The world's largest waterfalls by average flow, from Inga Falls on the Congo at 25,768 m³/s to the Caniapiscau River's tied Limestone and Pyrite Falls at 1,464 m³/s.
Inga Falls on the Congo River is the largest waterfall in the world by average flow, at an estimated 25,768 m³/s. Livingstone Falls (25,060 m³/s), also on the Congo, is second and Boyoma Falls (16,990 m³/s) third. Figures are World Waterfall Database average flows as tabulated by Wikipedia in October 2026.
When people think of the world's largest waterfalls, height usually comes to mind first. But the most powerful waterfalls on Earth are the ones that move the most water. Ranked by flow rate in cubic metres per second (m³/s), the leaders are huge rivers tumbling over low rapids and cataracts rather than tall single drops. This list ranks waterfalls by average flow. Several entries are cataracts or rapids rather than single-drop waterfalls; they are included because the World Waterfall Database lists them as waterfalls. Limestone Falls and Pyrite Falls share the same figure, so both are kept and the list runs to eleven entries.
Inga Falls is a set of rapids and cascades on the lower Congo River and the largest waterfall in the world by average flow, at 25,768 m³/s (an estimate). Its status as a true waterfall is debated, and part of the river is diverted through the Inga I and Inga II hydroelectric plants.
Livingstone Falls is a chain of rapids on the Congo River downstream of Kinshasa and Brazzaville, carrying 25,060 m³/s. The river drops only about 6 m in its tallest single step, but the volume is almost as great as at Inga.
Boyoma Falls, historically called Stanley Falls, is a series of seven cataracts where the Lualaba becomes the Congo River near Kisangani. Its average flow of 16,990 m³/s is a cascade of rapids rather than a sheer drop.
Khone Phapheng Falls on the Mekong in southern Laos is the largest waterfall in Asia by flow, at 11,610 m³/s. Measured end to end its falls and rapids are more than 10 km across, making it the widest waterfall in the world.
Salto Pará on Venezuela's Caura River is the largest waterfall in South America by average flow, at 3,540 m³/s, with a tallest single drop of 64 m.
Paulo Afonso Falls on the São Francisco River in northeastern Brazil averages 2,832 m³/s. Its flow is regulated by the Paulo Afonso hydroelectric complex.
Niagara Falls is the largest waterfall in North America by average flow, at 2,407 m³/s for the falls as a whole. Part of the river is diverted around the falls to the Robert Moses and Sir Adam Beck hydroelectric stations.
Vermilion Falls (Vermilion Chutes) on the Peace River in northern Alberta averages 1,812 m³/s. It is a low but very wide fall, about 5 m high and 1,829 m across.
Iguazú Falls on the Argentina-Brazil border averages 1,746 m³/s, spread across a system of falls about 2.7 km wide, with a tallest single drop of 64 m.
Limestone Falls on the Caniapiscau River in northern Quebec averages 1,464 m³/s, tied with Pyrite Falls on the same river. Its flow is regulated by the KA-3 dam of the Caniapiscau Reservoir.
Pyrite Falls, also on the Caniapiscau River in northern Quebec, shares the 1,464 m³/s average flow of Limestone Falls upstream. Both are regulated by the KA-3 dam of the Caniapiscau Reservoir.
| # | Name | River | Country | Average flow (m³/s) | Tallest single drop (m) | Width (m) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Inga Falls | Congo | DR Congo | 25768 | 21 | 914 |
| 2 | Livingstone Falls | Congo | DR Congo / Republic of the Congo | 25060 | 6 | 701 |
| 3 | Boyoma Falls | Lualaba / Congo | DR Congo | 16990 | 5 | 1372 |
| 4 | Khone Phapheng Falls | Mekong | Laos | 11610 | 21 | 10783 |
| 5 | Pará Falls | Caura | Venezuela | 3540 | 64 | 5608 |
| 6 | Paulo Afonso Falls | São Francisco | Brazil | 2832 | 59 | 18 |
| 7 | Niagara Falls | Niagara | Canada / United States | 2407 | 51 | 1204 |
| 8 | Vermilion Falls | Peace | Canada | 1812 | 5 | 1829 |
| 9 | Iguazú Falls | Iguazú | Argentina / Brazil | 1746 | 64 | 2682 |
| 10 | Limestone Falls | Caniapiscau | Canada | 1464 | 22 | 335 |
| 11 | Pyrite Falls | Caniapiscau | Canada | 1464 | 8 | 579 |
Waterfalls are ranked by average flow in cubic metres per second as listed in Wikipedia's List of waterfalls by flow rate (largest extant waterfalls table, as of 18 October 2026), whose figures come from the World Waterfall Database; heights (tallest single drop) and widths come from the same table. One source is used throughout so that all figures are comparable. Cataracts and rapids such as Inga, Livingstone and Boyoma Falls are included because the database classifies them as waterfalls; Inga Falls' figure is marked there as an estimate. Niagara's figure is for the falls as a whole. Several falls (Inga, Paulo Afonso, Niagara, Limestone, Pyrite) have flow altered by hydroelectric diversion or regulation. Former waterfalls drowned by reservoirs, such as Guaíra Falls, are excluded. Limestone Falls and Pyrite Falls tie at 1,464 m³/s and are both kept, so the list has eleven entries.
Inga Falls on the Congo River in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has the highest average flow, an estimated 25,768 m³/s, though it is a series of rapids and cascades rather than a single vertical drop.
Among the eleven falls on this list, Pará Falls in Venezuela and Iguazú Falls on the Argentina-Brazil border have the tallest single drops, 64 m each. Pará carries more water, 3,540 m³/s against 1,746 m³/s at Iguazú.
No. Flow rate measures the volume of water passing per second, while height measures the vertical drop. Many of the most voluminous waterfalls are only a few metres high but carry enormous river flows.
Victoria Falls averages 1,088 m³/s in the same table, which places it below the eleven falls here. It is famous instead as the largest single sheet of falling water.
More like this: all Geography & Earth rankings · browse every topic