Iguaçu, << EE gwah SOO, >> Falls is a spectacular system of waterfalls on the Iguaçu River at the border between Brazil and Argentina. The falls, which is also spelled Iguazú Falls, ranks among the major tourist attractions of South America.
The Iguaçu Falls consists of about 275 individual waterfalls separated by forested islands. It has a total combined width of about 2 miles (3 kilometers) and plunges about 237 feet (72 meters) down a series of ledges.
The falls and the surrounding forests and wildlife are protected by national parks in both Brazil and Argentina. People can reach individual falls by means of hiking trails and catwalks (elevated walkways) on both sides of the river, or by boat. The whole system of falls can be seen only from the air or from certain places on the Brazilian side.
