62-477: Victoria Falls ( Lozi : Mosi-oa-Tunya , "Thundering Smoke"; Tonga : Shungu Namutitima , "Boiling Water") is a waterfall on the Zambezi River , located on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe . It is one of the world's largest waterfalls, with a width of 1,708 m (5,604 ft). The region around it is inhabited by several species of plants and animals. Archaeology and oral history describe
124-745: A kingdom called Barotseland or Bulozi . In the 1830s, the Kololo people , originally from the Free State province of South Africa , fled northwards to escape the Mfecane under King Shaka Zulu (died 1828). They employed tactics learned from the Zulu armies to conquer the Luyana on the Zambezi floodplains , imposing their rule and language. However, by 1864, the indigenous population revolted and overthrew
186-612: A large paleolake known as Lake Makgadikgadi formed between the Kalahari and the Batoka Basaltic Plateau of Zimbabwe and Zambia. This lake was originally endorheic and had no natural outlet. Under wetter climate conditions about 20,000 years BP, it eventually overflowed and began to drain to the east, cutting the Batoka Gorge through the basalt. The recent geological history of Victoria Falls can be seen in
248-528: A large fall unlikely. Livingstone had been told about the falls before he reached them from upriver and was paddled across to the Livingstone Island in Zambia. In 1860, Livingstone returned to the area and made a detailed study of the falls with John Kirk . Other early European visitors included Portuguese explorer Serpa Pinto , Czech explorer Emil Holub , who made the first detailed plan of
310-409: A long record of African knowledge of the site. Although known to some European geographers before the 19th century, Scottish missionary David Livingstone identified the falls in 1855, naming them Victoria Falls after Queen Victoria . Since the mid-20th century, the site has been a major tourist destination. Zambia and Zimbabwe both have national parks and tourism infrastructure at the site. Research in
372-521: A new fall line and abandonment of the earlier line. North-south oriented joints control the south flowing sections of the river. One of these is the "Boiling Pot", which links the First Gorge with the Second Gorge. The falls may have already started cutting back the next major gorge, at the dip in one side of the "Devil's Cataract", between the western river bank and Cataract Island. The lip in
434-472: A separate group of police called the Tourism Police was started. They are commonly seen around the main tourist areas, and can be identified by their uniforms with yellow reflective bibs. Riverine forest with palm trees lines the banks and islands above the falls. The most notable aspect of the area's vegetation though is the rainforest nurtured by the spray from the falls, containing plants rare for
496-694: A supile 80 mashumi a supile ni kalikamu 90 mashumi a supile ni totubeli 100 muanda The following is a sample text in Silozi. Silozi : Kakuli Mulimu U latile hahulu batu ba lifasi, mane U ba file Mwan'a Hae wa libanda kuli mutu ufi ni ufi ya lumela ku Yena a si ke a shwa, kono a be ni bupilo bo bu sa feli. Joani 3:16 English : For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 2018%E2%80%932021 Southern African drought The 2018–2021 Southern Africa drought
558-417: A variety of antelope . Lions , African leopards and South African cheetahs are only occasionally seen. Vervet monkeys and baboons are common. The river above the falls contains large populations of hippopotamus and crocodile . African bush elephants cross the river in the dry season at particular crossing points. Klipspringers , honey badgers , lizards and clawless otters can be glimpsed in
620-431: A very poor state in many parts of the country leading to severe pressure on the grazing and to a severe decline in livestock due to starvation. A combination of lack of rainfall and low soil moisture led to a severe and prolonged drought in 2019 which resulted in real hardship and significantly affected many livelihoods, especially among the most vulnerable communities. In August 2020 a vulnerability assessment conducted by
682-481: Is 66 km (25 sq mi) and Victoria Falls National Park is 23 km (8.9 sq mi). However, next to the latter on the southern bank is the Zambezi National Park , extending 40 kilometres (25 mi) west along the river. Animals can move between the two Zimbabwean parks and can also reach Matetsi Safari Area, Kazuma Pan National Park and Hwange National Park to the south. On
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#1732765136553744-547: Is about 150 m (500 ft) across. Its surface is smooth at low water, but at high water is marked by enormous, slow swirls and heavy turbulence. The principal gorges are The Upper Zambezi River originally drained south through present day Botswana to join the Limpopo River . A general uplift of the land between Zimbabwe and the Kalahari Desert about 2 million years ago blocked this drainage route, and
806-457: Is classified as the largest based on its combined width of 1,708 metres (5,604 ft) and height of 108 metres (354 ft), resulting in the world's largest sheet of falling water. For a considerable distance upstream from the falls, the Zambezi flows over a level sheet of basalt in a shallow valley , bounded by low and distant sandstone hills. The river's course is dotted with numerous tree-covered islands , which increase in number when
