What is the widest waterfall in the world?

The widest waterfall in the world is Khone Falls, also called Khone Phapheng Falls, in southern Laos.

Rather than a single narrow plunge, Khone Falls is a broad, complex cascade where the Mekong River breaks into countless channels, rapids and rocky drops. Measured from the outer edges of its many channels, the waterfall system spans about 10,783 metres (35,376 feet). Its highest individual drops are only about 21 metres, so it is wide rather than exceptionally tall.

The falls lie in the Si Phan Don, or “Four Thousand Islands,” region near the Cambodian border. They are the largest waterfall system in Southeast Asia and form a major interruption to navigation on the Mekong. French colonial engineers even investigated ways to bypass the falls with railways and canals.

A common mix-up is confusing the widest waterfall with the tallest or largest by water volume. Angel Falls is the tallest, while Victoria Falls is famed for its great curtain of falling water. Khone Falls wins the width category because the measurement includes its interconnected channels.