What local name, meaning “The Smoke That Thunders,” is used for Victoria Falls?

Victoria Falls is locally known as Mosi-oa-Tunya, meaning “The Smoke That Thunders.” The name describes the enormous spray plume and booming sound created when the Zambezi River plunges into a narrow gorge.

The waterfall lies on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. David Livingstone became the first European widely credited with seeing it in 1855, although local communities had known the falls for centuries. He named it Victoria Falls in honor of Queen Victoria.

Mosi-oa-Tunya is not a separate waterfall from Victoria Falls; the two names refer to the same landmark. Water volume varies greatly between the rainy and dry seasons, changing the width and intensity of the visible cataract.