Victoria Falls is one of the world's most spectacular waterfalls. The falls are situated on the Zambezi River, which at this point forms the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. The falls are broad at roughly a mile (1.6 km) wide, while their height is considerable at 128 m (420 ft). They form a remarkable spectacle because of their peculiar geography — the water falls into a narrow slot-like chasm, and so one can view the falls face-on.
David Livingstone, the Scottish explorer, visited the falls in 1855 and named them for Queen Victoria, though they were known locally as Mosi-oa-Tunya, the "smoke that thunders." The falls are part of two national parks, Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park in Zambia and Victoria Falls National Park in Zimbabwe, and are today one of Southern Africa's major tourist draws. They are also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The national parks contain abundant wildlife including sizable populations of elephants, buffalo and giraffes. The river at this point also contains a large population of hippos.
Mosi-oa-Tunya national park provides a habitat for six white rhinos. The rhinos are the only white rhinos in Zambia, but are not indigenous, having been imported from South Africa. Within the park boundaries is a small cemetery, located on the site of the original British settlement in the area, Old Drift.