The lists
The widest waterfalls in the world
Crest length, where the big rivers go over.
Ranked by the length of the crest where the water goes over. Width is what makes a waterfall feel enormous in person — and many of the widest are low, powerful cataracts on the world's great rivers rather than tall plunges. Two caveats: Khone Phapheng's figure measures the whole multi-channel Khone Falls system across the Mekong, and Salto do Yucumã's crest runs along the river rather than across it.
20 waterfalls
1
Khone Phapheng FallsLaos · Southeast Asia's largest waterfall by volume
10,783 m
2
Guaíra FallsBrazil · Paraguay
4,828 m
3
Iguazú FallsArgentina · Brazil · World's largest waterfall system by combined width
2,700 m
4
Salto do YucumãBrazil · Argentina · One of the world's longest longitudinal waterfalls
1,800 m
5
Victoria FallsZimbabwe · Zambia · Largest sheet of falling water on Earth
1,708 m
6
Niagara FallsCanada · United States · Highest flow rate of any waterfall in North America
1,203 m
7
Félou FallsMali
1,000 m
8
HraunfossarIceland · Iceland's widest 'waterfall' by continuous frontage
900 m
9
Horseshoe FallsCanada · Carries about 90% of the Niagara River's total flow
790 m
10
Ruacana FallsNamibia · Angola · Namibia's tallest waterfall when in flood
700 m
11
HöllbachgsprengGermany
500 m
12
Gouina FallsMali
430 m
13
Kalandula FallsAngola · One of Africa's largest waterfalls by volume
400 m
14
Blue Nile FallsEthiopia · One of Ethiopia's most historic natural landmarks
400 m
15
Nuorilang FallsChina · Widest waterfall in the UNESCO-listed Jiuzhaigou Valley
320 m
16
Shivanasamudra FallsIndia
305 m
17
Cohoes FallsUnited States
305 m
18
Ban Gioc-Detian FallsVietnam · China · Asia's largest transnational border waterfall
300 m
19
Chitrakoot FallsIndia · Widely nicknamed the Niagara Falls of India
300 m
20
Shoshone FallsUnited States · Taller than Niagara Falls
274 m
Khone Phapheng FallsLaos · Southeast Asia's largest waterfall by volume
10,783 m
2
Guaíra FallsBrazil · Paraguay
4,828 m
3
Iguazú FallsArgentina · Brazil · World's largest waterfall system by combined width
2,700 m
4
Salto do YucumãBrazil · Argentina · One of the world's longest longitudinal waterfalls
1,800 m
5
Victoria FallsZimbabwe · Zambia · Largest sheet of falling water on Earth
1,708 m
6
Niagara FallsCanada · United States · Highest flow rate of any waterfall in North America
1,203 m
7
Félou FallsMali
1,000 m
8
HraunfossarIceland · Iceland's widest 'waterfall' by continuous frontage
900 m
9
Horseshoe FallsCanada · Carries about 90% of the Niagara River's total flow
790 m
10
Ruacana FallsNamibia · Angola · Namibia's tallest waterfall when in flood
700 m
11
HöllbachgsprengGermany
500 m
12
Gouina FallsMali
430 m
13
Kalandula FallsAngola · One of Africa's largest waterfalls by volume
400 m
14
Blue Nile FallsEthiopia · One of Ethiopia's most historic natural landmarks
400 m
15
Nuorilang FallsChina · Widest waterfall in the UNESCO-listed Jiuzhaigou Valley
320 m
16
Shivanasamudra FallsIndia
305 m
17
Cohoes FallsUnited States
305 m
18
Ban Gioc-Detian FallsVietnam · China · Asia's largest transnational border waterfall
300 m
19
Chitrakoot FallsIndia · Widely nicknamed the Niagara Falls of India
300 m
20
Shoshone FallsUnited States · Taller than Niagara Falls
274 m
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