Iguaçu Falls facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Iguazu Falls |
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View of Iguazu Falls
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| Location | Argentina: Misiones Province Brazil: Paraná State |
| Coordinates | 25°41′12″S 54°26′41″W / 25.68667°S 54.44472°W |
| Type | Cataract |
| Total height | 60–82 metres (197–269 ft) |
| Number of drops | 275 |
| Longest drop | 82 metres (269 ft) |
| Total width | 2.7 kilometres (1.7 mi) |
| Watercourse | Iguazu River |
| Average flow rate |
1,756 m3/s (62,010 cu ft/s) |
The Iguazu Falls are amazing waterfalls found on the Iguaçu River. They sit right on the border between Brazil and Argentina. These falls are a truly spectacular sight!
This huge system of waterfalls has almost 300 separate falls. Some of them are as tall as 70 meters (about 230 feet)! The falls stretch for 2.7 kilometers (about 1.7 miles) along the Iguassu River.
Contents
Devil's Throat: The Most Powerful Fall
The most famous part of Iguazu Falls is called the Garganta del Diablo, which means "Devil's Throat." This section is shaped like a "U" and is 150 meters (492 feet) wide. It is also 700 meters (2,297 feet) long!
The Devil's Throat marks the border between Argentina and Brazil. Most of the waterfalls are on the Argentine side. However, you can get an amazing wide view of the Devil's Throat from the Brazilian side.
National Parks and World Heritage Sites
The Iguazu Falls are protected by two national parks. These are the Iguazú National Park in Argentina and the Iguaçu National Park in Brazil.
Both of these parks are very special. They have been named UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Argentine park got this title in 1984, and the Brazilian park in 1986. This means they are important places that should be protected for everyone to enjoy.
What Does "Iguazu" Mean?
The name Iguassu comes from the Guarani people. In their language, y means "water" and guasu means "big." So, Iguazu simply means "big water"!
There is also a cool legend about how the falls were formed. The story says that a god wanted to marry a beautiful girl named Naipú. But Naipú ran away with her human boyfriend in a canoe. The god got very angry. He sliced the river, creating the waterfalls. This trapped the lovers in an endless fall.
Nearby Towns and Attractions
Close to the waterfalls, there are two main towns. On the Brazilian side, you'll find Foz do Iguaçu. This is a big city in the state of Paraná. On the Argentine side, there is Puerto Iguazú in the province of Misiones.
Another interesting place to visit nearby is the Itaipu Dam. This is a huge hydroelectric power plant that creates electricity from water.
Images for kids
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A small waterfall in the great complex of Iguaçu Falls on the Brazilian side.
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NASA satellite image of the Falls.
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Photo of part of the Argentine side.
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Sunset over Iguazu Falls.
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Ecological train to Devil's Throat, Iguazú National Park, Argentina
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Ticket office – Iguaçu National Park, Brazil
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View of the Iguaçu falls from the viewpoint that is in the lower circuit.
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Iguazu Falls in July 2018.
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The waterfalls in the painting by Antônio Parreiras, produced in 1920.
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View of the Iguazu falls, in the center the Devil's throat.
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See also
In Spanish: Cataratas del Iguazú para niños
