| Angel Falls (indigenous name: Parakupa-vena or Kerepakupai merú) is the world's highest waterfall at 979 m (3212 ft), with a clear drop of 807 m (2647 ft). It is located in the Canaima National Park, in the Gran Sabana region of Bolivar State, Venezuela at 5°58′03″N 62°32′08″W / 5.9675, -62.53556Coordinates: 5°58′03″N 62°32′08″W / 5.9675, -62.53556 . The height of the falls is so great that before getting anywhere near the ground, the water is vaporized by the strong winds and turned into mist. The base of the falls feeds into the Kerep river (alternately known as the Rio Gauya) which flows into the Churun River, a tributary of the Carrao River. In the indigenous Pemon language Angel Falls is called Kerepakupai merú meaning "waterfall of the deepest place". The falls are sometimes referred to as Churun-meru, an error, since that name corresponds to another waterfall in the Canaima National Park. Churun in the Pemon language means "thunder". Sir Walter Raleigh described what was possibly a tepuy and he is sometimes said to have discovered Angel Falls, but these claims are considered "far-fetched" [1]. They were sighted in 1912 by the Venezuelan explorer Ernesto Sanchez La Cruz, but he did not publicize his discovery. They were not known to the outside world until the American aviator James "Jimmie" Crawford Angel (b. 1899 d. 1956 bp. Springfield, MO)[2] flew over them on 16 November 1933 on a flight while he was searching for a valuable ore bed. Returning on 9 October ... |
