Iguazú Falls (redirected from Iguaçu Falls,)

Iguazú Falls

 or Iguaçu Falls, formerly Victoria Falls

Iguazú Falls on the Iguazú River at the Argentina-Brazil border.

(credit: © R. Manley/Superstock)

A series of cataracts on the Iguazú River near the border between Argentina and Brazil. The horseshoe-shaped falls were discovered by Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca in 1541. They vary between 200 and 269 ft (60 and 82 m) in height and extend for 1.7 miles (2.7 km)—nearly three times wider than North America's Niagara Falls—and are divided into 275 waterfalls or cataracts. The scenic beauty and wildlife of the falls are protected by two separate national parks: Iguaçu National Park (1939) in Brazil and Iguazú National Park (1934) in Argentina. Both parks were designated UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1984 and 1986, respectively.