Iguazu Falls

Iguazu Falls is a vast system of waterfalls on the Iguazu River, along the Argentina–Brazil border. Its many cascades span a broad horseshoe-shaped precipice.

Iguazu River: A river flowing through Brazil and Argentina before joining the Paraná River. Its water feeds the falls and continues downstream toward the Paraná.
Basalt: A dark, fine-grained volcanic rock formed when lava cools at or near Earth’s surface. Layered basalt forms the resistant rock over which the river plunges.
Garganta del Diablo: The Spanish name for Devil's Throat, the largest cascade at Iguazu Falls. This landmark gives the falls their most dramatic close-up spectacle.
Serra Geral Formation: A vast sequence of flood basalts formed by volcanic eruptions in southern Brazil and neighboring regions. Its ancient lava flows underlie the rock platform cut by the Iguazu River.
Iguazu National Park (Argentina): Argentina’s protected area surrounding the Argentine side of Iguazu Falls. Its conservation rules safeguard habitat while managing access to the cascades.
Devil's Throat: The largest and most forceful cascade at Iguazu Falls, where water plunges into a narrow gorge. This U-shaped chasm concentrates the falls’ most powerful flow.
Differential erosion: The uneven wearing away of materials with different resistance to weathering or erosion. Unequal erosion of rock layers helps create and reshape the precipices.
Cataratas do Iguaçu: The Portuguese name commonly used for Iguazu Falls in Brazil. Its Brazilian-side viewpoints show the cascade system from across the river.
Paraná-Etendeka Large Igneous Province: A geological province of extensive flood basalts in South America and southwestern Africa. This province records the volcanic activity that produced the falls’ basalt bedrock.
Iguaçu National Park (Brazil): Brazil’s protected area encompassing the Brazilian side of Iguazu Falls. Brazilian protection complements conservation across the international river boundary.

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