Iguazu Falls Facts
Iguazu Falls Facts
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| Interesting Iguazu Falls Facts: |
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| There is a legend that explains how the falls were created. A god was to marry Naipi, a beautiful woman. This woman canoed away with her lover, angering the god. The god was enraged and sliced the river, which not only created the falls but condemned the two lovers to fall for eternity. |
| The falls are 1.7 miles long, divided by islands along its edge. These falls range from 197 to 269 feet high. The average height of most of the falls is 210 feet. |
| The actual number of waterfalls fluctuates depending on the water level and how much water is flowing. The number ranges from 150 to 300 falls at any given time. |
| Three cities in three countries, Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay, have access to Iguazu River. |
| Along the 1.7 mile part of the river which makes up Iguazu Falls, 2,950 feet does not have water flowing over it. |
| The explorer Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca (Spanish) was the first European to see the falls in 1541. One of the falls on the Argentina side is named after him. |
| Two-thirds of Iguazu Falls are on the Argentina side. |
| Of all the waterfalls in the world, Iguazu has the highest annual average flow, more than Niagara Falls. |
| Iguazu Falls is taller than, and twice as wide as Niagara Falls. |
| Iguazu Falls was formed as the result of a volcanic eruption. This eruption left a large crack. |
| In the winter the water levels are at their lowest, and in the summer it is extremely humid and hot, which makes the spring and fall the best times to visit. |
| November to March is the rainy season. At times there is as much as 450,000 cubic feet per second flowing over Iguazu Falls. |
| The most impressive falls of Iguazu Falls is called ‘The Devil's Throat'. It is a U-shaped chasm where 14 falls plunge more than 350 feet. |
| The mist that rises from the falls at Devil's Throat reaches up to 490 feet at times. |
| There are a species of birds called Great Dusky Swifts that often nest behind the falls. They are even seen plunging right into the falls. |
| There are approximately 2000 plant species in the rain forests around Iguazu Falls. |
| Eleanor Roosevelt, former President Roosevelt's wife visited the falls. She exclaimed, "Poor Niagara,' when she first laid eyes on Iguazu Falls. |
| Iguazu Falls can be seen in many movies including: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Miami Vice, Mr. Magoo, and many more. |
| Iguazu Falls was declared one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature on November 11, 2011. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. |
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