When compared to other famous waterfalls, Iguazu stands wider than Victoria and taller than Niagara, prompting First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to exclaim “Poor Niagara!” when faced with the might of the Iguazu Falls.  At one point a person may stand and actually be surrounded by 260 degrees of waterfalls, an awesome and unparalleled experience at the junction of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. 

The falls are located where the Iguazu River tumbles over the edge of the Paraná Plateau, and there are points in the cities of Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, Puerto Iguazú, Argentina, and Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, which have access to the Iguazu River, where the borders of all three nations may be seen, a popular tourist attraction for visitors to the three cities. Approximately half of the river's flow falls into a long and narrow chasm called the Devil's Throat (Garganta del Diablo in Spanish or Garganta do Diabo in Portuguese). Place-names have been given also to many other smaller falls, such as San Martín Falls, Bossetti Falls, and many others. 

The name "Iguazu" comes from the Guarani or Tupi words "y", meaning "water", and "ûasú meaning "big". 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. Visitors to the Brazil side of the falls can enjoy a tour of Iguaçú National Park, which was created in an effort to provide a clean natural environment and preserve the diverse flora and fauna native to the region – some of the most common wild animals found in the park include spotted jaguars, butterflies, raccoons, prego monkeys, coral snakes, toucans, parrots, and yellow-breasted caimans.