
Khone Falls
The Khone Falls and Pha Pheng Falls is a waterfall located in Champasak Province on the Mekong River in southern Laos, near the border with Cambodia. The Khone Falls are the largest in southeast Asia and they are the main reason that the Mekong is not fully navigable into China...
.
Classes of other well-known waterfalls include Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls
The Victoria Falls or Mosi-oa-Tunya is a waterfall located in southern Africa on the Zambezi River between the countries of Zambia and Zimbabwe.-Introduction:...
and Kaieteur Falls
Kaieteur Falls
Kaieteur Falls is a high-volume waterfall on the Potaro River in central Guyana, Potaro-Siparuni region. It is located inKaieteur National Park. It is 226 meters high when measured from its plunge over a sandstone and conglomerate cliff to the first break...
(Class 9); Rhine Falls
Rhine Falls
The Rhine Falls is the largest plain waterfall in Europe.The falls are located on the Upper Rhine between the municipalities of Neuhausen am Rheinfall and Laufen-Uhwiesen, near the town of Schaffhausen in northern Switzerland, between the cantons of Schaffhausen and Zürich. They are 150 m ...
and Gullfoss
Gullfoss
Gullfoss is a waterfall located in the canyon of Hvítá river in southwest Iceland.Gullfoss is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country. The wide Hvítá rushes southward...
(Class 8); Angel Falls and Dettifoss
Dettifoss
Dettifoss is a waterfall in Vatnajökull National Park in Northeast Iceland, and is reputed to be the most powerful waterfall in Europe.It is situated on the Jökulsá á Fjöllum river, which flows from the Vatnajökull glacier and collects water from a large area in Northeast Iceland. The falls are 100...
(Class 7); Yosemite Falls
Yosemite Falls
Yosemite Falls is the highest measured waterfall in North America. Located in Yosemite National Park in the Sierra Nevada of California, it is a major attraction in the park, especially in late spring when the water flow is at its peak....
, Lower Yellowstone Falls
Yellowstone Falls
Yellowstone Falls consist of two major waterfalls on the Yellowstone River, within Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United States. As the Yellowstone river flows north from Yellowstone Lake, it leaves the Hayden Valley and plunges first over Upper Yellowstone Falls and then a quarter mile ...
and Umphang Thee Lor Sue Waterfall
Umphang Thee Lor Sue Waterfall
The Umphang Thee Lor Sue Waterfall is claimed to be the largest and highest waterfall in Thailand...
(Class 6); Sutherland Falls
Sutherland Falls
Sutherland Falls is a waterfall near Milford Sound in New Zealand's South Island. At 580 metres the falls were long believed to be the tallest waterfall in New Zealand...
(Class 5).
Types
- Block: Water descends from a relatively wide stream or river.
- Cascade: Water descends a series of rock steps.
- Cataract: A large, powerful waterfall.
- Chute: A large quantity of water forced through a narrow, vertical passage.
- Fan: Water spreads horizontally as it descends while remaining in contact with bedrockBedrockIn stratigraphy, bedrock is the native consolidated rock underlying the surface of a terrestrial planet, usually the Earth. Above the bedrock is usually an area of broken and weathered unconsolidated rock in the basal subsoil...
. - Frozen: Any waterfall which has some element of ice.
- Horsetail: Descending water maintains some contact with bedrock.
- Plunge: Water descends vertically, losing contact with the bedrock surface.
- Punchbowl: Water descends in a constricted form and then spreads out in a wider pool.
- Segmented: Distinctly separate flows of water form as it descends.
- Tiered: Water drops in a series of distinct steps or falls.
- Multi-step: A series of waterfalls one after another of roughly the same size each with its own sunken plunge pool.
Examples of famous waterfalls
Significant waterfalls, listed alphabetically:
- Angel Falls in VenezuelaVenezuelaVenezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
is the world's tallest at 979 metres (3,211.9 ft). - Bambarakanda FallsBambarakanda FallsBambarakanda Falls is the tallest waterfall in Sri Lanka. With a height of , it ranks as the 299th highest waterfall in the world. Situated in Kalupahana in the Badulla District, this waterfall is directly visible from the A4 Highway. The waterfall was formed by Kuda Oya, which is a branch of the...
is Sri LankaSri LankaSri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
's tallest waterfall at 263 metres (862.9 ft). - Detian - Ban Gioc Falls is the 4th largest international waterfall in the world between the Sino-VietnamVietnamVietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
ese border. - Bridalveil FallBridalveil Fall (Yosemite)Bridalveil Fall is one of the most prominent waterfalls in the Yosemite Valley in California, seen yearly by millions of visitors to Yosemite National Park....
