Iguazu Falls

Iguazu Falls

Iguazu Falls are waterfalls of the Iguazu River located on the border between the Argentine province of Misiones and the Brazilian state of Paraná. Together they form the world's largest waterfall system. The waterfalls split the river into upper and lower Iguazu. The Iguazu River rises close to the heart of the city of Curitiba. Most of its course flows through Brazil, but most of the waterfalls are on the Argentine side. The Iguazu River forms the border between Argentina and Brazil below its confluence with the San Antonio River. The name Iguazu is derived from the words guarani or tupi "y" meaning "water" and "űasú " meaning "big". According to legend, a deity planned to marry a beautiful woman, Naipi, who fled in a canoe with her mortal lover Taroba. In his fury, the deity split the river, creating the waterfalls and condemning the lovers to eternal fall. The falls looks like an elongated horseshoe 2.7 km long. It is almost three times wider than Niagara Falls in North America and much larger than Victoria Falls in Africa. As the Iguaçu River flows downstream, the numerous rocky and wooded islands of the Iguaçu River divide the falls into some 275 separate waterfalls or cataracts, ranging in height from 60 to 82 meters. Of the many islands along the waterfall, the most notable is Garganta do Diabo. From this island, you can enjoy beautiful views of several cataracts. The Dos Hermanas, Bozzetti, San Martín, Escondido and Rivadavia waterfalls can be seen from forest roads and paths on the Argentine side. The Brazilian coast also offers a stunning panorama of falls. The individual Brazilian waterfalls are known as Benjamin Constant, Deodoro and Floriano.