About the Tallest Waterfall in the World

The tallest waterfall in the world is Angel Falls in Venezuela. It is 15 times higher than Niagara Falls and in a very remote area that is difficult to travel to. As a result, few people have seen it with their own eyes. Angel Falls is also hidden from view much of the year due to low clouds, fog and flying mist. It is a spectacular sight for those fortunate enough to get a glimpse of it.

Size

Angel Falls measures 3,212 feet high. That is 979 meters. This is 102 feet higher than the second tallest waterfall on earth at Tugela Falls in South Africa. Angel Falls also has the longest single drop of any waterfall in the world. It is 2,648 feet or 807 meters. This is 48 feet higher than the second longest single drop at Waihilau Falls in Hawaii. The average width of Angel Falls is 350 feet or 107 meters.

The Facts

Angel Falls is located within the Canaima National Park in Venezuela. It is 870 miles or 1,400 km from the Venezuelan capital of Caracas. It is so high that much of the falling water turns to mist or evaporates before hitting the ground.

History of

The Pemon Indians native to the area around Angel Falls call it "Kerepakupai meru." This means "waterfall of the deepest place." It has been known to them for centuries. In 1910, a Venezuelan explorer named Ernesto Sanchez La Cruz stumbled upon the falls but told few people about its existence. Angel Falls gets its name from a pilot named Jimmie Angel. He brought the falls to the attention of the modern world in the 1930s. He first flew over the falls in 1933 while looking for ore. He landed nearby in 1937 but got stuck in the mud and could not take off again. Angel and three friends had to hike 11 days before finding other people. In 1955, Latvian explorer Aleksandrs Laime reached the top of Angel Falls. A popular tourist viewpoint is named after him. Mirador Laime is a beautiful place to take a picture on the hike to Angel Falls. Tourists began visiting Angel Falls in large numbers when it was made part of the Canaima National Park in 1962. In 1970, Jimmie Angel's plane was recovered by helicopter and put on display at Ciudad Bolivar Airport in Venezuela.

Features

Angel Falls is difficult to get to and see. It is located in a remote jungle of Venezuela far from modern cities. Most visitors see it by plane. They fly over and take pictures but never feel Angel Falls' spray on their faces. Seeing it is not always a simple matter. Angel Falls is so high that clouds often obscure the view. Mist from the falling water can also blow skyward and hide the falls. More adventurous visitors who want to travel to the base of Angel Falls must travel 4 hours up the Carrao and Churun rivers, then hike 1 hour walk through the jungle. There is a camp called Canaima that is used as a launching point for river trips to Angel Falls.

Significance

Since Angel Falls is the tallest waterfall in the world, it is on many people's lists of things to see during their lifetimes. It is Venezuela's most popular tourist destination and is responsible for a significant amount of tourist revenue. As a result, the Venezuelan government has an incentive to preserve the surrounding environment. Angel Falls had great cultural significance to the native Pemon Indians. These days many Pemon Indians are guides for tourists.