Lakes and waterfalls of South America. The largest rivers in South America

South America is the wettest continent on the planet, as this is facilitated by the abundance precipitation and rich water resources. There are more than 20 major rivers on the mainland, among which the majestic Amazon, one of the largest rivers in the world, certainly occupies the palm. The rivers of South America stretch across all countries of the continent, saturating them with valuable moisture.

Amazon

The Amazon belongs to the three largest rivers of the Earth, including the Nile and the Yangtze. With all its numerous tributaries, the Amazon carries about ¼ of the reserves river water all over the world.

Dimensions of the big river South America are impressive:

• the length reaches almost 7 thousand km;
• width - up to 50 km;
• depth - up to 100 m.

During the rainy season, which begins in March and ends in May, the Amazon overflows its banks. During this period, the water level in the river rises to 20 m or more. As a result, large areas of land are flooded. And so it goes on year after year.

Rice. 1. Amazon Delta

The most long river continent crosses the territories of nine countries, and plays a large role in transport communication. This is due to the fact that one of the most developed sectors of the economy throughout South America is river navigation.

The Amazon rightfully ranks first in the diversity of flora and fauna - there is no such rich nature in the whole world as in the Amazon Delta. That is why the river annually attracts scientists, researchers and ordinary tourists from all over the world who want to admire its natural beauties.

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Rice. 2. Fauna and flora of the Amazon

Paraná

In second place in the list of the largest rivers in South America is the Parana. It flows through Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. This is a very picturesque river with numerous tributaries and waterfalls. Their formation is associated with the structural features of the river bottom, as well as its full flow.

The real pride of the entire continent is the complex of Iguazu Falls, located in the national parks of Brazil and Argentina. The complex has the shape of a crescent and consists of many large and small waterfalls, the number of which can reach 275, depending on the pressure of the water and the season.

Rice. 3. Iguazu Falls

On the map of rivers and lakes of South America, such large rivers as the Orinoco, Paraguay, Madeira, Tocantis, Araguaia, and Uruguay occupy a special place. Each of them has unique characteristics and features, but they all have in common great importance in the economic sphere of the entire continent. In addition, the rivers of South America are home to a large number of fish, amphibians, aquatic animals and birds, and plants. They take an active part in the water cycle on the mainland, providing it with a sufficient level of moisture.

• Brazilian, or giant otter. Likes quiet backwaters, grows up to 2 meters in length. One of large predators Amazons. It can even eat a boa constrictor or a python for lunch. Giant otters live in large family clans.
• Amazonian caimans play the role of a crocodile here, caimans eat capybaras with pleasure.
• The wedge-bellied or flying fish of the Amazon. Fleeing from predators, it can jump 120 cm out of the water with the help of well-developed pectoral fins.

• Titicaca is a lake in South America, the largest in terms of reserves fresh water and the second largest lake in South America by surface area, the world's highest navigable lake. Depth - 304 m. Located in the Andes on the Altiplano plateau, on the border of Peru and Bolivia. The basin area is 8372 km 2 .

• Guanaco - this is the name of a relatively small humpless camel, which has a very wide habitat. It is found in grassy areas ranging from the province of Buenos Aires to the Argentinean Patagonia, sometimes also living in the Andean region.
• The longest-legged species of wolves is the maned one. This owner of a yellow-red skin lives in the central and south of it in the South. America.

One of the largest rivers of South America, not counting, of course, the Orinoco and the Amazon, is the Uruguay River. Its length is just under 1,900 kilometers with a basin area of ​​298 square kilometers. Such a gigantic scale of Uruguay today allows the use of the Uruguay River for navigation. The main tributaries of Uruguay are other fairly large arms of South America - the Rio Negro (Black River) and the Ibikui. The Uruguay River itself, in a certain section of its course, is the natural border between Uruguay (state) and Brazil. Translated into Russian, "Uruguay" is translated as "a river of colored birds." It received this name from the Guarani Indians, who settled and continue to settle in these places.

