Iguaçu Falls

Iguaçu Falls or Iguassú Falls, waterfall on the border of Argentina and Brazil, considered one the great natural wonders of South America. The Iguaçu Falls are located 24 km (15 mi) east of where the Iguaçu River connects with the Paraná River. From island-studded rapids above, approximately 275 separate cataracts plunge down a 4.0 km (2.5 mile) slope on the edge of the Paraná Plateau to a narrow gorge 73 m (240 ft) below. The Iguaçu Falls surpass Niagara Falls in size, ranging in height from 60 to 80 m (200 to 260 ft). In the dry season two crescents of water are formed, each 730 m (2,400 ft) wide; in the wet season the two merge into one vast waterfall 4 km (2.5 mi) wide.