in Yosemite Valley is 189 metres (620.1 ft) high with a sheer drop when flowing. - Cascata delle MarmoreCascata delle MarmoreThe Cascata delle Marmore is a man-made waterfall created by the ancient Romans. Its total height is 165 m , making it one of the tallest in Europe and the tallest man-made waterfall in the world...
in ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
is the tallest man-made waterfall in the world. - Cautley SpoutCautley SpoutCautley Spout is England's highest waterfall above ground. . The broken cascade of falls tumbles a total of 650 feet down a cliff face at the head of a wild and bleak glacial valley that comes down from a high plateau called The Calf...
, at 175 metres (574.1 ft), is the tallest waterfall in England. - Colonial Creek Falls, the second tallest waterfall in North AmericaNorth AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
at 788 metres (2,585.3 ft), are located in the North Cascades National ParkNorth Cascades National ParkNorth Cascades National Park is a U.S. National Park located in the state of Washington. The park is the largest of the three National Park Service units that comprise the North Cascades National Park Service Complex. Several national wilderness areas and British Columbia parkland adjoin the...
, Washington, United States. - DettifossDettifossDettifoss is a waterfall in Vatnajökull National Park in Northeast Iceland, and is reputed to be the most powerful waterfall in Europe.It is situated on the Jökulsá á Fjöllum river, which flows from the Vatnajökull glacier and collects water from a large area in Northeast Iceland. The falls are 100...
in northeast Iceland is the largest waterfall in Europe in terms of volume discharge, having an average water flow of 200 m³/s.The falls are 100 metres (328.1 ft) wide and have a drop of 44 metres (144.4 ft) down to the Jökulsárgljúfur canyon. - Eas a' Chual AluinnEas a' Chual AluinnEas a' Chual Aluinn in the parish of Assynt, Sutherland, Highland, Scotland, is Britain's highest waterfall with a sheer drop of 658 ft . When in full flow it is over three times higher than Niagara Falls....
in ScotlandScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, at 200 metres (656.2 ft), the tallest waterfall in the United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. - Falls of LoraFalls of LoraThe Falls of Lora is a tidal race which forms at the mouth of Loch Etive when a particularly high tide runs out from the loch. They form white water rapids for two to five days either side of the spring tides....
, also in Scotland is an unusual rapids in the sea that is created when the waters in Loch EtiveLoch EtiveLoch Etive is a 30 km sea loch in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It reaches the sea at Connel, 5 km north of Oban. It measures 31.6 km in length and from 1.2 km to in width...
pour out through the narrow mouth of the loch over a rocky shelf. - Gocta is the fifth tallest in the world at 771 metres (2,529.5 ft) and is located in the province of ChachapoyasChachapoyas ProvinceChachapoyas is a province of the Amazonas Region, Peru. The province of Chachapoyas was a part of the department of Trujillo being its capital the city of Chachapoyas....
, PeruPeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. - Hannoki FallsHannoki FallsHannoki Falls, in Toyama Prefecture, Japan, is the tallest waterfall in Japan at a height of 497 m . However, it only has water from April to July when the snow covering the Midagahara plateau melts, so its neighbor, Shōmyō Falls, is usually considered the tallest. Hannoki and Shōmyō falls are...
in TateyamaTateyamaTateyama can refer to:* Tateyama, Chiba , a city in Chiba Prefecture, Japan* Tateyama, Toyama , a town in Toyama Prefecture, Japan* Mount Tate , a mountain range in Toyama Prefecture, Japan...
, JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, is the tallest waterfall in JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
at 500 metres (1,640.4 ft). - Jiao Lung WaterfallJiao Lung WaterfallJiao Lung Waterfall is the tallest measured waterfall in Taiwan, with a sheer plunge of . It is located on a cliff of Mount Da Ta near the popular resort of Alishan, in Chiayi County. Its closest city is the small hamlet of Fengshan. Predominantly seasonal, it has been known to have much reduced...
in AlishanAlishanThe Alishan National Scenic Area is a mountain resort and natural preserve located in the mountains of Chiayi County in Taiwan. It is 415 km² in area. It includes, among other things, mountain wilderness, four villages, waterfalls, high altitude tea plantations, the Alishan Forest Railway ...