Another one deserves no less attention. south america river- Venezuelan Catatumbo. The fame of this river is due not to its length and depth, but to what atmospheric phenomena occur near its mouth. These amazing atmospheric phenomena are expressed in the appearance of lightning at an altitude of about five kilometers. At the same time, no thunder peals are heard. Scientists have calculated that the number of outbreaks during the year reaches an astronomical value of 1.2 million! Flares here are not associated with the collision of hot and cold streams. air masses. The discharges are caused by the reaction of methane, which is abundant here with a cool wind blowing from the Andes. In the near future, UNESCO plans to take the Catatumbo Delta under its protection.

to the very remarkable lakes of South America includes Lake Maracaibo. It is here that the Catatumbo River flows into. This reservoir is located in the state of Venezuela and is distinguished by the fact that its waters have sufficient salinity. This is due to the fact that Maracaibo from the north is connected to the Caribbean Sea by a narrow strait, the width of which does not exceed four kilometers. Lake Maracaibo is the largest of all lakes of South America. The greatest depth of Maracaibo is about 250 m, and the area of ​​​​its water surface is 13210 square meters. kilometers. Among all lakes of South America Maracaibo is a place with a particularly high population density along its banks. This is due to the fact that there is active oil production in the Maracaibo region. The Venezuelan authorities even had to build a canal so that huge oil tankers could enter the lake. Today Maracaibo is the most important natural and industrial site of Venezuela and all of South America.

awesome natural phenomenon you can also consider the Uyuni Salt Flat, which belongs to the lakes of South America. More precisely, this is what remains of the once large lake. Uyuni is located in Bolivia and is a dry salt lake. The salt marsh of Uyuni can be filled with water from the resulting heavy rains, turning into a large salt puddle that plays with all the colors of the rainbow. Thousands of tourists come to Bolivia to see this miracle. Due to the large influx of people who want to see the Uyuni Salt Flats with their own eyes, a large airport is being built near the lake. The salt layer of Uyuni reaches a height of eight meters. Scientific experiments of cosmological significance also take place here.

See also:

Overview of the Gulfs of South America

The territory of such a continent as South America is washed by two oceans at once: the Pacific and the Atlantic. The indentation of the coast in some parts is quite large, therefore there are many bays in South America. Let's consider the most significant of them.

Landscapes of Latin America

Latin America is a continent with a variety of landscapes. If you look at the map Latin America, then you can see that on this continent there was a place for deserts, full-flowing rivers, mountain ranges, and lakes with both salt and fresh water.

Is the richest in terms of water resources. Of course, there is not a single sea on the mainland, but the rivers of South America are very full-flowing and so wide that in a weak current they resemble huge lakes. According to statistics, there are about 20 large rivers here. Since the continent is washed by the waters of two oceans, the rivers also belong to the basins of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. At the same time, the Andes mountain range is a natural watershed between them.

The largest river on the mainland of South America. The Amazon is one of the greatest rivers on the planet

From the school geography course, we all know that one of the largest rivers not only on the South American continent, but also in the world is the Amazon. It, together with its many tributaries, carries a quarter of the world's river water. The Amazon flows immediately through the territories of nine countries and is important for them waterway especially in terms of transport links. River navigation is one of the most developed on the entire continent of South America. The Amazon River in some parts reaches 50 km in width (well, why not the sea?), And its depth in some areas is as much as 100 meters. It is not surprising that in relation to the diversity of flora and also belongs to the palm. More than 2,000 species of fish live in its waters, including piranha, eel, stingray, etc. In fact, everything does not have such a rich nature as on the mainland of South America. The Amazon and its tributaries annually attract tourists from all over the world. There are many scientists among them (entomologists, ornithologists, zoologists, etc.)

Paraná

Like the rest of the largest rivers in South America, the Parana passes through the territory of several countries: Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina. It got its name from the Indian tribes living on its shores. "Parana" is translated from Indian as "big". This river has many tributaries. Some of them have beautiful waterfalls. Their formation is associated with the relief of the basin of these rivers, as well as their full flow, which is explained by the fact that they receive food from many small channels and streams. They carry their water streams resulting from the huge amount of precipitation. That is why almost all the full-flowing rivers of South America form waterfalls. Parana has four of them, with the most famous of them being Iguazu. But on the tributary of the La Plata is one of the most beautiful cities in South America - the capital of Uruguay, Montevideo.

Orinoco

In the list of “Largest rivers in South America”, the Orinoco takes third place. It flows through the territories of two South American countries, namely Venezuela and Colombia. This river differs not so much in width as in length, being one of the longest on the continent. The Orinoco coast is a favorite place for tourists from various countries. Here you can see beautiful natural landscapes.

Paraguay

Several geographic features can be found under this name in South America. Translated from the Indian, this word means "horned." Paraguay flows through the territories of two large countries - Brazil and Paraguay, and in some areas it represents a natural border between these states. And in other areas, it is a watershed between two parts of Paraguay - South, undeveloped, and North, where more than 90 percent of the country's total population lives. By the way, some rivers of South America also serve as natural boundaries separating the territories of two or even three neighboring countries.

