Iguazu Falls

The Iguazu Falls (Portuguese: Cataratas do Iguaçu [ kata'ɾatɐs you igwa'su ]; Spanish: Cataratas del Iguazú [ kata'ɾatas del iɣwa'su ] ) are waterfalls of the river Iguaçu / Iguazu on the border between the Brazilian state Paraná (20 %) and the Argentine province of Misiones (80 %).

Description

The Iguazu Falls are 20 major and 255 smaller waterfalls on a stretch of 2.7 kilometers. Some are up to 82 meters, the majority of which is 64 meters high. The amount of water at the falls varies from 1500 m³ / s to more than 7000 m³ / s The Garganta del Diablo colloquially ( Spanish) or Garganta do Diabo ( Portuguese) or " Devil's Throat " called waterfall system is a U-shaped, 150 meters wide and 700 meters long gorge. Since most cases are located in Argentina, the larger panoramic view from the Brazilian side is ruled out. The cases are separated by several larger and smaller islands. Of the 2,700 meter expansion flows above about 900 meters, no water. The cases are both in the Argentine Iguazú National Park as well as in the Brazilian Iguaçu National Park. These were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984 (Argentina) and 1986 ( Brazil).

The name Iguazú has its origin from the words guaranischen y for water and Guasú for large. As the first Europeans, the Spanish Conquistador Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca discovered the cases; one on the Argentine side is named after him.

Nearby are the cities of Foz do Iguaçu in the Brazilian state of Paraná lie and Puerto Iguazú in the Argentine province of Misiones and the Itaipu dam.

National Parks

The national parks on both sides of the falls were inscribed on the World Heritage List of UNESCO in 1984 ( National Park Iguazú, Argentina) and 1986 ( Iguaçu National Park, Brazil). They protect one of the last remnants of Atlantic Forest and provide the basis of tourism is an important economic factor represents the national parks are an important refuge for biodiversity in the area of ​​Iguaçu. Here only live about 800 different species of butterflies. Poaching by poorer sections of the population is an issue in the national park and by the vigilance of the park rangers some species are protected in their inventory. Nevertheless, the giant otter seems to have been eradicated. Especially popular is the skin of the caiman, which are therefore protected.

1999, the Brazilian part of the park was placed on the Red List of World Heritage in Danger, as residents opened a closed in the establishment of the park road again. The 17.5 km long road that divided the park into north-south direction into two halves, saves residents a detour of 130 km. In 2001, after federal courts had enforced the closure, the National Park again removed from the Red List. However, the political dispute appears to be not completed.

Live behind the waterfalls and hatch the Rußsegler in the rock, the unique protection of water saved them from all predators. The only danger is threatening the population at high water during the rainy season. Throughout the National Park large populations of South American coatis stripes around, plunder trash cans in search of food and are sometimes aggressive and snappy also to tourists.

Myth

The myth of the Guarani explains the waterfalls as the work of frenzied jealousy of God Mboi or Boi. The malicious and vindictive God in the form of a giant snake demanded a virgin every year. Once the Chosen together with her lover fled down the river by canoe. (M) Boi noticed this, however, and struck full wrath of a gorge in the river bed. The soul of the girl remained trapped and separated from him for ever in a rock at the foot of the waterfall, her lover turned then into a tree on the banks of the devil throat, where he kept an eye on this rock.

Pictures

Look at the " Devil's Throat " ( Portuguese: Garganta do Diabo; Spanish: Garganta del Diablo )

View from the Argentine side to the middle part of the falls

Waterfalls of Iguazú, Argentina is left, right, Brazil

Panorama of Iguazu Falls

Film

• The biggest waterfalls on earth - natural wonders of Iguazu. Documentation, 45 min, directed by Christian Baumeister, Production: NDR, first broadcast January 8, 2007
• The waterfalls form as the scene of a historical event, the backdrop of the feature film The Mission ( 1986).
• In Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) overthrow the heroes down several cascades of waterfalls, but the actual topography has been greatly distorted and about the last fall of one of the highest points of the cases begins.
• James Bond - Moonraker - Top Secret (1979 )