Iguazú Falls or Iguaçu Falls are waterfalls of the Iguazu River on the border of the Argentine provinceof Misiones and the Brazilian state of Paraná. Together, they make up the largest waterfall system in the world. The falls divide the river into the upper and lower Iguazu. The Iguazu River rises near the heart of the city of Curitiba. For most of its course, the river flows through Brazil; however, most of the falls are on the Argentine side. Below its confluence with the San Antonio River, the Iguazu River forms the boundary between Argentina and Brazil.The name "Iguazú" comes from the Guarani or Tupi words "y" [ɨ], meaning "water," and "ûasú "[waˈsu], meaning "big." Legend has it that a deity planned to marry a beautiful woman named Naipí, who fled with her mortal lover Tarobá in a canoe. In a rage, the deity sliced the river, creating the waterfalls and condemning the lovers to an eternal fall. The first European to record the existence of the falls was the Spanish Conquistador Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca in 1541.The staircase character of the falls consists of a two-step waterfall formed by three layers of basalt. The steps are 35 and 40 m in height. The columnar basalt rock sequences are part of the 1000 m thick Serra Geral Formation within the Paleozoic-Mesozoic Paraná Basin. The tops of these sequences are characterized by 8-10 m of highly resistant vesicular basalt and the contact between these layers controls the shape of the falls. Headwater erosion rates are estimated at 1.4-2.1 cm/year. The Iguazu Falls are located where the Iguazu River tumbles over the edge of the Paraná Plateau, 23 kilometres (14 mi) upriver from the Iguazu's confluence with the Paraná River.The Iguazu Falls are arranged in a way that resembles a reversed letter "J." The Argentina-Brazil border runs through the Devil's Throat. On the right bank is the Brazilian territory, which is home to more than 95% of the Iguazu River basin but has just over 20% of the jumps of these falls, and the left side jumps are Argentine, which makes up almost 80% of the falls.Two international airports are close to Iguazú Falls: the Argentine Cataratas del Iguazú International Airport (IGR) and the Brazilian Foz do Iguaçu International Airport (IGU). Bus and taxi services are available from and to the Airport-Falls. Aerolíneas Argentinasand LATAM Argentina[5] have direct flights from Buenos Aires to Iguazu International Airport Krause. Azul, GOL, and LATAM Brasil offer services from main Brazilian cities to Foz do Iguaçu.The Iguazu Falls experience a humid subtropical climate (Cfa, according to the Köppen climate classification) with abundant precipitation and high temperatures year-round.

Learn about the history of Iguazu Falls in South America with iMinds Travel's insightful fast knowledge series. Imagine more than a million litres of water dropping each second from cliffs up to 80 metres, or 262 feet, high. Such an image may seem like an impossibility, but such is the majesty of South America's Iguazu Falls. More expansive than both the Niagara Falls in North America and the Victoria Falls in Africa, The Iguazu Falls is a network of more than 275 falls covering many acres. The falls lie on the border of Brazil and Argentina and both countries have created national parks around the natural marvel. The falls divide the upper and lower sections of the Iguazu River. The river's course runs over a basaltic plateau or volcanic plain. The falls begin where the lava beneath stopped running. Along the ridge there are many hidden reefs and rocks that divide the river into its many channels and allow for the overall waterfall effect. One of the most famous of the water cataracts is the 'Devil's Throat'. iMinds will tell you the story behind the place with its innovative travel series, transporting the armchair traveller or getting you in the mood for discover on route to your destination. iMinds brings targeted knowledge to your eReading device with short information segments to whet your mental appetite and broaden your mind.

An insightful look at how Brazil and Argentina employed national parks to develop and settle frontier areas.

Physical landscapes are one of the most fascinating facets of our Planet, which tell stories about the evolution of the surface of the Earth. This book provides up-to-date information about the geomorphology of the selected ‘classic’ sites from around the world and shows the variety of geomorphological landscapes as moulded by different sets of processes acting over different timescales, from millions of years to days. The volume is written by nearly fifty geomorphologists from more than twenty countries who for many years have researched some of the unique sceneries on the planet. The thirty six chapters present each continent of the world. They describe landscapes of different origin, so that the reader can learn about the complexity of processes behind the sceneries. This is a useful reference book, linking geomorphology with global initiatives focused on nature conservation.

More than a decade has passed since acclaimed nature photographer Art Wolfe created his painterly world landscape portrait LIGHT ON THE LAND. With this long awaited sequel, EDGE OF THE EARTH, CORNER OF THE SKY, Wolfe artistically pushes his craft to present his emotional vision of the Earths beauty. Photographed on seven continents, nine years in the making, this stylish and significant collectible is about our interconnectedness with the Earth expressed through Wolfes artistic use of light and perspective. Divided into five geographic regions: Desert, Ocean, Mountain, Forest and Polar, the book features a 3500-word essay by author Art Davidson to accompany each section. Davidsons text brings the human connection to each austere, haunting image. For art collectors, photographers, environmentalists, world travelers, or those who experience the world through books, the scope and design of EDGE OF THE EARTH, CORNER OF THE SKY transcends all other landscape books and represents the pinnacle of Art Wolfes 50 published books and his thirty-year career. Remarkable for its artistic vision, ethereal presentation and powerful yet understated environmental message, EDGE OF THE EARTH, CORNER OF THE SKY captures the sheer wonderment of nature in a stunning and dramatic presentation.