Difference between revisions of "Iguazu Falls" - New World Encyclopedia
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==History== | ==History== | ||
| − | The area | + | The area surrounding Iguazu Falls was inhabited 10,000 years ago by the [[hunter-gatherer]]s of the ''Eldoradense'' culture. They were displaced around 1,000 C.E. by the [[Guaraní]], who brought new [[agriculture|agricultural]] technologies, and were displaced in turn by the [[Spain|Spanish]] and [[Portugal|Portuguese]] [[conquistador]]es in the 16th century. |
| − | + | The first [[Europe]]an to find the Falls was the Spanish [[Conquistador]] [[Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca]] in 1541, after whom one of the falls on the Argentine side is named. <ref name=SATravel/> [[Jesuit]] missions followed in 1609. | |
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| − | The first [[Europe]]an to find the | ||
A Brazilian army officer, Edmundo de Barros, proposed the creation of a national park near the Falls in 1897. As the Falls form a part of the border between Brazil and Argentina, once those boundaries were clearly defined, two separate national parks were established, one in each nation. Iguaçu National Park of [[Brazil]] was established in 1939 and Iguazú National Park in [[Argentina]] was established in 1934. <ref name=EB> ''Encyclopædia Britannica Online''. 2008. [http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/282400/Iguacu-Falls Iguaçu Falls] Retrieved August 9, 2008. </ref> | A Brazilian army officer, Edmundo de Barros, proposed the creation of a national park near the Falls in 1897. As the Falls form a part of the border between Brazil and Argentina, once those boundaries were clearly defined, two separate national parks were established, one in each nation. Iguaçu National Park of [[Brazil]] was established in 1939 and Iguazú National Park in [[Argentina]] was established in 1934. <ref name=EB> ''Encyclopædia Britannica Online''. 2008. [http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/282400/Iguacu-Falls Iguaçu Falls] Retrieved August 9, 2008. </ref> | ||
Revision as of 04:50, 9 August 2008
Iguazu Falls, Iguassu Falls, or Iguaçu Falls (Portuguese: Cataratas do Iguaçu,, Spanish: Cataratas del Iguazú,) is a majestic area of cataracts on the Iguazu River, 14 miles (23 km) above its confluence with the Alto (Upper) Paraná River, at the Argentina-Brazil border. The falls divide the river into the upper and lower Iguazu. Their name comes from the Guarani or Tupi words meaning "great water." [1]
The area consists of a network of 275 different waterfalls spanning an area 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) wide. Iguaçu National Park of Brazil - declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986 - together with Iguazú National Park in Argentina - a UNESCO Site since 1984 - share the impressive waterfalls. The total area of both national parks corresponds to 250,000 hectares (965.25 sq mi, or 2,500 sq km) of subtropical and declared forest. The lush vegetation of these national parks is produced by abundant clouds of spray from the falls. The area is home to many rare and endangered species of plants and animals, among them the giant otter and the giant anteater.
Legend of the Cataracts
Natives of the area have a legend of the creation of Iguazu Falls. It is said that a beautiful maiden named Naipí lived in a village near the river. Her great beauty caused even the gods to fall in love with her. A god disguised as a mere boy approached her parents and requested her hand in marriage. Finding him suitable, the parents immediately agreed. To the god's misfortune, Naipí had a mortal lover, Tarobá, with whom she fled in a canoe through the Iguazu River. In rage, the god sliced the river forming the abysses of the cataracts and creating the waterfalls, condemning the lovers to eternal misery.
Some say that Naipí was turned into a rock next to the great waterfall, while her lover, Tarobá, was turned into a palm tree on the waters' banks, ever to gaze at his lover without being able to touch her. Others end the tale saying the couple fell into the gorge and perished. The mighty Iguazu Falls rage as the continuous heartache of the scorned god.
History
The area surrounding Iguazu Falls was inhabited 10,000 years ago by the hunter-gatherers of the Eldoradense culture. They were displaced around 1,000 C.E. by the Guaraní, who brought new agricultural technologies, and were displaced in turn by the Spanish and Portuguese conquistadores in the 16th century.
The first European to find the Falls was the Spanish Conquistador Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca in 1541, after whom one of the falls on the Argentine side is named. [1] Jesuit missions followed in 1609.
