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, stream, brook is long and ornate. Anything can meet on her route. In order to "get around" the obstacle, the water stream twists and twists (this is clearly visible in the pictures taken from space). The only obstacle that no brook (even if it is of very impressive size) can not get around is the ledge (do not confuse it with a cliff, since this is already the work of the "hands" of the river itself). If the “little porch” from which it is necessary to “jump” the water is small, then this place will not be called a waterfall. The minimum fall height should 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 precisely what faults appearing in various places indicate. If at the time of the movement of terrestrial rocks a river flowed at this place, then there will be nothing left for it to do but to succumb to the laws of physics and fall down. So almost all waterfalls appeared on our Earth, except for artificially created, naturally.
If the river was large enough, then it spills at a place of fall to a grandiose size, hoping to find a place where you can not "jump", but most often it is a futile exercise, resulting in a grandiose appearance. This is what the largest waterfalls in the world look like. In addition to the fact that the fall height of many reaches a hundred-meter height, it also stretches for several kilometers in width, creating something unique and delightfully beautiful.
Zambezi River
What river is Victoria Falls located on? On the one that flows through the expanses of Africa, several states cross, supplying the inhabitants of the continent with drinking water - Zambezi. The river originates in the black swamps of Zambia. The height of the highlands is about 1,500 meters above sea level. It flows into the Indian Ocean. This is one of the longest rivers of the African continent. Its length is 2574 km, and Victoria Falls became the decoration. The map and photographs taken from a bird's eye view clearly show the scale of the current, which collects the waters of several large rivers and bursts into the ocean. Despite the considerable length of the river, only five bridges were built on it. There are 2 large hydroelectric power stations and one small one.
Now you have an idea on which river Victoria Falls is located. I would like to ignore two more faults from which the waters of the Zambezi flow: Chuvama 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 considered to be Angel. The Churun River, flowing through the territory of South America, is forced to fall from the height of the canteen of Mount Auyantepui, and its height, by the way, is more than 1000 meters, and to be exact, it is 1,054 km.
The second largest “drop” of water is on the African continent. This Tugela river is forced to fall from a height of 948 meters, forming the eponymous waterfall.
Despite the foregoing, world-wide recognition was received not by the highest and most powerful, but by vibrant and spectacular waterfalls. The inhabitants of the world do not care how high the water falls; the main thing is that it is beautiful. There is a list of unforgettable natural wonders, where Victoria Falls takes the second place of honor. At the first, Iguazu Falls settled , which was not only included 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 that blocked the Zambezi River, formed a million years ago. As a result, 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. Locals nicknamed him "Thundering Smoke." A huge stream of water falls, creating a fountain of spray that can rise in the rainy season to an incredible height, forming fog. This is exactly what the locals take for smoke. Moreover, a “wall” of small drops creates an incredibly beautiful rainbow both day from the sun and night from the moon. They say that it is the night (appearing on the full moon) the most unforgettable and bewitching.
Coordinates
On which river Victoria Falls is located, it is more or less clear, but the river is not a lake, you can’t look, it flows hundreds of kilometers, crossing the territories of several states. Where exactly is the waterfall?
It is considered the natural border of the two states that 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
Unesco World Heritage Site, Mosi-oa-Tunya (Thundering Smoke, Victoria) is considered the only waterfall in the world with a width of almost two kilometers. 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" who described the waterfall was Livingston. In November 1855, while studying the Zambezi River, he naturally came across a waterfall. The scientist could not even describe his impressions of what he saw without finding anything suitable for comparison, located in Europe. It was he who owned the idea to name the waterfall in honor of Queen Mother Victoria.
Tourism
A peculiar zigzag channel attracts rafting fans and kayakers to the region. Jumping is another popular waterfall attraction. Jumping from a great height on an “elastic band” leaves an unforgettable impression. But the entertainment offered by guides and guides is nothing compared to the grandiose natural beauty. That is why millions of tourists go to the waterfall who want to see with their own eyes the creation of God's hands.