International Waterfall Day is celebrated annually on June 16 to honour these magnificent and picturesque natural wonders. Waterfalls can be found all over the globe and are incredibly important to the surrounding communities. The cascade of water is not only a visual spectacle, but also possesses an indescribably majestic quality. Imagine trekking for miles while drenched in perspiration and battered by the sun, only to emerge from a clearing and see what appears to be water pouring from the heavens.
The background of International WaterFall Day
Typically, a waterfall is a point in a river where water flows over a steep decline. As there are numerous types and methodologies for classifying waterfalls, the definition of a waterfall remains contested. Despite their significance in human lives and history, waterfalls have not been the subject of extensive inquiry, although Alexander von Humboldt did write about them in the 1820s. There is no specific term for the study of waterfalls, but the study of waterfalls is commonly referred to as ‘waterfallology.’
European explorers utilised to record the cascades they encountered. In 1493, Christopher Columbus wrote about Carbet Falls in Guadeloupe, which may have been the first cascade in the Americas that Europeans recorded seeing. However, according to geographer Brian J. Hudson, waterfalls were rarely given specific names prior to the 18th century.
This trend of Europeans naming waterfalls is a result of an increased scientific concentration on nature at the time, the rise of Romanticism, and the growing importance of hydropower as a result of the Industrial Revolution. However, European explorers would frequently disregard the names that indigenous peoples had given these cascades in favour of a more ‘European’ moniker. For instance, the Scottish physician and explorer David Livingstone named Victoria Falls after Queen Victoria, despite the fact that the locals already called it Mosi-oa-Tunya.
Exploration of waterfalls continues to this day. People flock to waterfalls because they are excellent tourist destinations; not only because they are gorgeous, but also because they are relatively rare.
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Activities on International Waterfall Day
Explore a waterfall
Fill your car with petrol and travel to the nearest waterfall for a pleasant day trip. Invite your friends and family and make it a picnic!
Admire them while at home
Appreciate the beauty of waterfalls from the comfort of your home by displaying photographs of them and viewing YouTube travel videos. Post images on social media to inform your peers about these magnificent places.
Explore exotic locations
If you cannot visit a waterfall, you should visit other locations. Utilise today as an opportunity to satiate your wanderlust and placate your inner explorer!
5 facts about waterfalls that will astound you
Angel Falls in Venezuela is the longest waterfall in the world at 3,212 feet, with the water turning to vapour before reaching the base of the waterfall.
There are still many waterfalls in the world that have not been recorded or named, leaving the World Waterfall Database with an insufficient list of waterfalls.
The water at Niagara Falls is so pure that it can be used for imbibing.
The roar of the famous Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe can be heard up to 30 kilometres distant.
Some waterfalls freeze for at least a portion of the year, allowing climbers to practise and evaluate their abilities.
INTERNATIONAL WATERFALL DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | June 16 | Friday |
| 2024 | June 16 | Sunday |
| 2025 | June 16 | Monday |
| 2026 | June 16 | Tuesday |
| 2027 | June 16 | Wednesday |