868-481: Is most closely related to Northern Sotho ( Sesotho sa Leboa ), Tswana ( Setswana ), Kgalagari ( SheKgalagari ) and Sotho ( Sesotho /Southern Sotho). Lozi, sometimes written as Rotse , and its dialects are spoken and understood by approximately six per cent of the population of Zambia. Silozi is the endonym (the name of the language used by its native speakers) as defined by the United Nations . Lozi
930-597: Is the exonym . The origins of Silozi can be traced back to a mixture of languages, primarily Luyana and Kololo . The Luyana people migrated south from the Kingdom of Luba and Kingdom of Lunda in the Katanga area of the Congo River basin , either late in the 17th century or early in the 18th century. They settled on the floodplains of the upper Zambezi River in what is now western Zambia , where they established
992-486: Is timed with the expected rains that begin to arrive in November. The next five-six months are considered the "lean" season, during which time stockpiled food is consumed while the concurrent "wet" season rains nourish the next year's crops. However, if the usual rains are disrupted by a weather anomaly, planting is delayed until November or early December, resulting in a longer "lean" season before crops can be harvested. If
1054-619: The Cape in the south and from 1909, as far as the Belgian Congo in the north. In 1904 the Victoria Falls Hotel was opened to accommodate visitors arriving on the new railway. The falls became an increasingly popular attraction during British colonial rule of Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) and Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), with the town of Victoria Falls becoming the main tourist centre. In 1964, Northern Rhodesia became
1116-535: The Old Drift , by dugout canoe or a barge towed across with a steel cable. Rhodes' vision of a Cape-Cairo railway drove plans for the first bridge across the Zambezi. He insisted it be built where the spray from the falls would fall on passing trains, so the site at the Second Gorge was chosen. (See the main article Victoria Falls Bridge for details.) From 1905 the railway offered accessible travel from as far as
1178-626: The Sotho language name, Mosi-oa-Tunya —"The Smoke That Thunders"—continues in common usage. The World Heritage List officially recognises both names. Livingstone also cited an older name, Seongo or Chongwe , which means "The Place of the Rainbow", as a result of the constant spray. The nearby national park in Zambia is named Mosi-oa-Tunya , whereas the national park and town on the Zimbabwean shore are both named Victoria Falls. Victoria Falls
1240-585: The Zambezi River pours through the First Gorge's 110-metre-wide (360 ft) exit for a distance of about 150 metres (490 ft), then enters a zigzagging series of gorges designated by the order in which the river reaches them. Water entering the Second Gorge makes a sharp right turn and has carved out a deep pool there called the Boiling Pot . Reached via a steep footpath from the Zambian side, it
1302-623: The First Gorge at the Zimbabwean side. The minimum flow, which occurs in November, is around a tenth of the April figure; this variation in flow is greater than that of other major falls and causes the Victoria Falls' annual average flow rate to be lower than might be expected based on the maximum flow. In 2019 unusually low rain dramatically reduced the fall to the lowest flow in a century. Global climate change and changed climate patterns are suggested to have caused this. The entire volume of
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#17327651365531364-620: The Kololo. By then, the original Luyana language had largely been replaced by a new hybrid language, Silozi. Today, Silozi is spoken in Angola , Botswana , Namibia , Zambia , and Zimbabwe , reflecting its historical development and cultural significance in the region. Lozi has 5 vowels: 20 consonants are in Lozi: Tone is marked as high or low. Lozi uses the Latin script , which
1426-418: The Zambian side was near capacity, with rates in top hotels reaching US$ 630 per night. The rapid development has prompted the United Nations to consider revoking the falls' status as a World Heritage Site . In addition, problems of waste disposal and a lack of effective management of the falls' environment are a concern. A famous feature is the naturally formed "Devil's Pool", an infinity pool that sits on
1488-556: The Zambian side, fences and the outskirts of Livingstone tend to confine most animals to the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park. In addition fences put up by lodges in response to crime restrict animal movement. On Botswana’s side of the border, Chobe National Park is a short distance to travel to and is a popular location for a day trip for many tourists visiting Victoria Falls for extended stays. It offers more diverse flora and fauna than Hwange National Park. In 2004
1550-465: The aesthetics of the waterfalls, and there are fears that Victoria Falls might join other World Heritage sites categorised as last-chance destinations. Recognition of the risks to the falls has sparked great debate among those in the tourism industry in both Zambia and Zimbabwe. While it may have had a negative impact on tourism, many experts in the region dismiss the story as ill-researched and irresponsible journalism. They do not deny climate change and
