Ten World's Largest Waterfalls

Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens slowly, while downstream the erosion occurs more rapidly. As the watercourse increases its velocity at the edge of the waterfall, it plucks material from the riverbed. Whirlpools created in the turbulence as well as sand and stones carried by the watercourse increase the erosion capacity. This causes the waterfall to carve deeper into the bed and to recede upstream. Often over time, the waterfall will recede back to form a canyon or gorge downstream as it recedes upstream, and it will carve deeper into the ridge above it.

Often, the rock stratum just below the more resistant shelf will be of a softer type, meaning that undercutting due to splashback will occur here to form a shallow cave-like formation known as a rock shelter under and behind the waterfall. Eventually, the outcropping, more resistant cap rock will collapse under pressure to add blocks of rock to the base of the waterfall. These blocks of rock are then broken down into smaller boulders by attrition as they collide with each other, and they also erode the base of the waterfall by abrasion, creating a deep plunge pool or gorge.

Streams become wider and shallower just above waterfalls due to flowing over the rock shelf, and there is usually a deep pool just below the waterfall because of the kinetic energy of the water hitting the bottom. Waterfalls normally form in a rocky area due to erosion. After a long period of being fully formed, the water falling off the ledge will retreat, causing a horizontal pit parallel to the waterfall wall. Eventually, as the pit grows deeper, the waterfall collapses to be replaced by a steeply sloping stretch of river bed. In addition to gradual processes such as erosion, earth movement caused by earthquakes or mudslides or volcanoes can cause a differential in land heights which interfere with the natural course of a water flow, and result in waterfalls.

Waterfalls are considered to be one of the most beautiful phenomena in nature. The following lists the world's tallest waterfalls including the name, location, source and height.

Angel Falls (Salto Angel), Venezuela

Angel Falls (also called Salto Angel) located in Canaima National Park, Venezuela on the upper tributary of the Rio Caroni. is the Earth’s highest uninterrupted waterfall. It is 979 metres (3,230 feet) tall.

Tugela Falls, South Africa

Tugela Falls, world's second highest waterfall, is located in the Drakensberg in the Royal Natal National Park, South Africa on the Tugela River. The total drop in five free-leaping falls is 948 meters (3,110 feet).

Tres Hermanas, Cataratas las, Peru

Tres Hermanas, Cataratas las is the unofficial name of third tallest waterfall located in the Ayacucho region of Peru. The falls are named for the three most visible tiers, the three sisters. Two of the top tiers are visible from the air, and the water drops into a large basin of sorts where a third plunge emerges. The falls are nearly completely surrounded by forests, and trees around the Three Sisters Falls reach as high as 100 feet. The falls' height reaches about 3,000 feet (914 meters).

Olo'upena Falls, Hawaii

Olo'upena Falls is a waterfall located in the north-eastern part of Hawaiian Island that drop down the cliffs on the north shore of Molokai of Molokai, and is considered to be the fourth highest waterfall in the world. These roughly 3,000 foot cliffs are the tallest sea cliffs in the world and are adorned by very narrow and impossibly tall waterfalls. The drainage area is small, but the constant rains keep them flowing. The stream makes a series of consecutive horsetail leaps from the lip of the cliff all the way down its verdant face to the sea.

Yumbilla Falls, Peru

Yumbilla, Catarata in Peru with four huge water flow is the world's fifth tallest waterfall and attributed a height of 895.4 meters, or 2,938 feet.. Although the waterfall is magnificent due to its height, the volume of water is not large.

Vinnufossen, Norway

Vinnufossen Falls is the tallest waterfall in Europe and the sixth tallest in the world. It is a small glacier and snowfield form on the southern flank of Vinnufjellet. In spring and summer, the melt water from this icefield surges through a narrow cleft in the edge of a huge cliff. For over 2800 feet, the water spreads out over the southern face of Vinnufjellet, dropping into Sunndalen in a massive display that is likely 600-700 feet in width before the various strands rejoin and enter the forest in a series of plunges and cascades. 

Balåifossen, Norway

Balåifossen waterfall drops down a 3000 foot cliff into the waters of the Osafjorden, a branch of the upper reaches of Hardangerfjorden. The falls appear to be fed primarily by several small lakes and tarns, but it's likely that seasonal snowfields contribute the majority of the stream's water. Because of the small drainage area, it may be likely that the falls are less than impressive during the late summer and fall. 

Pu'uka'oku Falls, Hawaii

Pu'uka'oku Falls is the tallest waterfall in the United states and the eighth tallest in the world located on the northern shore of Molokai. Pu’uka’oku Falls lie on a very small stream and only appear to flow during the rainy season. It is said that all water that is to fall off the cliffs in Molokai is to fall thousands of feet into the sea. Pu'uka'oku Falls, according to the estimates from topographical maps are approximately 840 metres (2756 feet) tall. At high winds Pu'uka'oku Falls doesn't reach the ocean - wind catches them and rises up again. This fascinating sight is not seen by general tourists - helicopters and boats do not move around in such weather.

James Bruce Falls, Canada

James Bruce Falls is the tallest of several dozen waterfalls which stream down the cliffs at the head of Princess Louisa Inlet. The falls are fed by a small glacial remnant situated above 5,000 feet above sea level, which likely sustains a consistent volume of water throughout the year. However, due to the small drainage area, the volume of water present in the falls is consistently insignificant. The falls occupy a narrow crevice in the lofty cliff face for over half of its descent, and as a result cannot be clearly seen from Princess Louisa Inlet in entirety, but is apparently wholly visible from trails which head further up the Loquilts Creek drainage.

Browne Falls

Browne Falls is located in Fiordland National Park, New Zealand. This is the tallest waterfall in New Zealand and tenth tallest waterfall in the world. In breathtaking scenery amidst temperate rain forest, the falls cascade down a steep, twisting course to the fiord near Hall Arm. Heights of 619 metres and 836 metres have been given for the falls. Their source is a tarn called Lake Browne (836 m above sea level) which when full, overflows down the side of the mountain face. The stream makes 836 m height difference over 1,130 m horizontal difference, thus the mean gradient of stream is 42 degrees. This comparatively low angle makes falls less impressive. The waters drop continuously to Doubtful Sound below.

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