, ChiayiChiayi-Administration:-City attractions:*Chiayi Park*Sun Shooting Tower *Lantan *Historic Archives Building of Chiayi City*University of Chiayi*Chiayi Museum...
, TaiwanTaiwanTaiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, is the tallest waterfall in East AsiaEast AsiaEast Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
at 600 metres (1,968.5 ft). - High ForceHigh ForceHigh Force is a waterfall on the River Tees, near Middleton-in-Teesdale, Teesdale, County Durham, England. The waterfall is within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and European Geopark....
on the River TeesRiver TeesThe River Tees is in Northern England. It rises on the eastern slope of Cross Fell in the North Pennines, and flows eastwards for 85 miles to reach the North Sea between Hartlepool and Redcar.-Geography:...
is one of the tallest waterfalls in England. - Huangguoshu Waterfall in AnshunAnshunAnshun is a prefecture-level city in China in the southwestern province of Guizhou where the famous Huangguoshu Waterfall is located. Within the borders of its prefecture one also finds attractions such as Long Gong Dragon Caves and the Getu River. As of 1999, it had a population of 217,215...
, GuizhouGuizhou' is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the southwestern part of the country. Its provincial capital city is Guiyang.- History :...
, ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, is the largest waterfall in East AsiaEast AsiaEast Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
. - Iguazu FallsIguazu FallsIguazu Falls, Iguassu Falls, or Iguaçu Falls are waterfalls of the Iguazu River located on the border of the Brazilian State of Paraná and the Argentine Province of Misiones. The falls divide the river into the upper and lower Iguazu. The Iguazu River originates near the city of Curitiba. It flows...
is a tall and extremely wide waterfall located in South AmericaSouth AmericaSouth America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
on the ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
/BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
border. - James Bruce FallsJames Bruce FallsJames Bruce Falls is the highest measured waterfall in the continent of North America and ninth tallest in the world. Located in Princess Louisa Marine Provincial Park in British Columbia, Canada, it stems from a small snowfield and cascades down to Princess Louisa Inlet...
, the tallest waterfall in North AmericaNorth AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
at 840 metres (2,755.9 ft), is located in the Princess Louisa Marine Provincial ParkPrincess Louisa Marine Provincial ParkPrincess Louisa Marine Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada surrounding Princess Louisa Inlet....
, British ColumbiaBritish ColumbiaBritish Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. - Jurong FallsJurong FallsJurong Falls is the tallest continuously running artificial waterfall in the world, at 30 metres tall. The falls are located within the open-access Waterfall Aviary at the Jurong Bird Park in Singapore....
in SingaporeSingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
is an artificial waterfall. - Kaieteur FallsKaieteur FallsKaieteur Falls is a high-volume waterfall on the Potaro River in central Guyana, Potaro-Siparuni region. It is located inKaieteur National Park. It is 226 meters high when measured from its plunge over a sandstone and conglomerate cliff to the first break...
(Potaro River in central Guyana), located in the Kaieteur National Park, is 226 metres (741.5 ft). - Krimmler WasserfälleKrimmler WasserfälleThe Krimml Waterfalls or waterfalls of Krimml, with a total height of 380 metres , form the highest waterfall in Austria. The falls are formed from the Krimmler Ache river and are located near the village of Krimml in the High Tauern National Park in Salzburgerland.-Falls:Krimmler Wasserfälle is...
, at 380 metres (1,246.7 ft), is AustriaAustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
's second-tallest waterfall and is located in Krimml, SalzburgSalzburg (state)Salzburg is a state or Land of Austria with an area of 7,156 km2, located adjacent to the German border. It is also known as Salzburgerland, to distinguish it from its capital city, also named Salzburg...
. - Niagara FallsNiagara FallsThe Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is the collective name for the Horseshoe Falls and the adjacent American Falls along with the comparatively small Bridal Veil Falls, which combined form the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world and has...
are the most powerful falls in North America. - Nohkalikai FallsNohkalikai FallsNohkalikai Falls is one of the tallest waterfalls in India. Its height is 1100 feet . The waterfall is located near Cherrapunji, one of the wettest places on Earth. Nohkalikai Falls are fed by the rainwater collected on the summit of comparatively small plateau and decrease in power during the dry...
is India's tallest plunge waterfall, located in MeghalayaMeghalayaMeghalaya is a state in north-eastern India. The word "Meghalaya" literally means the Abode of Clouds in Sanskrit and other Indic languages. Meghalaya is a hilly strip in the eastern part of the country about 300 km long and 100 km wide, with a total area of about 8,700 sq mi . The...
state, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. - Pissing Mare FallsPissing Mare FallsPissing Mare Falls are located in Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland, Canada. The falls, at 350 metres high, are among the highest in eastern North America and drop from Big Level over Western Brook Pond Fjord into Western Brook Pond....
