Itiquira Falls
Encyclopedia
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. They are located 34 kilometers north of Formosa in the state of Goiás
Goiás
Goiás is a state of Brazil, located in the central part of the country. The name Goiás comes from the name of an indigenous community...
and 115 kilometers from Brasília
Brasília
Brasília is the capital city of Brazil. The name is commonly spelled Brasilia in English. The city and its District are located in the Central-West region of the country, along a plateau known as Planalto Central. It has a population of about 2,557,000 as of the 2008 IBGE estimate, making it the...
on a paved road. The falls have a height of 168 meters, making them possibly the highest accessible waterfall in Brazil and the second highest overall. The falls are formed by the drop of the Itiquira River from the higher central plateau north of Formosa into the deep Paranã River
Paranã River
The Paranã River is located in Goiás state, Brazil. It divides two regions - the Northeast and north-central Goiás. It is formed by tributaries that descend the Serra Geral, the mountains that divide eastern Goiás and Bahia. One of the most important tributaries is the Crixás, which has its...
valley. The waters are unpolluted and a bottling plant is located on the river above the falls (access from a different road heading north from Formosa towards Planaltina de Goiás
Planaltina de Goiás
Planaltina is a city located in the center of the state of Goiás, Brazil. Planaltina is often referred to as Planaltina de Goiás, but in official documents it is called Planaltina.-Location and Geography:...
).
The area is a municipal park and is protected from development. There are tourist facilities outside the park, near the entrance.