Before talking about which river Victoria Falls is located on, let's find out what a waterfall is in principle, how it differs from ledges and rapids.
What is a waterfall
The path of any river, rivulet, brook is long and ornate. On her route, anything can happen. In order to “bypass” the barrier, the water stream winds and twists (this is clearly seen in the pictures taken from space). The only obstacle that any stream (even if it is very impressive in size) cannot bypass is a ledge (not to be confused with a cliff, since this is already the work of the "hands" of the river itself). If the “threshold” from which it is necessary to “jump” the water is small, then this place will not be called a waterfall. The minimum drop height must be one meter.
Most often such places are formed as a result of shifts of tectonic rocks. Our planet is a living organism, growing, changing. This is what the faults that appear in certain places say about this. If at the time of the movement of earth rocks a river was flowing at this place, thenshe will have no choice but to succumb to the laws of physics and fall down. This is how almost all waterfalls appeared on our Earth, except for artificially created ones, of course.
If the river was large enough, then it overflows at the point of fall to a grandiose size, in the hope of finding a place where you can not "jump", but most often this is a useless exercise, resulting in a grandiose appearance. This is what the largest waterfalls in the world look like. In addition to the fact that the height of the fall of many reaches a hundred meters in height, it also stretches for several kilometers in width, creating something unique and delightfully beautiful.
Zambezi River
Which river is Victoria Falls on? On the one that flows through the expanses of Africa, crosses several states, supplying drinking water to the inhabitants of the continent - Zambezi. The river originates in the black swamps of Zambia. The highlands are about 1500 meters above sea level. It flows into the Indian Ocean. This is one of the longest rivers on the African continent. Its length is 2574 km, and the Victoria Falls has become an ornament. On the map and photographs taken from a bird's eye view, the scale of the current is clearly visible, collecting the waters of several large rivers and bursting into the ocean in a stormy stream. Despite the considerable length of the river, only five bridges were built on it. There are 2 large hydroelectric plants and one small one.
Now you have an idea on which river the waterfall is locatedVictoria. I would like not to ignore two more faults from which the waters of the Zambezi fall: Chuwama and Ngambwe, which, like Victoria, make the river a unique and amazing decoration of our planet.
The best
The highest and most incredible waterfall in the world is Angel Falls. The Churun River, which flows through the territory of South America, is forced to fall from the height of the table mountain Auyantepui, and its height, by the way, is more than 1000 meters, and to be completely accurate, it is 1,054 km.
The second largest "fall" of water is on the African continent. It is the Tugela River that is forced to fall from a height of 948 meters, forming the waterfall of the same name.
Despite the above, not the highest and most powerful, but bright and spectacular waterfalls received world recognition. The inhabitants of the world do not care at all from what height the water falls, the main thing is that it should be beautiful. There is a list of unforgettable natural wonders, with Victoria Falls taking second place of honor. Iguazu Falls settled on the first one, which was included not only in the UNESCO World Heritage List, but also received the title of one of the seven wonders of the world.
Victoria Falls
Geologists believe that a narrow fault in the earth's crust, which blocked the way to the Zambezi River, formed a million years ago. As a result, the water flowing on a flat plateau is forced to fall from a height of about one hundred and twenty meters, creating a noise that can be heard within a radius of forty kilometers. The locals nicknamed him "Thundering Smoke" for this. A huge stream of water falls, creating a fountain of spray that can risein the rainy season to incredible heights, forming fog. This is what the locals take for smoke. Moreover, the "wall" of small drops creates a rainbow of incredible beauty both during the day from the sun and at night from the moon. They say that it is the night (appearing on the full moon) that is the most unforgettable and bewitching.
Coordinates
On which river the Victoria Falls is located is more or less clear, but the river is not a lake, you can't look at it, it flows hundreds of kilometers, crossing the territories of several states. Where exactly is the waterfall?
It is considered a natural border between two states that have formed national parks around it in the hope of preserving it for posterity. Zambia and Zimbabwe care about the preservation of the world heritage called "Victoria Falls". True, local residents sincerely believe that the waterfall should be indicated on world maps under the true name "Thundering Smoke". The exact coordinates are as follows: latitude - 17°55'28" S (south), longitude - 25°51'24" E (east).
History
Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, Mosi-oa-Tunya (Thundering Smoke, aka Victoria) is considered the only waterfall in the world that is almost two kilometers wide. It was recognized as the most spectacular attraction in Africa. Tourists began to visit it relatively recently, only after a railway bridge was built over the river, and this happened in 1905.
The first "tourist" to describe the waterfall was Livingston. In November 1855, while studying the riverZambezi, he naturally stumbled upon a waterfall. The scientist could not even describe his impressions of what he saw, not finding anything suitable for comparison, located in Europe. It was he who came up with the idea to name the waterfall in honor of Queen Mother Victoria.
Tourism
The peculiar zigzag-like channel attracts rafting fans and kayakers to the region. Jumping is another popular activity at the falls. A jump from a huge height on the "elastic band" leaves an unforgettable impression. But the entertainment offered by guides and tour guides is nothing compared to the grandiose natural beauty. It is for this that millions of tourists go to the waterfall, who want to see with their own eyes the creation of God's hands.
