Victoria Falls is a spectacular waterfall in southern Africa. It lies between Zambia and Zimbabwe, about halfway between the mouth and the source of the Zambezi River. The British explorer David Livingstone sighted Victoria Falls in 1855. He named it in honor of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.
The Zambezi River is 5,604 feet (1,708 meters) wide at the falls and drops suddenly into a deep, narrow chasm. A canyon about 40 miles (64 kilometers) long permits the water to flow out. The height of the falls varies from 256 feet (78 meters) at the right bank to 355 feet (108 meters) in the center.
The mist and spray created by the falls can be seen for a great distance. This cloud and the constant roar caused the people of the area to name the falls Mosi-oa-Tunya (smoke that thunders). A hydroelectric plant produces a small amount of power at the falls. A railway bridge crosses the river just below the point where the waters rush out of the chasm.