, at 350 metres (1,148.3 ft), is the tallest in eastern North America. - Pistyll RhaeadrPistyll RhaeadrPistyll Rhaeadr is a waterfall, located a few miles from the village of Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant in Powys, Wales, twelve miles west of Oswestry.- Description :...
, 73 metres (239.5 ft), is the tallest waterfall in WalesWalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. - RamnefjellsfossenRamnefjellsfossenRamnefjellsfossen is unofficially listed as the third-highest waterfall in the world in several publications. On the other hand, The World Waterfall Database, which includes all minor and seasonal waterfalls, lists it as eleventh-tallest...
is the world's third tallest at 808 metres (2,650.9 ft), at StrynStrynStryn is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Nordfjord. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Stryn which had a population of 2,177 in 2009. The municipality is located along the innermost part of the...
, Nesdalen, Norway. - Venta Rapid is Europe's widest and is located in LatviaLatviaLatvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
. - Shir-Abad Waterfall is located near Khan Bebin in Golestan ProvinceGolestan ProvinceGolestan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran, located in the north-east of the country, south of the Caspian Sea. Its capital is Gorgan....
, IranIranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
.
- Shoshone FallsShoshone FallsShoshone Falls is a waterfall on the Snake River located approximately five miles east of Twin Falls, Idaho. Sometimes called the "Niagara of the West," Shoshone Falls is 212 feet high—45 feet higher than Niagara Falls—and flows over a rim 1,000 feet wide.A park overlooking the waterfall is...
the "Niagara of the West" in Idaho. - St.Clair's FallsSt.Clairs FallsSt. Clair's Falls is one the widest waterfalls in Sri Lanka . St. Clair's Falls is called the "Little Niagara of Sri Lanka". and it is one of the most politically discussed environmental entities in Sri Lanka....
is Sri LankaSri LankaSri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
's widest waterfall and is 265 feet (80.8 m) tall. - Silver FallsSilver Falls State ParkSilver Falls State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of Oregon, located near Silverton, about east-southeast of Salem. It is the largest state park in Oregon with an area of more than , and it includes more than of walking trails, of horse trails, and a bike path...
is a waterfall and is located in Silverton, OregonSilverton, OregonSilverton is a city in Marion County, Oregon, United States, along the 45th parallel. The population was 7,414 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
. - Takakkaw FallsTakakkaw FallsTakakkaw Falls is a waterfall located in Yoho National Park, near Field, British Columbia, in Canada. Its highest point is 384m from its base, making it the second-highest officially measured waterfall in western Canada, after Della Falls on Vancouver Island...
, 384 metres (1,259.8 ft) high, are in Yoho National ParkYoho National ParkYoho National Park is located in the Canadian Rocky Mountains along the western slope of the Continental Divide in southeastern British Columbia. Yoho NP is bordered by Kootenay National Park on the southern side and Banff National Park on the eastern side...
in CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. - TaquaruçuTaquarussuTaquarussu is a village of the Brazilian state of Tocantins, located 30 km. from the capital of Tocantins, Palmas....
waterfalls. In valley near PalmasPalmas, TocantinsPalmas is the capital of the Brazilian state of Tocantins. According to IBGE estimates from 2011, the city had 235,315 inhabitants. It has an area of 2474.95 km²....
(BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
), this village is famous for its many waterfalls. - Tequendama FallsTequendama FallsThe Tequendama Falls is a 132m high waterfall on the Bogotá River, located about 30 km southwest of Bogotá in the municipality of San Antonio del Tequendama...
is a 132 metres (433.1 ft) waterfall on the Bogotá RiverBogotá RiverThe Bogotá River is a major river of the Cundinamarca department of Colombia, crossing the region from the northeast to the southwest and passing along the western limits of Bogotá...
