Top 10 tallest waterfalls in the world
Waterfalls are among the most majestic natural wonders in the world. They form whenever a river or more typically a stream flows over a vertical drop of water. The drop usually occurs at the edge of steep mountains, but can also occur on icebergs or ice shelves. The following list ranks the tallest waterfalls in the world. It is based on the total height measured from the top tier of the waterfall to the lowest and last plunge pool.
Top 10 tallest waterfalls in the world
Top 10 tallest waterfalls in the world (summary)
1. Angel Waterfall
Chiều cao: 979 mét / 3.212 ft
2. Tugela Waterfall
Chiều cao: 948 mét / 3.110 ft
3. Tres Hermanas Waterfall
Chiều cao: 914 mét / 2.999 ft
4. Olo'Upena Waterfall
Chiều cao: 900 mét / 2.953 feet
5. Yumbilla Waterfall
Chiều cao: 896 mét / 2,938 feet
6. Vinnufallet Waterfall
Chiều cao: 865 mét / 2,837 ft
7. Skorga Waterfall
Chiều cao: 864 mét / 2,835 ft
8. Pu'Uka'Oku Waterfall
Chiều cao: 840 mét / 2,756 ft
9. James Bruce Waterfall
Chiều cao: 840 mét / 2.755 ft
10. Browne Waterfall
Chiều cao: 836 mét / 2.744 ft
1. Angel Waterfall
Height: 979 meters / 3,212 ft
Location: Canaima National Park, Bolivar, Venezuela
Angel Falls, known as Salto Angel in Spanish and Kerepakupai Vena in the South American vernacular of Pemon, is the tallest waterfall in the world. It is located in the Canaima National Park in the state of Bolivar, Southeastern Venezuela. The waterfall occurs on the Auyan-tepui mountain. The stream flows directly into the nearby Churun River. The total flow of the falls is up to 979 meters / 3,212 feet. The falls are named after American aviator James "Jimmie" Angel, who in 1933 became the first person to fly over the falls and described it to the world from above. After his death in 1956, Angel's ashes were scattered over Angel Falls.
2. Tugela Waterfall
Height: 948 meters / 3,110 ft
Location: Royal Natal National Park, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Not much smaller than Angel Falls, South Africa's Tugela Falls is the second tallest waterfall in the world. More precisely, it is located in the Royal Natal National Park of the province of KwaZulu-Natal in Southeast Africa. The falls are named after the Tugela River that descends from the Drakensberg Mountains and thus forms the falls. The official height of Tugela Falls is 948 meters / 3,110 feet. Although some estimates put it even higher.
3. Tres Hermanas Waterfall
Height: 914 meters / 2,999 ft
Location: Otishi National Park, Junin, Peru
Tres Hermanas Waterfall (roughly translated: Three Sisters Waterfall) is the third highest waterfall in the world. It is located in the Otishi National Park in the Junin region, central Peru. Its total height from above to the plunge pool is 914 meters / 2,999 feet. The falls were formed by a flow into the nearby Cutivureni River. The waterfall got its name because it is a 3-tier waterfall, with three falling sections.
4. Olo'Upena Waterfall
Height: 900 meters / 2,953 feet
Location: Molokai, Hawaii, USA
The fourth highest waterfall in the world can be found on the Hawaiian island of Molokai, part of the United States of America. Olo'Upena Falls, also written as Oloupena Falls sometimes, has a height of exactly 900 meters / 2,953 feet. The falls are formed by a small stream that flows over the edge of a sea cliff in the middle of Pelekunu and the Wailau valley. Thus, the stream flows directly and empties into the Pacific Ocean.
5. Yumbilla Waterfall
Height: 896 meters / 2,938 feet
Location: Cordillera Oriental, Amazonas, Peru
The fifth highest waterfall in the world is located on the western edge of the Amazon rainforest. More precisely, it can be found in the Cordillera Oriental Mountains in the Amazonas region of Peru. Accordingly, 2 of the 5 tallest waterfalls on Earth are located in Peru. The indigenous people of Peru already know the waterfall and it is they who are able to give the waterfall its name. Its height is 896 meters / 2,938 feet. Yumbilla Falls is a 4-tier waterfall and is formed by a stream flowing over the edge of Cerro Panhuayco mountain.
6. Vinnufallet Waterfall (hay còn gọi là Vinnufossen)
Height: 865 meters / 2,837 ft
Location: Sunndalen, More og Romsdal, Norway
Vinnufallet (also known as Vinnufossen) is the sixth tallest waterfall in the world. It is also the tallest waterfall in Europe with a total height of 865 meters / 2,837 ft. Located in the municipality of Sunndalen in the county of More og Romsdal of Western Norway, Vinnufossen certainly belongs to the most spectacular looking waterfalls in the world.
7. Skorga Waterfall (hay còn gọi là Skorgafossen)
Height: 864 meters / 2,835 ft
Location: Sunndalen, More og Romsdal, Norway
Not far from Vinnufallet / Vinnufossen is Skorgafossen (or Skorga Falls in English). At 864 meters / 2,835 ft, the Skorgafossen is only slightly, insignificantly, shorter in height than its "large" Vinnufallet sibling.
8. Pu'Uka'Oku Waterfall
Height: 840 meters / 2,756 ft
Location: Molokai, Hawaii, USA
The eight tallest waterfalls in the world, and the second tallest in the United States, is the tallest waterfall, located on Molokai, Hawaii. Pu'Uka'Oku Falls is 840 meters / 2,756 ft tall and is located not far from its big brother, Olo'Upena Falls.
9. James Bruce Waterfall
Height: 840 meters / 2,755 ft
Location: Princess Louisa Marine Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada
The tallest waterfall in the world at night is the James Bruce Falls. The waterfall is 840 meters / 2,755 ft high and is therefore practically as tall as Pu'Uka'Oku Falls. This makes James Bruce Falls the tallest waterfall on mainland North America. You can find the waterfall in the Princess Louisa Marine Provincial Park of British Columbia, a province in Western Canada.
10. Browne Waterfall
Height: 836 meters / 2,744 ft
Location: Fiordland National Park, Southland, New Zealand
Browne Falls completes the ranking of Top 10 tallest waterfalls in the world. Located in Fiordland National Park of the Southland region of New Zealand, the waterfall has a height of 836 meters / 2,744 ft. The falls fall directly from Lake Browne, a mountain lake, giving the falls a breathtaking beauty.