Madeira

This river is also one of the largest. It is formed as a result of the confluence of many small rivers. Its name is Portuguese and means "forest". Isn't that a strange name for a river? However, the fact is that it constantly floats growing on the banks. This river was first described at the beginning of the 18th century by the Portuguese Francisco de Melo Palleta. It was he who named her Madeira. Later, it was already well studied by Landrad Gibbon, a lieutenant in the US Navy. By the way, this river serves as the border between Brazil and Bolivia.

Tocantins

As noted above, the largest rivers in South America flow through several states at once. But the basin of this river is completely located on the territory of one country - Brazil. It is the central water artery of this state. The inhabitants of the states of Goias, Maranhao, Tocantins and Para use the water of this particular river. Its name translates as "toucan's beak".

Araguaia

Araguaia is a tributary of the Tocantins and also claims to be one of the largest Brazilian rivers. Depending on the season, it can be both calm and stormy. In the area of ​​Bananal Island, Araguaia forms two branches and smoothly bends around it.

Uruguay

Uruguay merges with the Parana, and these two rather large rivers of South America form the bay-estuary of La Plata, the maximum width of which is 48 km. It stretches to the Atlantic coast for 290 km and has a funnel-shaped depression. When it flows into the Atlantic Ocean, the river forms many waterfalls. Its power is also used in energy.

Pair

“Big River” is what the local Indians call it. It is a right tributary of the Amazon. As already mentioned, the entire basin of the most powerful river is distinguished by a large variety of flora and fauna and is of considerable interest to biologists, zoologists, etc. The same can be said about the Para River.

Rio Negro

And the name of this river is translated as “black”. It originates in Colombia, but flows mainly through Brazil. In its upper reaches, it is very stormy and swift, but when it descends, it becomes a real "quiet". Its main tributary is the Rio Branco.

Iguazu

This river was named in this way because of its full flow. After all, from the Indian its name is translated as “big water”. This river forms a whole cascade of waterfalls, and such a beautiful sight is simply breathtaking. The banks of this magnificent river are considered reserved and are included in the territory national park Argentina and Brazil.

Conclusion

After reading this article, you have learned which rivers in South America are the largest and deepest. There are many such rivers on the mainland, but the largest are the legendary Amazon, named after the Greek warriors, as well as the Parana and Orinoco.

The features of the relief and climate of South America predetermined its exceptional wealth of surface and groundwater, the huge amount of runoff, the presence of the most full-flowing river the globe- Amazons. Occupying 12% of the land area of ​​the Earth, South America receives about 2 times more (1643 mm) of the average amount of precipitation per unit of the entire area. The total river runoff is 27% of the total runoff of the Earth, the average runoff layer (58 cm) is also almost 2 times the average value for the entire land. But the magnitude of the runoff fluctuates sharply over the territory of the mainland - from a few mm to hundreds of cm. The rivers between the ocean basins are also extremely unevenly distributed: the Pacific Ocean basin is 12 times less pool Atlantic (the watershed between them runs mainly along the ridges of the Andes); in addition, about 10% of the territory of South Africa belongs to the area of ​​internal drainage, which crosses the mainland from the Gulf of Guayaquil through the Central Andean Highlands to the southern Pampas. Rain-fed rivers predominate, in the extreme south - also snow-glacial.

The layer of average annual runoff of 150-400 cm (up to 90% of precipitation) reaches its greatest value in southern Chile, which is explained not only by the abundance of precipitation, but also by the steepness of the slopes, low evaporation and ice reserves in the upper reaches of the rivers, which cause summer floods, including and at the "transit" rivers of Patagonia; the share of underground feeding of the rivers of the South Andes is no more than 20-25%. The runoff is just as great (for some rivers even up to 800 cm) in western Colombia, but rainfall and summer-autumn flash floods predominate there; underground runoff increases up to 40%. The characteristics of runoff and Amazonia are similar, decreasing in its central and southern parts up to 40-60 cm. The regime of large rivers, like the Amazon itself, depends on the rainy season in the upper and middle reaches of its tributaries. On the well and more or less evenly moistened outskirts of the Brazilian and Guiana plateaus, the average annual flow is also 40-60 cm (in some places up to 150 cm) with the share of underground runoff up to 50%. In the interior regions of the Brazilian Plateau, the runoff decreases (up to 5 cm in the northeast) and becomes extremely uneven: violent summer floods are replaced by a sharp decrease in water discharge in winter, up to the drying up of small streams. The flow regime is similar in the flat areas of the subequatorial and tropical belts with rain-fed rivers (Llanos-Orinoco, Beni Mamore, Gran Chaco plains). A pronounced seasonality in precipitation leads to variability in runoff (the average runoff decreases from 50–80 to 15–20 cm) and river regimes: in the winter of the corresponding hemisphere, runoff stops in places and even large watercourses (Rio Bermejo, Rio Salado, etc.) they break up into separate stretches with saline waters, while in summer floods flood vast areas; The flow regulators of the rivers of Paraguay and Parana are the swamp-lake lowlands of the Pantanal and the Laplat lowland. The smallest flow (3-5 mm) is confined to the desert tropical west of South Africa, where even melted snow water from the highlands accumulates in foothill plumes and tectonic depressions, increasing the share of underground feeding of episodic rivers to 50% (only the Loa River has a constant flow in ocean).

