Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls is a massive waterfall located on the Zambezi River.

It sits directly on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. The falls are classified as the largest sheet of falling water in the world. This is due to their combined width and height. The width of the falls measures 1,708 meters.

This immense scale creates a powerful natural landmark. The surrounding region also holds a high degree of biodiversity. Many different plants and animals live in this area.

The physical mechanism of the falls is quite unique. For a long distance upstream, the Zambezi flows over a level sheet of basalt. This basalt is a dark volcanic rock. The river travels through a shallow valley near sandstone hills. As the river approaches the falls, the number of tree-covered islands increases. The falls occur where the river plummets into a transverse chasm. This chasm was carved along a fracture zone in the basalt plateau. All the river's volume pours through a narrow cleft into the First Gorge.

The waterfall consists of several distinct parts and streams. Two islands sit on the crest of the falls. These are Boaruka Island and Livingstone Island. When the water level is not at full flood, islets divide the water. This creates separate parallel streams. From west to east, these are the Devil's Cataract, the Main Falls, the Rainbow Falls, and the Eastern Cataract. The Rainbow Falls is the highest of these. The river then enters a zigzagging series of gorges. These include the Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Songwe Gorges. The Songwe Gorge is the deepest at 550 meters.

Geological history explains how this landscape formed over millions of years. The basalt plateau was formed during the Jurassic period. This was about 200 million years ago. About 2 million years ago, a land uplift blocked the original river drainage. This created a large paleolake called Lake Makgadikgadi. Around 20,000 years ago, wetter climates caused the lake to overflow. The water began to drain east and cut the Batoka Gorge. The falls have moved through eight past positions. This happened because of headward erosion along structural lines of weakness. These lines are often faults or joints in the rock.

Human history at the site is very long. Archaeological sites show Stone Age tools like Acheulean and Oldowan tools. Later, Iron Age pottery and evidence of iron smelting were found. Local people have always known the falls. The Tonga people call them Shungu na mutitima. The Lozi people call them Mosi-oa-Tunya. This name means "The Smoke That Thunders."

In 1855, the Scottish missionary David Livingstone identified the falls. He viewed them from Livingstone Island. He named them after Queen Victoria. However, the name Mosi-oa-Tunya remains in common usage today.

The falls experience significant seasonal changes in water flow. The Zambezi has a rainy season from November to April. The annual flood season peaks in April. During this time, the spray can rise very high. This mist is visible from up to 1.5 kilometers away.

In the dry season, the islets become wider. From September to January, half of the rock face may be dry. In 2019, unusually low rain caused the lowest flow in a century. Scientists suggest climate change causes this precipitation variability. This variability is greater than in other major waterfalls.

Today, the site is a major destination for global tourism. Both Zambia and Zimbabwe have national parks to manage the area.

Visitors can see the Second Gorge and the Victoria Falls Bridge. Some travelers visit the "Boiling Pot" in the Second Gorge. This is a deep pool with heavy turbulence. Others visit the falls to see a "moonbow." A moonbow is a rainbow created by moonlight. The falls remain a vital part of the Earth's complex hydrological and geological systems.