, about 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) southwest of BogotáBogotáBogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
in ColombiaColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. - Tugela FallsTugela FallsTugela Falls is the world's second highest waterfall. The total drop in five free-leaping falls is . They are located in the Drakensberg in the Royal Natal National Park in KwaZulu-Natal Province, Republic of South Africa. They are easily viewed after a heavy rain from the main travel road into...
is the world's second tallest at 947 metres (3,107 ft) in KwaZulu-NatalKwaZulu-NatalKwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....
province, Republic of South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. - Victoria FallsVictoria FallsThe Victoria Falls or Mosi-oa-Tunya is a waterfall located in southern Africa on the Zambezi River between the countries of Zambia and Zimbabwe.-Introduction:...
is the largest waterfall in the world and is more than a mile long. It is located on the ZambeziZambeziThe Zambezi is the fourth-longest river in Africa, and the largest flowing into the Indian Ocean from Africa. The area of its basin is , slightly less than half that of the Nile...
river on the border of ZimbabweZimbabweZimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
and ZambiaZambiaZambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
. - Virginia Falls (Northwest Territories)Virginia Falls (Northwest Territories)Virginia Falls is a waterfall in Nahanni National Park Reserve, Northwest Territories, Canada. It is located on the South Nahanni River, at an elevation of ....
on South Nahanni RiverSouth Nahanni RiverThe South Nahanni River is a major tributary of the Liard River, located roughly 500 kilometres west of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories of Canada. It is the centerpiece of Nahanni National Park Reserve...
, Northwest TerritoriesNorthwest TerritoriesThe Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
, CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. World's 14th largest waterfall located in Nahanni National Park ReserveNahanni National Park ReserveNahanni National Park Reserve in the Dehcho Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada, approximately west of Yellowknife, protects a portion of the Mackenzie Mountains Natural Region. The centrepiece of the park is the South Nahanni River. Four noteworthy canyons reaching in depth, called...
a UNESCO World Heritage Site. - Waihilau FallsWaihilau FallsWaihilau Falls is a waterfall in the Waimanu Valley, Hawaii. It is the third tallest waterfall in Hawaii and the thirteenth highest in the world at in height....
, at 792 metres (2,598.4 ft), is located in the Waimanu ValleyWaimanu ValleyWaimanu Valley is a remote valley on the northeast coast of Hawaii island. Besides the main Waimanu Stream, it includes Waihīlau Falls on a tributary.-Description:...
, HawaiiHawaiiHawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, United States. - Yosemite FallsYosemite FallsYosemite Falls is the highest measured waterfall in North America. Located in Yosemite National Park in the Sierra Nevada of California, it is a major attraction in the park, especially in late spring when the water flow is at its peak....
, the fourth tallest waterfall in North AmericaNorth AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
at 739 metres (2,424.5 ft), is located in Yosemite National ParkYosemite National ParkYosemite National Park is a United States National Park spanning eastern portions of Tuolumne, Mariposa and Madera counties in east central California, United States. The park covers an area of and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain...
, United States. - Yumbilla FallsYumbilla fallsYumbilla Falls, situated in Peru, is the world's fifth tallest waterfall, and was only recently discovered. Although the waterfall is magnificent due to its height, the volume of water is not large...
is the world's fifth tallest waterfall and located in PeruPeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. - Jadipai falls is the most beautiful waterfall in Bangladesh located in Ruma,Bandarban.
- Baklai waterfalls is the tallest waterfall in Bangladesh located in Ruma,Bandarban.The height of the Baklai Waterfalls is approximately 370 feet, from the first drop to cascades. So the height could be increased if the cascade also include with the height.
Some waterfalls are constructed by artificial means indoors. The largest of these is in the lobby of the International Center
International Center
International Center may refer to:* International Center, Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, Canada* International Center, Dallas in Dallas, Texas, USA...
, in Detroit.
See also
- List of waterfalls
- List of waterfalls by height
- List of waterfalls by flow rate
- List of waterfalls by type
- PanholePanholeA panhole is a depressed, erosional feature found on flat or gently sloping rock. Panholes are the result of long-term weathering and are generally seen on bedrock or very large blocks of rock...
- Stream poolStream poolA stream pool, in hydrology, is a stretch of a river or stream in which the water depth is above average and the water velocity is quite below average.-Formation:...
- TributaryTributaryA tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
- Water featureWater featureIn landscape architecture and garden design, a water feature is one or more items from a range of fountains, pools, ponds, cascades, waterfalls, and streams. Before the 18th century they were usually powered by gravity, though the famous Hanging Gardens of Babylon are described by Strabo as...
- Waterfalls BaggingFalls baggingFalls bagging is a hobby amongst bushwalkers and to some extent people that are involved in Geocaching, who seek out waterfalls. It is a blossoming hobby in the same vein as peak bagging. Some consider it a game, others just a personal challenge.Falls baggers are constantly in search of a new,...