Victoria Falls on the Zambia–Zimbabwe border is known as Mosi-oa-Tunya, “The Smoke That Thunders.”
The waterfall is formed by the Zambezi River, which plunges into a series of narrow gorges on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. The spray rising from the chasm can be seen from far away, explaining the local Lozi name Mosi-oa-Tunya. The falls are about 1,708 metres wide and reach a maximum height of roughly 108 metres.
Scottish explorer David Livingstone saw the falls in 1855 and named them Victoria Falls after Queen Victoria. The Indigenous name remains officially recognized and is central to the site’s cultural identity. The Zambian side is associated with Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, while Zimbabwe protects the opposite side in Victoria Falls National Park.
Victoria Falls is often compared with Niagara Falls and Iguazu Falls, but its combination of width and height creates a particularly vast curtain of falling water. Seasonal river levels strongly affect the visible spray and exposed rock. The waterfall is also a major tourism centre and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.