1612-530: The area such as pod mahogany , ebony , ivory palm , wild date palm , batoko plum and creepers and lianas. Outside the riparian zone, mopane woodland savannah predominates in the area, with smaller areas of miombo and Rhodesian teak woodland and shrubland savannah . Vegetation has suffered in recent droughts, and so have the animals that depend on it, particularly antelope. The national parks contain abundant wildlife including sizeable populations of elephant , Cape buffalo , giraffe , Grant's zebra , and
1674-447: The centre. The only outlet from the First Gorge is a 110-metre-wide (360 ft) gap about two-thirds of the way across the width of the falls from the western end. The whole volume of the river pours into the Victoria Falls gorges from this narrow cleft. Two islands on the crest of the falls: Boaruka Island (or Cataract Island) near the western bank, and Livingstone Island near the middle. At less than full flood, additional islets divide
1736-571: The current falls is lowest here and carries the greatest concentration of water at flood stage. The sedimentary sequence overlying the basalt at the Zambezi River margins is called the Victoria Falls Formation , which consists of gravel , the Pipe sandstone , Kalahari sand, aeolian sand and alluvium . A 15–45 m scarp bounds the river about 5–6 km from the main channel, and a series of river terraces are evident between
1798-643: The curtain of water into separate parallel streams. The main streams are named, in order from Zimbabwe (west) to Zambia (east): the Devil's Cataract (called Leaping Water by some), the Main Falls , the Rainbow Falls (the highest) and the Eastern Cataract . The River Zambezi, upstream from the falls, experiences a rainy season from late November to early April, and a dry season the rest of
1860-468: The decline of the region's plant life, the lowering of water levels in bodies of water and a loss of moisture from the soil, with the latter effect causing a drought. As noted by sources, Southern Africa's low level of economic development and reliance on agriculture —namely cereal crops and livestock —leave the region highly susceptible to droughts. Though variations exist, the region's farmers tend to plant their next crop in late October—this sowing
1922-500: The drought was classified as a level 2 Red-Class event. The drought continued into early 2021. Beginning in October 2021, South Africa experienced above average rainfall and reservoirs refilled by early 2022. As a region, Southern Africa has historically been at high risk of droughts; a probability due to several meteorological and sociological factors. The Southern African climate is affected by strong seasonal rainfall patterns;
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1984-411: The dry season takes effect, the islets on the crest become wider and more numerous. From September to January, up to half of the rocky face of the falls may become dry, allowing the bottom of the First Gorge to be seen along most of its length. At this time, it becomes possible (though not necessarily safe) to walk across some stretches of the river at the crest. It is also possible to walk to the bottom of
2046-476: The fall clearly marked in the correct position. It also shows dotted lines denoting trade routes that David Livingstone followed 140 years later. A map from c. 1750 drawn by Jacques Nicolas Bellin for Abbé Antoine François Prevost d'Exiles marks the falls as "cataractes" and notes a settlement to the north of the Zambezi as being friendly with the Portuguese at the time. In November 1855, David Livingstone
2108-409: The falls and its surroundings in 1875 (published in 1880), and British artist Thomas Baines , who executed some of the earliest paintings of the falls. Until the area was opened up by the building of the railway in 1905, though, the falls were seldom visited by other Europeans. Some writers believe that the Portuguese priest Gonçalo da Silveira was the first European to catch sight of the falls back in
2170-408: The falls has historically been much higher than the number visiting the Zambian side, due to the greater development of the visitor facilities there. However, the number of tourists visiting Zimbabwe began to decline in the early 2000s as political tensions between supporters and opponents of president Robert Mugabe increased. In 2006, hotel occupancy on the Zimbabwean side hovered at around 30%, while
2232-421: The falls. By the end of the 1990s, almost 400,000 people were visiting the falls annually, and this was expected to rise to over a million in the next decade. Unlike the game parks, Victoria Falls has more Zimbabwean and Zambian visitors than international tourists; the attraction is accessible by bus and train, and is therefore comparatively inexpensive to reach. The numbers of visitors to the Zimbabwean side of
2294-427: The falls. Zimbabwe's internationally recognized independence in 1980 brought comparative peace, and the 1980s witnessed renewed levels of tourism and the development of the region as a centre for adventure sports . Activities that gained popularity in the area include whitewater rafting in the gorges, bungee jumping from the bridge, game fishing , horse riding , kayaking , e-biking , and sightseeing flights over
2356-416: The gorges, but they are mainly known for 35 species of raptors . The Taita falcon , Verreaux's eagle , peregrine falcon and augur buzzard breed there. Above the falls, herons , African fish eagles and numerous kinds of waterfowl are common. The river is home to 39 species of fish below the falls and 84 species above it. This illustrates the effectiveness of the falls as a dividing barrier between
