The most beautiful waterfalls in the world are not only breathtaking, but they also provide many benefits for people and communities.
One of the most common misconceptions about waterfalls is that they’re all located outside of cities. In fact, there are more than 200 within 50 miles of New York City alone.
Waterfalls help to reduce heat in urban areas by evaporating large amounts of moisture into the air. They also create a calming effect on residents who live near them, which can lead to improved mental health and an increase in property values. And finally, some studies have shown that children living close to natural landscapes like waterfalls perform better academically than those who don’t.
Waterfalls are also important in the tourism industry. They encourage people to travel, which leads to increased spending in nearby towns. Furthermore, they attract visitors who are more likely to spend money on hotels, restaurants, and shops than travelers who don’t stop nearby when passing through.
It’s no wonder that some of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world are also some of the most visited. Here’s a list of some of the best waterfalls in the world that shouldn’t be missed:
1. Niagara Falls
Location: New York and Ontario, Canada
Niagara Falls is one of the largest waterfalls in North America, as well as one of the most popular tourist attractions on Earth. This massive waterfall is located on the border of New York and Ontario and consists of three separate waterfalls: Horseshoe, American, and Bridal Veil.
The height of these falls varies depending on where you’re standing; however, it never drops less than 100 feet (30 meters). It also flows at a rate of about 188,000 gallons (660 cubic meters) per second. The amount of water passing over the falls every year is roughly equivalent to the entire daily water intake for New York City.
2. Yosemite Falls
Location: Yosemite National Park, California
Yosemite Falls plunges a total of 2,425 feet (739 meters) from the Yosemite Valley floor to the valley floor below. This makes it the highest waterfall in North America and one of the top 10 in the world. The falls are made up of Upper Yosemite Fall and Lower Yosemite Fall, which you can see from different points around the Valley.
One of the best times to visit Yosemite Falls is during the springtime when the snowpack in nearby mountains begins to melt. This flows large amounts of water over and down these falls and makes them an even more impressive sight than normal.
3. Victoria Falls
Location: Zambia and Zimbabwe, Africa
Victoria Falls, also known as Mosi-oa-Tunya (The Smoke That Thunders), is a waterfall on the Zambezi River at the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe (known as Rhodesia back then). It was named after Queen Victoria by David Livingstone, who originally discovered it in 1855.
The falls are 1,708 feet (543 meters) wide and 354 feet (108 meters) tall at their peak. They’re also part of the world’s largest sheet of falling water, covering a total area of 7.21 square miles (18 square kilometers).
As if that wasn’t enough, Victoria Falls is home to a number of different species including crocodiles and hippopotamuses living on the islands in the middle of it. It’s no wonder this waterfall was proclaimed one of seven natural wonders by Rough Guides magazine back in 2013.
4. Kaieteur Falls
Location: Potaro River, Guyana
Kaieteur Falls is one of the most powerful waterfalls in the world and is formed by a single drop of 741 feet (226 meters). It’s part of the Potaro River in the Kaieteur National Park, which is also home to a number of different animals including Caribbean otters and harpy eagles.
This waterfall was discovered by explorer and journalist Joseph Emanuel Poyer back in 1881. Since then, it’s become one of Guyana’s most popular attractions and has been featured on several postage stamps issued by them.
5. Plitvice Falls
Location: Croatia
Plitvice Falls consists of 16 cascades that fall from a total height of 984 feet (300 meters). They were formed during the last ice age, which is how they were able to cut such deep channels into the surrounding rocks.
This impressive waterfall system was first formed about 10,000 years ago and has been growing ever since. They’ve also undergone major changes in size several times throughout history because of extreme weather conditions. For example, there used to be much more water flowing through these falls during periods of heavier rainfall or snowfall.
6. Iguazu Falls
Location: Brazil, Argentina
Iguazu Falls are one of the world’s most well-known waterfalls due to their large size and visual appeal. There are two main parts to this waterfall consisting of 275 separate cascades that fall from a height of 2,700 feet (823 meters).
The first part of these falls lies on the border between Brazil and Argentina while the second part lies entirely on the Argentinean side. Together, they form the largest waterfall system in the world by volume with an average of 1,750 cubic meters per second flowing over them throughout the year.
The waterfalls in this list are not the only ones in the world. There are many more that deserve to be recognized, and it is difficult to do so with a list like this because there are just too many. We do hope that you enjoy the list of what we could feature here today and found one of interest for your future travel plans.