Iguazu means 'big water' in Guarani, an Indigenous language from the area. The Guarani people lived near the falls long before they were given a name on European maps. Even today, if you visit, the people who guide you might speak Guarani as well as Portuguese and Spanish.
The biggest single drop at Iguazu is called the Devil's Throat. It is a U-shaped wall of water about 80 metres tall - taller than Niagara Falls in North America - and the water roars down with such force that mist rises hundreds of metres into the sky. Standing nearby you get soaked, even without going in.
Iguazu is shared between two countries: about 80% of the falls are in Argentina, and 20% are in Brazil. Each side has its own walkways. From the Brazilian side you get the wide view of all 275 falls at once. From the Argentinian side you can walk right up to the top of the Devil's Throat.
The forest around the falls is full of wildlife. Capuchin monkeys swing through the trees. Coatis - cousins of raccoons - wander along the paths looking for fallen fruit. Toucans fly overhead, and butterflies of every colour land on visitors' arms to drink the salt from their skin.