Iguazu Falls, on the border of Argentina and Brazil, is one of the world’s largest waterfall systems.
The falls are formed by the Iguazu River, which drops over the edge of a basalt plateau before joining the Paraná River. Rather than being a single curtain of water, Iguazu is a vast collection of cascades spread across roughly 2.7 kilometres, with about 275 individual falls and drops. The most famous section is the Devil’s Throat, a deep, horseshoe-shaped gorge.
Most of the individual falls lie on the Argentine side, while Brazil provides especially broad panoramic views. The site is protected by Iguazú National Park in Argentina and Iguaçu National Park in Brazil; both parks are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
People often confuse Iguazu with Niagara or Victoria Falls. Those are also major waterfalls, but they are in North America and southern Africa respectively. Iguazu is especially notable for its enormous width, complex system of cascades and exceptional rainforest setting.