Victoria Falls

General information

Victoria Falls is rightly recognized as the most beautiful place on the planet. The location of the waterfall is r. Zambezi, South Africa, the Zambia-Zimbabwe border. The waterfall has a width of 1.8 km at a height of 108 m. Victoria is the only waterfall of the planet, which has a width of more than 1 km and a height of more than 100 m.

By his name, this natural masterpiece is due to a researcher from Scotland, David Livingston, who visited here in 1855. Representatives of the indigenous population called the waterfall "Thundering smoke."

History

People of the most ancient settlements near the waterfall were engaged in hunting and gathering.

There is an opinion that the first European who saw this masterpiece of natural origin was the Scot David Livingston, who appropriated the current name (in honor of Queen Victoria) to the waterfall .

Of the early visitors to the waterfall should be allocated Portuguese Serpa Pinto, representative of the Czech Emil Holub, artist from Britain, Thomas Baines. The last visitor is the author of the early artwork associated with the Victoria Falls.

In 1905, a railroad was built in this area, through which the access of Europeans to the waterfall was realized.

Geography

The water falls on the middle of the riverbed. Zambezi. Above Victoria, the riverbed flows through a valley (a flat basalt plate), which is bounded by low and rare hills represented by sandstone. The river has islands, the number of which grows towards the waterfall.

The waterfall falls on a place in which the riverbed falls into the jaws of a narrow cleft, the width of which is about 120 m. The waterfall is divided into canals by numerous islets. For many years, the waterfall formed a series of new clefts, which at present have caused the formation of a zigzag river bed.

By comparison, the Victoria falls above the Niagara Falls in height in 2 times. The height of the spray rise, which forms the falling water, is 400 m. The visibility of the spray mist is 50 km.

In the rainy season, the waterfall flows at least 500 million liters of water per minute. The record was set in 1958 - 770 million liters of water per minute.

The edge of the waterfall has islands that divide it into 4 parts. So, at the right bank of the riverbed, the waterfall is represented by a sloping stream, the width of which is 35 m. It is called "jumping water". After the island of Boaruk, whose width is 300 m, the main part of the waterfall is 460 m wide. Livingston Island forms the second stream - about 530 m in width. Near the left bank of the channel there is the eastern part of the waterfall.

Tourism

It should be noted that until 1905 (the railway was opened in the Victoria Falls area), waterfalls were not a success among tourists. Open to tourists access to the Victoria Falls has caused the emergence of a beautiful tourist city in Zimbabwe. So, in the 90's. Last century waterfalls in the territory of Zimbabwe for the year visited about 300,000 travelers.

It is noteworthy that Zimbabwe and Zambia provide one-day visas. At the same time, a preliminary application is not required when crossing a border.

This area is also visited by admirers of kayak alloys, since behind the waterfall the riverbed has numerous rapids that are recognized as safe enough for non-professionals.

National parks

Victoria Falls deservedly has the title of "Main Attractions" among other natural sites in South Africa. Two national parks are bordered here . One is called "Gremyaschy Smoke" - belongs to Zambia, and the second is called "Victoria's Waterfall" - is located on the territory of Zimbabwe. The area of the first park is 66 km sq., And the second - 23 km sq. M.

In parks you can see elephants, giraffes, hippos. In "Gremyashem Smoke" there is a pair of white rhinoceroses.