Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls is on the Zambezi River, where it forms part of the boundary between Zambia and Zimbabwe. The local name Mosi-oa-Tunya is commonly translated as “the smoke that thunders,” referring to the plume of spray and the sound of the falling water. UNESCO describes the river as more than two kilometres wide at this point; the flow descends through basalt gorges and produces iridescent mist visible from a distance.

The falls and downstream gorges are part of an active landscape. The International Union of Geological Sciences describes the site as an example of fluvial geomorphology, tectonics and erosion: the Zambezi cuts through layered basalt, and erosive processes have caused the waterfall to migrate upstream over geological time. The site includes a sequence of eight steep-sided gorges associated with former positions of the falls.

UNESCO lists Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls as a transboundary World Heritage property shared by Zambia and Zimbabwe. Its significance includes its geological and geomorphological features and the striking spray, mist and rainbows associated with the waterfall. The UNESCO property also includes protected areas on both sides of the river and adjoining parts of the Zambezi river corridor.