A large amount of precipitation brought from the Atlantic, vast plateaus that gently slope to the huge lowlands and plains that collect runoff from the adjacent slopes of the Andes, contributed to the formation of large river systems in the extra-Andean East of South Africa: the Amazon, Orinoco, Parana, and Paraguay. Uruguay; in the Andes, the largest is the river system. Magdalena, flowing in the longitudinal depression of the humid Northern Andes. Only lowland rivers are suitable for navigation. mountain rivers The Andes and plateaus, replete with rapids and waterfalls (Angel, 1054 m, Kaieteur, 226 m, Iguazu, 72 m, etc.), as well as full-flowing streams of constantly wet plains, have a huge hydropower potential (over 300 million kW).

Large lakes, mainly of glacial origin (end basins), are concentrated mainly in the Patagonian Andes (Lago Argentino, Buenos Aires, and others) and in southern Central Chile (Lianquihue and others). In the Central Andes lies the highest of the large lakes of the Earth - Titpkaka, there are also many residual lakes (Poopo and others) and large solonchaks; the latter are also typical of the depressions between the Pampina sierras (Salinas Grandes and others). Large lagoon lakes are located in the north (Maracaibo) and in the southeast of South Asia (Patus and Lagoa Mirin).

The largest rivers in South America

Amazon river

The largest river in South America is the Amazon. Most of its basin lies south of the equator. The area of ​​this most extensive river basin in the world is over 7 million km 2, the length of the river from the main source (the Marañon River) is 6400 km. If, however, Ucayali and Apurimac are taken as the source of the Amazon, then its length reaches 7194 km, which exceeds the length of the Nile. The flow of water in the Amazon is several times higher than the flow of all the largest rivers in the world. It is equal to an average of 220 thousand m 3 / s (the maximum flow rate can exceed 300 thousand m 3 / s). The average annual flow of the Amazon in the lower reaches (7000 km 3) makes up most of the flow of all of South America and 15% of the flow of all the rivers of the Earth!

The main source of the Amazon - the Marañon River - begins in the Andes at an altitude of 4840 m. Only after confluence with the first major tributary - Ucayali - within the plain, the river receives the name Amazon.

The Amazon collects its numerous tributaries (more than 500) from the slopes of the Andes, the Brazilian and Guiana highlands. Many of them are over 1500 km long. The most numerous and largest tributaries of the Amazon are the rivers of the southern hemisphere. The largest left tributary is the Rio Negro (2300 km), the largest right and largest tributary of the Amazon is Madeira (3200 km).

Part of the tributaries, eroding clayey rocks, carry very muddy water (“white” rivers), others, with clear water, are dark from dissolved organic substances (“black” rivers). After flowing into the Amazon Rio Negro (Black River), light and dark waters flow in parallel, without mixing, for about 20-30 km, which is clearly visible on satellite images.

The width of the Amazon channel after the confluence of Maranyon and Ucayali is 1-2 km, but downstream it increases rapidly. At Manaus (1690 km from the mouth) it already reaches 5 km, in the lower reaches it expands to 20 km, and at the mouth the width of the main channel of the Amazon, together with numerous islands, reaches 80 km during the flood. In the western part of the lowland, the Amazon flows almost at the level of the banks, in fact, without a formed valley. To the east, the river forms a deeply incised valley which contrasts sharply with the watershed.

