Angel Falls was formed initially by faulting in the Earth's crust more than 1.5 billion years ago as the Guyanese Shield was formed. Part of this geologic feature was then eroded over hundreds of millions of years at different rates due both to different climate conditions and... See full answer below.

Angel Falls, the world's highest uninterrupted waterfall, exists because of the unique geological formation of the Auyán-tepui in Venezuela's Canaima National Park. A tepui is a massive, flat-topped "table mountain" composed of ancient Precambrian sandstone and quartzite that is over two billion years old. These mountains were once part of a vast plateau that has eroded over hundreds of millions of years, leaving behind isolated towers. Angel Falls is fueled by the massive amount of rainfall that collects on the large, porous summit of the Auyán-tepui; the plateau acts like a giant sponge, capturing tropical moisture which then funnels into underground fissures and river systems. Eventually, this water reaches the edge of a vertical cliff face and plunges 979 meters (3,212 feet) down. Because the fall is so high, much of the water evaporates or turns into a fine mist before reaching the bottom, a phenomenon caused by the sheer vertical drop and the air resistance encountered during the long descent.