2418-465: The government has declared a state of emergency. The drought of 2019 has been described as the worst in the last 90 years in the country, with the lowest recorded rainfall in Windhoek since 1891. The agricultural sector is one of Namibia's primary industries and due to extremely low rainfall in 2019, production in the sector fell by 17.5%. Grazing land conditions were observed to have deteriorated to
2480-573: The impact it is having on the amount of water that cascades over the falls, but they argue the narrative is incomplete. Lozi language Lozi , also known as Silozi and Rozi , is a Bantu language of the Niger–Congo language family within the Sotho–Tswana branch of Zone S (S.30) , that is spoken by the Lozi people , primarily in southwestern Zambia and in surrounding countries. The language
2542-480: The independent state of Zambia. The following year, Rhodesia unilaterally declared independence . This was not recognised by Zambia, the United Kingdom nor the vast majority of states and led to United Nations -mandated sanctions. In response to the emerging crisis, in 1966 Zambia restricted or stopped border crossings. It did not re-open the border completely until 1980. The Rhodesian Bush War erupted on
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2604-447: The late 2010s found that precipitation variability due to climate change is likely to alter the character of the falls. David Livingstone was the first European recorded to have viewed the falls on 16 November 1855, from an island now known as Livingstone Island, one of two land masses in the middle of the river, immediately upstream from the falls near the Zambian shore. Livingstone named his sighting in honour of Queen Victoria , but
2666-407: The likelihood of African armyworm outbreaks, further decreasing the region's agricultural output. In the late 2015 – early 2016 season, an El Niño event caused a drought in some parts of Southern Africa. As of the start of the 2018-19 ongoing El Niño-induced drought, some parts of Southern Africa had not yet recovered from the effects of the earlier drought. In Namibia, the drought of 2012/2013
2728-444: The lip of Victoria Falls, on the Zambian side, along the western tip of Livingstone Island. When the river flow is at a certain level, usually between September and December, a rock barrier forms an eddy with minimal current, allowing adventurous swimmers to splash around in relative safety in front of the point where the water cascades over the falls. The two national parks at the falls are relatively small– Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park
2790-437: The majority of the region's annual rainfall is deposited by storms from early November to March, forming what is considered Southern Africa's wet season . The wet months of rainfall saturate the region's soil, providing moisture that persists for the drier months of the year. While this cycle is normally reliable, anomalies in the climate—such as El Niño events—disrupt the region's annual level of rainfall; this, in turn, causes
2852-401: The overall form of the Batoka Gorge, with its six individual gorges and eight past positions of the falls. The east–west oriented gorges imply structural control with alignment along joints of shatter zones, or faults with 50 metres (160 ft) of vertical displacement as is the case of the second and fifth gorges. Headward erosion along these structural lines of weakness would establish
2914-806: The previous season, and in September 2018 the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) issued a warning to Southern African countries about the formation of conditions for a drought. Patrick Kormawa, the Sub-Regional Coordinator for FAO in Southern Africa, predicted a 40 percent chance the region would be impacted by an El Niño event in Fall 2018. In spring 2018, an El Niño event disrupted Southern Africa's annual rainfall. The first effect of this disruption
2976-462: The region were suffering from a severe drought and accompanying effects. As of April 2019, parts of Southern Africa remain affected by the ongoing drought. Heavier than average rainfall during the first weeks of February in some locales have alleviated local droughts, but the area as a whole is expected to suffer from negatively impacted cropping conditions. Rates of hunger in the region have risen, and are expected to continue to rise. The drought
3038-561: The region's weather patterns are disrupted enough to cause drought, the lack of rainfall and eventual loss of moisture from soil often results in a noteworthy decline in Southern Africa's agricultural production; the resulting detrimental economic conditions lead to social unrest and a decline in the level of regional food security. Periods of drought effect Southern Africa's various biomes and wildlife, while reduced water levels in rivers can cause hydroelectric dams to operate at reduced capacity. El Niño events in Southern Africa also increase
3100-423: The river approaches the falls. There is a flat plateau extending in all directions. The falls are formed where the full width of the river plummets in a single vertical drop into a transverse chasm 1,708 metres (5,604 ft) wide, carved along a fracture zone in the basalt plateau. The depth of the chasm, called the First Gorge, varies from 80 metres (260 ft) at its western end to 108 metres (354 ft) in
