Iguassu Falls, Brazil

September 07, 2005

Iguacufalls

Provided by: Manfred Owe
Summary authors & editors: Jim Foster; Manfred Owe

Iguassu Falls, on the border of Brazil and Argentina, are the largest falls in the Western Hemisphere. The above photo, taken in April 2005 when the water level in the Iguassu River was relatively low, shows just a portion of these spectacular falls -- the Iguassu sharply plummets 80 m (260 ft) here. More than 200 individual cataracts span the width of the Iguassu River, which is approximately 2 miles (3 km) wide at this point. For an aerial view of the Iguassu Falls, see the Earth Science Picture of the Day for February 17, 2004.

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