The Amazon Delta begins about 350 km from the Atlantic Ocean. Despite its ancient age, it did not move into the ocean beyond the boundaries of the native shores. Although the river carries out huge masses of solid material (an average of 1 billion tons per year), the process of delta growth is hindered by the activity of the tides, the influence of currents, and the lowering of the coast.

Downstream of the Amazon big influence its regime and the formation of coasts are affected by ebbs and flows. The tidal wave penetrates more than 1000 km upstream, in the lower reaches its wall reaches a height of 1.5-5 m. The wave rushes against the current at great speed, causing strong excitement on sandbars and banks, destroying the coast. Among the local population, this phenomenon is known under the name of "pororoka" and "amazunu".

The Amazon is full of water throughout the year. Twice a year the water level in the river rises to a considerable height. These maxima are associated with rainy periods in the northern and southern hemispheres. The greatest flow in the Amazon occurs after the rainy season in the southern hemisphere (in May), when the bulk of the water is carried by its right tributaries. The river overflows its banks and in the middle reaches fills a huge territory, creating a kind of giant inland lake. The water level rises by 12-15m, and in the Manaus region, the width of the river can reach 35 km. Then comes a period of gradual decrease in water flow, the river enters the banks. The lowest water level in the river is in August and September, then there is a second maximum associated with the summer rains. northern hemisphere. On the Amazon, it appears with some delay, around November. The November maximum is significantly inferior to the May one. In the lower reaches of the river, two maxima gradually merge into one.

From the mouth to the city of Manaus, the Amazon is accessible to large ships. Vessels with a fairly deep draft can penetrate even as far as Iquitos (Peru). But in the lower reaches, due to the tides, the abundance of sediment and islands, navigation is difficult. Deeper and accessible to ocean vessels is the southern branch - Para, which has a common mouth with the Tocantins River. On it stands a large ocean port of Brazil - Belen. But this branch of the Amazon is now connected with the main channel only by small channels. The Amazon with tributaries is a system waterways communications with a total length of up to 25 thousand km. The transport value of the river is great. For a long time it was the only route connecting the interior of the Amazonian lowland with the Atlantic coast.

The rivers of the Amazon basin have large reserves of water energy. Many tributaries of the Amazon, when entering the lowlands, cross the steep edges of the Brazilian and Guiana highlands, forming large waterfalls. But these water resources are still very poorly used.

Parana and Uruguay rivers

Second largest river system South America includes the Parana River with Paraguay and Uruguay, which have a common mouth. The system got its name (La Platskaya) from the eponymous giant estuary of Parana and Uruguay, reaching 320 km in length and 220 km in width at the mouth. The basin area of ​​the entire system is more than 4 million km 2, and the length of the Parana, according to various sources, ranges from 3300 to 4700 km. The sources of Parana - Rio Grande and Paranaiba - are located in the Brazilian Highlands. Many other rivers of the system also begin there. All of them in the upper reaches are rapids and form several big waterfalls. The largest waterfalls are Guaira 40 m high and 4800 m wide on the Paran and Iguazu 72 m high on its tributary of the same name. They have a network of hydroelectric stations.

In the lower reaches of the Parana - a typical lowland river. The main discharge maximum occurs in May due to summer rains in the Brazilian Highlands. The navigable value of the rivers of the La Plata system and La Plata itself is very high.

Orinoco river

The third largest river in South America is the Orinoco. Its length is 2730 km, the basin area is over 1 million km2. The Orinoco originates in the Guiana Highlands. Its source was discovered and investigated by a French expedition only in 1954. The Casiquiare Orinoco River connects with the Rio Negro, a tributary of the Amazon, where part of the water of the upper Orinoco flows. This is one of the most significant examples of river bifurcation on Earth. When it flows into the Atlantic Ocean, the river forms a large delta, the length of which reaches 200 km.

The water level in the Orinoco depends entirely on the rainfall that falls in the northern part of its basin in the summer (from May to September). The maximum for Orinoco, falling on September-October, is expressed very sharply. The difference between summer and winter water levels reaches 15 m.

lakes

There are few lakes in South America. The main genetic groups of lakes on the mainland are tectonic, glacial, volcanic, lagoonal. There are small glacial and volcanic lakes in different parts Andes. The largest glacial and glacial-tectonic lakes are concentrated in the west of the Southern Andes.

The largest lake on the mainland - Titicaca - is located on the Andean plateau at an altitude of more than 3800 m, on the border between Peru and Bolivia. Its area is 8300 km 2, and the maximum depth is 281 m. Terraces are pronounced on the shores of the lake, indicating a repeated decrease in its level. The lake has a drain into another, shallower tectonic lake - Poopo. The water in Lake Titicaca is fresh, while in Poopó it is highly saline.

