Iguazu Falls
이과수 폭포
Iguazu Falls is a huge set of waterfalls on the Iguazu River, right on the border between Argentina and Brazil. Together the falls make up the largest waterfall system in the world, with roughly 150 to 300 separate cascades depending on how much water the river carries.
See it on the 3D globe →At a glance
- Country
- Brazil
- Location
- Brazil–Argentina border
- Height
- 82 m
- Type
- Waterfall
Quick answers
Where is Iguazu Falls?
Iguazu Falls is in Brazil–Argentina border.
How tall is Iguazu Falls?
Iguazu Falls is about 82 m tall.
A system of some 275 cascades on the Brazil–Argentina border, crowned by the roaring Devil's Throat.
The most famous part is the Devil's Throat, a long narrow chasm that swallows about half of the river's flow. The falls sit inside two national parks, one in each country, and both were named UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the 1980s. The name comes from Guarani words meaning 'big water'.
How were the falls formed?
The river tumbles down a staircase made of layers of basalt, a hard volcanic rock. The steps are about 35 and 40 metres high, and islands along the 2.7-kilometre edge split the river into many separate falls between 60 and 82 metres tall. Over time the river wears away the rock at the top of the falls, so they slowly move upstream, by roughly 1.4 to 2.1 centimetres a year.
What is the Devil's Throat?
The Devil's Throat (Garganta del Diablo) is a canyon about 80 to 90 metres wide and 70 to 80 metres deep, where around half of the river pours in with a roar and a thick cloud of mist. The border between Argentina and Brazil runs right through it. Most of the falls are on the Argentine side, while Brazil offers the wide panoramic views.
Fun facts
- It is made up of about 275 separate cascades.
- A legend says a god sliced the river in anger and trapped two lovers, Naipí and Tarobá, in an eternal fall.
- The first European to record the falls was the Spanish explorer Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca in 1541.
- Near the falls, the borders of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay meet at a spot where all three countries can be seen.
On the globe
The model shows the curved cliff edge with many separate cascades, including the big Devil's Throat. Look for how the water is split into many streams.
Quiz time
Which is taller: Iguazu Falls or Itaipu Dam?
Show the answer
Itaipu Dam. (82 m vs 196 m) Itaipu Dam →
Nearby on the globe
Sources
Updated: 2026-10-14