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Iguazu Falls Facts & Worksheets

Iguazu Falls is located on the Argentinian and Brazilian borders, dividing the Iguazu River into upper and lower levels.

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Iguazu Falls is located on the Argentinian and Brazilian borders, dividing the Iguazu River into upper and lower levels. It is the largest waterfall system in the world, standing between 197-269 feet high, and 1.7 miles wide. Both parks, Iguazu National Park (Argentina) and Iguacu National Park (Brazil) became UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1984 and 1987, respectively.

See the fact file below for more information on the Iguazu Falls or alternatively, you can download our 22-page World Heritage Sites: Iguazu Falls worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Geography and Composition of Iguazu Falls

  • It has been said that if you want a good view of the falls, visit the Brazilian side. If you want to experience the falls, visit the Argentinian side.
  • There are two trails on the Argentinian side that allow you to view the upper falls and lower falls, respectively.
  • Tourists get an excellent panoramic view of the falls from the Brazilian side. The “Devil’s Throat” is a U-shaped cliff right in between the border of the two countries, as seen in the aerial image above.
  • The Devil’s Throat canyon is a little over 270 feet wide and 230 feet deep, although this varies depending on where you are.
  • About half of the river’s water flows into this chasm.
  • There are numerous small islands along the edge of the Iguazu River – the actual number varies between 150-300, depending on the level of the water.
  • Although the Brazilian side is home to the majority of the Iguazu River basin, roughly 80% of the actual falls are in Argentina.

Accessing the Falls

  • Two international airports, bus and taxi services, as well as helicopter tours (from Brazil only) allow tourists to access the falls.
  • There is also a train in Argentina that brings visitors to the entrance of the Devil’s Throat. In addition, inflatable boats can also take visitors very close to the falls.

Flora, Fauna, and Weather at the Falls

  • There is a wide variety of flora and fauna that can be found at both Iguacu National Park and Iguazu National Park.
  • There are approximately 2000 plant species in the rainforests around Iguazu Falls.
  • Some animals that you might come across in both national parks are spotted jaguars, toucans, butterflies, monkeys, and snakes.
  • A species of birds called “Great Dusky Swifts” often nest behind the falls and can sometimes be seen plunging directly into the falls!
  • In the winter, the water levels at the falls are very low compared to the rainy season between November to March.
  • Typically, it is extremely hot and humid during the summer, so it is advised that tourists visit the falls in the spring and fall if possible.
  • There are usually less people visiting the falls in September and October, although October is the month in which the falls sees the highest precipitation.
  • On average, the falls see nearly 9 inches of rain over the span of 9 days in October alone!
  • The Iguazu Falls are often compared to Victoria Falls in Southern Africa (between Zambia and Zimbabwe), and Niagara Falls in North America (between Canada and the United States) , and although there are some similarities between them, they are all very unique for different reasons.

Facts About Iguazu Falls

  • Iguazu roughly translates into “water” and “big”, combined to create “big/large water”.
  • The first European to record the existence of the falls was Conquistador Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca in 1541, from Spain.
  • Nearly 3000 feet of the Iguazu River does not have water flowing over it.
  • Paraguay (to the west of the falls) has access to the Iguazu River as well, and the falls are a tourist attraction there, too.
  • Upon seeing the Iguazu Falls, Eleanor Roosevelt (First Lady of the United States) said “Poor Niagara!”, indicating her bewilderment at the size and majesty of Iguazu.
  • The maximum recorded water flow over the falls was 1,614,000 cubic feet per second in 2014.
  • The falls experienced a drought during the summer of 2006, which reduced the amount of water flowing over the falls for a few months.
  • Temperatures at the falls can reach over 100 degrees fahrenheit!
  • The falls have been featured in many movies and T.V shows, including:
    • Moonraker (1979)
    • Mr. Magoo (1997)
    • Miami Vice (2006)
    • Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
    • Captain America: Civil War (2016)
    • Black Panther (2018)
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Iguazu Falls

World Heritage Sites: Iguazu Falls Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Iguazu Falls across 22 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use World Heritage Sites: Iguazu Falls worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Iguazu Falls which is located on the Argentinian and Brazilian borders, dividing the Iguazu River into upper and lower levels. It is the largest waterfall system in the world, standing between 197-269 feet high, and 1.7 miles wide. Both parks, Iguazu National Park (Argentina) and Iguacu National Park (Brazil) became UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1984 and 1987, respectively.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Iguazu Falls Facts.
  • Iguazu Falls Wordsearch.
  • Map of South America.
  • Iguazu Falls Quiz.
  • Iguazu Falls Crossword.
  • Legend of Iguazu Falls.
  • Our Five Senses.
  • Opinion Paragraph.
  • Math is in the Water!
  • Conquistador Who?
  • Iguazu Falls Acrostic.

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Link will appear as Iguazu Falls Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, June 25, 2018

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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