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Dec 19, 2010

Victoria Waterfalls, Zimbabwe, Africa

The Victoria Falls or Mosi-oa-Tunya (the Smoke that Thunders) is a waterfall situated in southern Africa on the Zambezi River between the countries of Zambia and Zimbabwe. Fall is some of the largest in the world.
The Victoria Falls are some of the most famous, is considered by some to be one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World . David Livingstone, Scottish missionary and explorer, is believed to have been the first recorded European to see Victoria Falls - which he did from what is now known as Livingstone Island 'in Zambia, the land can only be accessed in the middle of the waterfall David Livingstone gives fall the name 'Victoria Falls' in honor of his Queen, but. The original name 'Mosi-oa-Tunya' - literally means 'Smoke that Thunders' - also known. World Heritage List recognizes two names  Although not the highest or the widest waterfall in the world, claimed to be the biggest .. This claim is based on the width of 1708 meters (5604 feet) and a height of 108 meters (354 feet), forming the largest sheet of falling water in the world. The maximum flow rate falls' is comparable with other major waterfalls .


For a considerable distance from the upper falls, Zambezi flows over a piece of basal levels, in a shallow valley bordered by low sandstone hills and far away. The course of the river full of islands covered with many trees, which increase in number as the river approached the falls. There are no mountains, escarpments, or valleys that might be expected to make a waterfall, only flat plateau extending hundreds of kilometers in all directions.
Fall is formed as a full width of the river sank in a single vertical drop into the abyss of meters across 1708 (5604 ft) wide, carved by water in the fracture zone along the plateau basalt. The depth of the chasm, called the First Gorge, varies from 80 meters (260 feet) at the west for 108 meters (354 feet) in the middle. Outlet only to the First Gorge is a gap of 110 meters (360 feet) in width about two-thirds of the way across the width falls from the west end, where the volume of all rivers flowing into the Victoria Falls gorge.

There are two islands on top of a waterfall that is large enough to divide the curtain of water even at full flood: Boaruka Island (or Cataract Island) near the west bank, and Livingstone Island near the middle - where David Livingstone first saw the falls from Zambia. Less than full flood, additional islands divide the curtain of water into separate parallel streams. The main stream was named, for from Zimbabwe (west) to Zambia (east): Devil's Cataract (called the Leaping Water by some), Main Falls, Rainbow Falls (the highest) and the Eastern Cataract.

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