Angel Falls

Angel Falls or Salto Angel is the world's highest free-falling waterfall at 978 metres (3,212 feet). It is located on an unnamed tributary of the Rio Caroni in Venezuela. Although first sighted in the early 20th century by the explorer Ernesto de Santa Cruz, they were not known to the world until their official discovery by the American aviator, James Crawford Angel, on a flight whilst searching for gold. Angel was born in Springfield, Missouri in 1899. The official height was determined by a National Geographic Society survey in 1949 (see Jungle Journey to the World's Highest Waterfall by Ruth Robinson). David Mott's book, Angels Four, chronicles the first successful climb up the face of Ayan Tepui (Devil's Mountain) to the top of the falls. The falls are Venezuela's top tourist attraction.\n