Ruacana Falls, Border waterfall in northern Namibia.

Ruacana Falls is a waterfall where the Kunene River drops about 120 meters over a width exceeding 700 meters, carving a deep gorge along the Namibia-Angola border. The water plunges across an enormous span, shaped by the river's flow over time.

A hydroelectric power plant was constructed near the falls in the 1970s and has shaped the region since then. The facility harnesses the river's force to generate electricity for surrounding areas.

The Kunene River and its falls hold meaning for local communities who have lived along these banks for generations. The waterfall shapes both the landscape and daily life in this border region.

The falls only show their full 700-metre width during the rainy season; in the dry months the Kunene carries far less water over the 120-metre drop. The Ruacana hydroelectric plant sits immediately upstream, and the Calueque Dam about 40 km further up feeds the same water system serving northern Namibia.

The Ruacana hydroelectric plant below the falls, built in the 1970s, is now Namibia's largest power station, with an installed capacity of 240 MW. It works with the Calueque Dam about 40 km upstream to supply water to northern Namibia.