3162-534: The scarp and the channel. The basalt plateau of Victoria Falls, over which the Zambezi River flows, was formed during the Jurassic period, around 200 million years ago. Early Stone Age Acheulean stone artefacts and Oldowan tools were excavated at archaeological sites around the falls, as well as Sangoan tools and Lupemban artefacts dating to the Middle Stone Age . Early Iron Age pottery
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#17327651365533224-406: The sixteenth century. European settlement of the Victoria Falls area started around 1900 in response to the desire of Cecil Rhodes ' British South Africa Company for mineral rights and imperial rule north of the Zambezi, and the exploitation of other natural resources such as timber forests north-east of the falls, and ivory and animal skins. Before 1905, the river was crossed above the falls at
3286-520: The southern side of the Zambezi from 1972 to 1980 with terrorist incursions from Zambia, Mozambique and Botswana. Visitor numbers began to drop, particularly on the Rhodesian side. Periodic Rhodesian military cross-border operations against guerrilla camps in Zambia, caused the Zambians to impose security measures including the stationing of soldiers to restrict access to the gorges and some parts of
3348-490: The upper and lower Zambezi. In February 2020, National Geographic highlighted the threat to the falls from extreme weather conditions. Rising temperatures make the region hotter and drier. There is substantial water flow variability from year to year, with a significant drop in the general trend of water flow in September, October, November and December. This is particularly pronounced in drought years, which are becoming more frequent and intense. Such occurrences have affected
3410-400: The year. The river's annual flood season is February to May with a peak in April. The spray from the falls typically rises to a height of over 400 metres (1,300 ft), sometimes up to twice as high, and is visible from up to 50 km (30 mi) away. At full moon, a "moonbow" can also be seen. During the flood season, however, the foot and the face of the waterfall can't be seen. When
3472-815: Was a delayed sowing date, which was pushed back from late October to early November. In November, a report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported an 80 percent likelihood of the El Niño event continuing until December; it also noted that 9.6 million people in Southern Africa were severely food-insecure as of the start of the 2019 lean season. The drought continued to 2019 with multiple regions in Southern Africa seeing significantly reduced levels of rainfall. A report from FAO noted that, while rainfall had picked up in late December 2018, several areas within
3534-605: Was a period of drought that took place in Southern Africa . The drought began in late October 2018, and negatively affected food security in the region. In mid-August 2019, the drought was classified as a level 2 Red-Class event by the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System . The alert level was reduced to the Orange-1.7 by 12 December 2019, as the new wet season had started. In September 2020,
3596-658: Was excavated at a vlei site near Masuma Dam in the early 1960s. Evidence for iron smelting was also found in a settlement dating to the late first millennium AD. The southern Tonga people known as the Batoka/Tokalea called the falls Shungu na mutitima . The Matabele , later arrivals, named them aManz' aThunqayo , and the Batswana and Makololo (whose language is used by the Lozi people ) call them Mosi-o-Tunya . All these names mean essentially "the smoke that thunders". A map drawn by Nicolas de Fer in 1715 shows
3658-400: Was introduced by missionaries . In 1977, Zambia standardised the language's orthography. Counting numbers in Silozi 1 kalikamu 2 totubeli 3 totulalu 4 totune 5 ketalizoho 6 silezi 7 supile 8 ketalizoho ni totulalu 9 ketalizoho ni totune 10 lishumi 20 mashumi a mabeli 30 mashumi a malalu 40 mashumi a mane 50 mashumi a ketalizoho 60 mashumi a silezi 70 mashumi
3720-564: Was re-declared as national emergency in South Africa 4 March 2020. 17 March 2020 the black market of stolen water was reported in Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality amidst emergency-related corruption concerns. In May 2019, Namibia declared a state of emergency in response to the drought, and extended it by additional 6 months in October 2019. This is the third time in six years
3782-463: Was the first European who saw the falls, when he travelled from the upper Zambezi to the mouth of the river between 1852 and 1856. The falls were well known to local tribes, and Voortrekker hunters may have known of them, as may the Arabs under a name equivalent to "the end of the world". Europeans were sceptical of their reports, perhaps thinking that the lack of mountains and valleys on the plateau made
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#17327651365533844-517: Was thought to be the worst of the decade as around 42% if the total population experienced food insecurity. The Namibian government declared a state of emergency in 2012. In August and September 2018, several organizations began to warn farmers about the possibility of an oncoming drought. In August 2018 the Southern African Development Community advised farmers to avoid selling some of their stockpiled food from
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