Top 10 wa­ter­falls facts

In the United States. Dry Falls is a 3.5 mile long scalloped precipice in central Washington. According to the current geological model, catastrophic flooding channeled water over this 400-foot (120 m) rock face at the end of the last ice age. At this time, it is estimated that the flow of the falls was ten times the current flow of all the rivers in the world combined.

In Iceland. Dettifoss is situated on the Jökulsá á Fjöllum river, which flows from the Vatnajökull glacier and collects water from a large area in Northeast Iceland. The falls are 100 metres (330 ft) wide and have a drop of 45 metres (150 ft) down.

In Norway. Those three are: Vinnufossen (860 m), Balåifossen (850 m) and Strupenfossen (820 m). They are world's 6th, 7th and 11th tallest waterfalls respectively.

New York. The Eternal Flame Falls is located in the section of Chestnut Ridge Park in Western New York. A small grotto at the waterfall's base emits natural gas, which can be lit to produce a small flame. This flame is visible nearly year round, although it can be extinguished and must occasionally be re-lit.

979 m (3,212 ft). Angel Falls is over twice as tall as the Empire State Building. It is one of Venezuela's top tourist attractions, though a trip to the falls is a complicated affair, as the falls are located in an isolated jungle.

Venezuela. Salto Angel or Angel Falls is the world highest waterfall with a height of 979 meters (3,212 ft). The fall is named named after Jimmie Angel, a US aviator, who was the first person to fly over it.

At point 3. Located on the Niagara River, which drains Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, the combined falls form the highest flow rate of any waterfall in the world.

Zambia and Zimbabwe. While it is neither the highest nor the widest waterfall in the world, Victoria Falls is classified as the largest, based on its combined width of 1,708 metres and height of 108 metres, resulting in the world's largest sheet of falling water.

Argentina and Brazil. Iguazú Falls are waterfalls of the Iguazu River on the border of the Argentine province of Misiones and the Brazilian state of Paraná. Together, they make up the largest waterfall system in the world. Legend has it that a deity planned to marry a beautiful woman named Naipí, who fled with her mortal lover Tarobá in a canoe. In a rage, the deity sliced the river, creating the waterfalls and condemning the lovers to an eternal fall.

In Peru. Gocta is a perennial waterfall with two drops located in Peru. Although it had been well known to locals for centuries, its existence was not made known to the world until the 2002 German expedition. Its location was kept a secret, because local people feared the curse of a beautiful blond mermaid who supposedly lived in its waters.