Victoria Falls and David Livingstone
It is believed that the Victoria Falls was named by David Livingstone, the Scottish missionary and explorer. It is also believed that he is the first European recorded to view the Victoria Falls, which he did from what is now known as 'Livingstone Island' in Zambia, the only land accessible in the middle of the falls. David Livingstone gave the falls the name 'Victoria Falls' in honor of his Queen, but the indigenous name of 'Mosi-oa-Tunya' — literally meaning the 'Smoke that Thunders'. it is claimed to be the largest water mash in the world. This claim is based on a width of 1,708 meters (5,604 ft) and height of 108 meters (354 ft), forming the largest sheet of falling water in the world.

Vic Falls and the First Gorge
The Victoria falls are formed as the full width of the river plummets in a single vertical drop into a transverse chasm 1708 meters (5604 ft) wide, carved by its waters along a fracture zone in the basalt plateau. The depth of the chasm, called the First Gorge, varies from 80 meters (260 ft) at its western end to 108 meters (354 ft) in the center. The only outlet to the First Gorge is a 110 meters (360 ft) wide gap about two-thirds of the way across the width of the falls from the western end, through which the whole volume of the river pours into the Victoria Falls gorges.

Boaruka Island (or Cataract Island) and Livingstone Island
The crest of the Victoria falls has two islands that are large enough to divide the curtain of water even at full flood. These islands are; Boaruka Island (or Cataract Island) near the western bank, and Livingstone Island near the middle at the place that David Livingstone first saw the falls from in Zambia. At less than full flood, additional islets divide the curtain of water into separate parallel streams. The main streams are named, in order from Zimbabwe (west) to Zambia (East).