Victoria Falls Victoria Falls Victoria Falls (Lozi: "Mosi-oa-Tunya", "The Smoke that Thunders") is a waterfall in southern Africa on the Zambezi River at the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. David Livingstone, the Scottish missionary and explorer, is believed to have been the first European to view Victoria Falls on 16 November 1855, from what is 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 discovery in honour of Queen Victoria of Britain, but the indigenous Lozi language name, "Mosi-oa-Tunya"—"The Smoke That Thunders"—continues in
Victoria Falls common usage as well. The World Heritage List officially recognizes both names. Livingstone also cites 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. While it is neither the highest nor the widest waterfall in the world, Victoria Falls is classified as the largest, based on its combined width of and height of , resulting in the world's largest sheet of falling water. Victoria Falls