A Brazilian army officer, Edmundo de Barros, proposed the creation of a national park near the Falls in 1897. As the Falls form a part of the border between Brazil and Argentina, once those boundaries were clearly defined, two separate national parks were established, one in each nation. Iguaçu National Park of Brazil was established in 1939 and Iguazú National Park in Argentina was established in 1934. [2]
The great power of the Falls was not utilized until the construction of the huge Itaipu hydroelectric power plant built jointly by Paraguay and Brazil, which was completed in 1991. The dam, touted as a masterpiece of technology, is one of the largest in the world, providing nearly forty percent of the power to Brazil and Argentina. [1]
Geography
The waterfall system consists of 275 falls along 2.7 kilometers (1.67 miles) of the Iguazu River. Position is at Latitude (DMS): 25° 40' 60 S ,Longitude (DMS): 54° 25' 60 W . Some of the individual falls are up to 82 metres (269 ft) in height, though the majority are about 64 metres (210 ft). The Garganta del Diablo (Devil's Throat in English; Garganta do Diabo in Portuguese), a U-shaped 150-meter-wide and 700-meter-long (490 by 2300 feet) cliff, is the most impressive of all, and marks the border between Argentina and Brazil. Two thirds of the falls are within Argentine territory. [1] About 900 meters of the 2.7-kilometer length does not have water flowing over it. The edge of the basalt cap recedes only 3 mm per year.
The water of the lower Iguazu collects in a canyon that drains into the Rio Parana in Argentina.
Vastly larger than North America's Niagara Falls, Iguaçu is rivaled only by Southern Africa's Victoria Falls which separates Zambia and Zimbabwe (this is excluding extremely large rapid-like falls such as the Boyoma Falls). Whilst Iguazu is wider because it is split into about 270 discrete falls and large islands, Victoria is the largest curtain of water in the world, at over a 1600 m wide and over 100 m (350 ft) in height (in low flow Victoria is split into five by islands; in high flow it can be uninterrupted).
The water falling over Iguazu in peak flow has a surface area of about 40 ha (1.3 million ft²) whilst Victoria in peak flow has a surface area of over 55 ha (1.8 million ft²).[3] By comparison, Niagara has a surface area of under 18.3 ha (600,000 ft²).[4] Victoria's annual peak flow is also greater than Iguazu's annual peak—9 100 m³/s versus 6 500—though in times of extreme flood the two have recorded very similar maximum water discharge (well in excess of 12 000 m³/s). Niagara's annual peak flow is about 2 800 m³/s, although an all-time peak of 6 800 has been recorded.[4] Iguazu and Victoria fluctuate more greatly in their flow rate. Mist rises between 30 and 150 m (100 and 500 ft) from Iguazu's Garganta do Diabo, and over 300 m (1,000 ft) above Victoria (sometimes over 600 m).
Iguazu, however, affords better views and walkways and its shape allows for spectacular vistas. At one point a person can stand and be surrounded by 260 degrees of waterfalls. The Garganta do Diabo has water pouring into it from three sides. Likewise, because Iguazu is split into many relatively small falls, one can view these a portion at a time. Victoria does not allow this, as it is essentially one waterfall that falls into a canyon and is too immense to appreciate at once (except from the air).
Access
The falls can be reached from the two main towns on either side of the falls: Foz do Iguaçu in the Brazilian state of Paraná, and Puerto Iguazú in the Argentine province of Misiones as well as from Ciudad del Este (Paraguay) on the other side of the Parana river from Foz do Iguaçu. The falls are shared by the Iguazú National Park (Argentina) and Iguaçu National Park (Brazil). These parks were designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1984 and 1986, respectively.[5]
On the Brazilian side there is a long walkway along the canyon with an extension to the lower base of the “Garganta del Diablo.” The Argentian access is facilitated by a train (“Tren a las Cataratas”) (in early August 2007 the name for the free train operated in the National Park is "Tren ecologico de la selva") that brings visitors to different walkways. The “Paseo Garganta del Diablo” is a one kilometer long way to bring the visitor directly over the falls of the “Garganta del Diablo.” Other walkways allow access to the elongated stretch of falls on the Argentinian side and to the ferry that connects to the San Martin island.
The fall area provides opportunities for water sports and rock climbing.
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Bonnie Hamre. Iguazu Falls About.com. Retrieved August 9, 2008.
- ↑ Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 2008. Iguaçu Falls Retrieved August 9, 2008.
- ↑ World Waterfall Database-Victoria
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 World Waterfall Database-Niagara
- ↑ UNESCO.org
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Barclay, William Singer. 1903. To the Falls of Iguazú. Buenos Aires: South American Bank Note Co.
- Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 2008. Iguaçu Falls. Retrieved June 18, 2008.
- "Exotica: Iguazu Falls - Cascades so overwhelmingly grand they form the core of two national parks - in two countries." 1998. National Geographic Traveler. 15 (3): 112.
- NewOpenWorld Foundation. New 7 Wonders of the World Retrieved June 18, 2008.
- Welcome Argentina. Cataratas del Iguazu Retrieved June 18, 2008.
- World of Waterfalls. Iguazu Falls. Retrieved May 11, 2008.
External links
All links Retrieved May 11, 2008.
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