Victoria Falls is traditionally called Mosi-oa-Tunya, meaning “The Smoke That Thunders.”
Victoria Falls lies on the Zambezi River between Zambia and Zimbabwe. The name describes the enormous spray cloud and deep roar produced when the river plunges into a narrow gorge. Scottish explorer David Livingstone saw the falls in 1855 and named them Victoria Falls after Queen Victoria.
The waterfall is about 1,708 metres wide and has a maximum height of roughly 108 metres. It is often described as the world’s largest sheet of falling water because of its combined width and height, although other waterfalls exceed it in individual categories such as height or total volume.
The surrounding area is protected by national parks in both countries and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Flow varies seasonally, with the greatest spray and broadest curtain generally occurring after the rainy season.