On the internal plateaus of the Andes and on the plain of the Gran Chaco, there are many lakes of tectonic origin, shallow, endorheic and saline. In addition, saline marshes and salt marshes (“salares”) are common.

Along the low-lying shores of the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea there are large lagoon lakes. The largest of these lagoons is located in the north, in a vast depression between the Andes ranges. It is called Maracaibo and is connected to the Gulf of Venezuela. The area of ​​this lagoon is 16.3 thousand km 2, the length is 220 km. The water in the lagoon is almost fresh, but during high tides, its salinity increases markedly.

The lagoons, which have almost lost contact with the Atlantic Ocean, are located in the southeast of the mainland. The largest of them are Patus and Lagoa Mirin.

A significant part of the continent, especially the Out-Andean East, has large reserves of groundwater. In the sandy strata, syneclises are not only in the Amazon, but also in the Guiana lowland, Llanos-Orinoco, Gran Chaco, Pampa, and also in other areas, up to 40-50% of the runoff falls on groundwater.

waterfalls

Angel Falls (Angel) or Salto Angel (Salto Angel) - the world's highest free-falling waterfall with a height of 978 meters.

Angel Falls is located in the highlands of Guyana, one of the five topographic regions of Venezuela, in South America. It is located on the Carrao River. The Carrao River is a tributary of the Caroni River which eventually flows into the Orinoco. It is not easy to get to the waterfall, as it is in a dense tropical forest. There are no roads leading to the falls.

Angel Falls falls from the top of a flat mountain, called "tepui" by the natives. A flat mountain called Auyan Tepuy (Devil's Mountain) is one of more than a hundred like it, scattered in the Guiana Highlands in southeastern Venezuela. These dormant giants are characterized by their massive heights soaring into the sky, with flat tops and completely vertical slopes. Tepui, also called "table mountains" (which accurately describes their shape), formed from sandstone billions of years ago. Their vertical slopes are continuously destroyed under the influence of heavy rains falling on the Guiana Highlands.

The natives of Venezuela have known about "Salto Angel" since time immemorial. The waterfall was originally discovered in 1910 by a Spanish explorer named Ernesto Sanchez La Cruz. However, it was not known to the world until the official discovery by the American pilot and gold digger James Crawford Angel, after whom he was named. Angel was born in Springfield, Missouri in 1899.

This enterprising experienced pilot flew over the area in 1935 and landed on the top of a lonely mountain in search of gold. His monoplane "Flamingo" got stuck in the swampy jungle at the top, and he noticed a rather impressive waterfall extending thousands of feet down. He didn't have much luck with the 11-mile hike back to civilization, and his plane was left chained to the mountain, a rusting monument to his discovery. Soon the whole world learned about the waterfall, which became known as Angel Falls, in honor of the pilot who discovered it.

Jimmy Angel's plane remained in the jungle for 33 years before being picked up by helicopter. It is currently housed in the Aviation Museum in Maracay. The one you can now see on top of the tepui is a replica of it.

The official height of the waterfall was determined by the expedition of the National Geographic Society in 1949. The waterfall is the main attraction of Venezuela.

Iguazu Falls is a wonder of the world, consisting of 275 different cascades of water, the total area of ​​​​which is 2700 square meters, and the fall height reaches 82 meters! The width of the waterfall is about 3 km. The largest waterfall is Devil's Throat, a U-shaped cliff 150 meters wide and 700 meters long, marking the border between the countries of Argentina and Brazil. The name "Iguazu" comes from the Guarani words for "water" and "big".

Many islands separate the waterfalls from each other. Approximately 900 meters out of a total width of 3 km. not covered with water. About 2 km. bridges connecting the islands help to better see all the streams. Most of the waterfalls are located within the territory of Argentina, however, from the Brazilian side, good view on Devil's Throat.

Iguazu Falls are considered the largest in the world in terms of the number of falls. During the rainy season in November - March, the flow rate of water can reach 750 cubic meters per second. The roar from falling water creates an impressive roar that can be heard even several kilometers away.

Smaller waterfalls are formed by ledges of solid rock, turning the water falling on them into clouds of mist and spray. sunlight adds the finishing touch by creating iridescent rainbows. Below, in the midst of the water, miraculously rose an island covered with trees. On one side of the island, where the water flows calmly, there is a beach with yellowish sand.