12 Highest Waterfalls of the World - General Knowledge for UPSC, IAS, APPSC & IBPS Exams

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What is a water fall?

A waterfall is a place where water flows over a vertical drop in the course of a stream or river. Waterfalls also occur where melt water drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf.

Different Types of Waterfalls in the World:

1. Ledge Waterfall: Water descends vertically over a vertical cliff, maintaining partial contact with the bedrock.

• a)      Block/Sheet: Water descends from a relatively wide stream or river.
• b)      Classical: Ledge waterfalls where fall height is nearly equal to stream width, forming a vertical square shape.
• c)       Curtain: Ledge waterfalls which descend over a height larger than the width of falling water stream.

2. Plunge: Fast moving water descends vertically, losing complete contact with the bedrock surface. The contact is typically lost due to horizontal thrust of the water before it falls. It always starts from a narrow stream.

• a)      Punchbowl: Water descends in a constricted form and then spreads out in a wider pool.

3. Horsetail: Descending water maintains good contact with bedrock most of the time.

• b)      Slide: Water glides down maintaining continuous contact.
• c)       Ribbon: Water descends over a long narrow strip.
• d)      Chute: A large quantity of water forced through a narrow, vertical passage.
• e)      Fan: Water spreads horizontally as it descends while remaining in contact with bedrock.

4. Cascade: Water descends a series of rock steps.

5. Tiered/Multi-step/Staircase: A series of waterfalls one after another of roughly the same size each with its own sunken plunge pool.

6. Cataract: A large, powerful waterfall.

7. Segmented: Distinctly separate flows of water form as it descends.

8. Catadupa: A cataract or waterfall, originally those of the Nile. The term catadupae refers to people inhabiting near such cataracts; there are suppositions that these people are deaf due to the constant din.

9. Tide Fall: A waterfall that directly empties into the sea or ocean.

10.Frozen: Any waterfall which has some element of ice.

12- The Highest Waterfalls of the World
Waterfall	River	Country	Total height
1. Angel	Gauja River (alternatively known as the Kerep River or Kerepacupai) a tributary of Carrao River.	Venezuela	979 m
2. Tugela	Tugela	Natal province (South Africa)	948 m
3. Utigord	Jostedal glacier	Norway	826 m
4. Monge	Monge	Norway	780 m
5. Mutarozi	Mutarozi	Zimbabwe	762 m
6. Yosemite	Yosemite	California (U.S.A.)	746 m
7. Espland	Esplande	Norway	725m
8. Mardalsfossen	Mardola River	Norway	705 m
9. Kukenan	Yosemite National Park	Venezuela	670 m
10. Sutherland	Arthur	New Zealand	580 m
11. Kjell	Myrdal	Norway	525 m
12. Ribbon	Yosemite	California	496 m

1. Angel waterfall: Located on Caroni River (a tributary of Orinoco River), it is the highest waterfall in the world. It has a straight fall of 978 m. The Angel Waterfall was discovered by a pilot (James Angel) in 1935 after whom the waterfall was named.

2. Tugela Waterfall: Located in the Natal Province of South Africa, it is one of the highest waterfalls of the world. Its total height is 948 m.

3. Utigord (Ramnefjellsfossen) Waterfall: It is located in Norway. Its fall is 826 m.

4. Monge (Monge)Waterfall: It is located on the Rauma River of Norway. Its fall is 780 m.

5. Mutarozi (Mtarazi) Waterfall: It lies on the Mtarazi River in the Eastern Highlkands of Zimbabwe. Its height is 762 m.

6. Yosemite Waterfall: With height of 746 m, it is the highest measured waterfall in North America.lt is located in the Yosemite National Park in the Sierra Nevada of California. It is a major attraction in the park, especially in late spring when the water flow is at its peak.

7. Espland Waterfall: Located in Norway, it is one of the highest waterfalls of the world. Its total height is 725 m.

8. Mardalsfossen Waterfall: Located in Norway, it is one of the highest waterfalls in Europe. It is on the Mardola River. Its total height is 705 m.

9. Kukenan (Cuquenan) Waterfall: It is the second tallest waterfall in Venezuela after Angel Waterfall. The falls drop in a single leap is around 670 m. It is located near Mount Roraima near the border of Brazil, Venezuela and Guyana.

10. Sutherland Waterfall: This is a waterfall near Milford in New Zealand's South Island. It has a straight fall of 580 m.

11. Kjell Waterfall (Kjell Falls, Kjellfossen): It is one of the highest waterfalls in Norway. Its total fall height is 755 m.

12. Ribbon Waterfall: Located in Yosemite National Park in California, it is the largest single-drop waterfall in North America. The fall is fed by melting winter snow. Consequently, it remains dry for the greater part of the year. Its total fall is 496 m.