It should be a really easy answer. What are the tallest waterfalls in the world? So first, I will give you the easy answer and then we’ll look at some of the issues with classifying waterfalls.
1. Angel Falls ~ Venezuela
Angel falls has a total height of 3212 feet. Its tallest single drop is 2648 feet. It has two drops and is plunge and cascade waterfalls.
The water floods out of the face of Auyan Tepui and it cascades down before dropping over another 100 foot cascade.
2. Tugela Falls ~ South Africa
Located in South Africa the Tugela Falls are a tiered falls. Its total height is 3110 feet. Its largest single drop is 1350 feet and it has five drops. These falls boast an average volume of 50 cubic feet per second.
3. Tres Hermanas, Cataratas Ias ~ Peru
The total height of this waterfall is 3000 feet. It is considered a tiered waterfall with an average width of 40 feet. The volume is about 50 cubic feet per second.
4. Olo’upena Falls ~ USA
This is more like a thread of water falling. The height is 2953 feet. It is a tiered waterfall and there are no records as to width and volume.
5. Yubilla, Catatata ~ Peru
This too is a small thread of water. It is a tiered water fall with four drops. It is 2938 feet.
6. Vinnufossen ~ Norway
The height of this waterfall is 2822. It is a tiered fall with four drops. The tallest single drop is 1387 feet.
7. Balaaifossen ~ Germany
This type of waterfall can be referred to as the horsetail, plunge, horsetail. You get the idea that a lot is going on. The width is about 20 feet and it has 3 drops, the largest is 1482 feet. The total height is 2788 feet.
8. Pu’uku’oku Falls ~ USA
This is a tiered waterfall with a height of 2756 feet.
9. James Bruce Fall ~ Canada
This is a horsetail fall with a height of 2755 feet.
10. Browne Falls ~ New Zealand
This is a cascade fall with an average width of 40 feet. Its total height is 2744 feet. It has six drops; the tallest single drop is 800 feet.
Now, is this list accurate? There is much debate about the tallest, biggest, and even how to measure a water fall. There are no international standards to use. How steep does it have to be to qualify? Does there to be a certain volume of water to consider it a legitimate fall? Can it be seasonal? Do you measure to the talus or the bedrock? Waterfalls are truly uncharted territories.
Reference:
www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com
www.zmescience.com
