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Esta cascada es la más alta del mundo.

Esta cascada es la más alta del mundo.
This waterfall is the highest in the world.
From Lesson 77:Relative superlatives (el más... de)·Spanish (Latin America)

Questions & Answers about Esta cascada es la más alta del mundo.

Why do we need 'la' in 'la más alta'?
In Spanish, adding el, la, los, or las before más (more) changes it from a comparison to a relative superlative. Without la, más alta just means taller. With la, it becomes the tallest or the highest. We use la here to match the feminine noun cascada.
Why does the sentence use 'del mundo' instead of 'en el mundo'?
In English, we usually say the highest 'in' the world. But in Spanish, when you use a relative superlative to single out the most or least of a group, you almost always use the preposition de (of). So, you are literally saying the highest 'of' the world.
Where does the word 'del' come from?
del is a mandatory contraction. When the preposition de (of) is directly followed by the masculine singular article el (the), they combine into del. So, de + el mundo becomes del mundo.
Why use 'es' instead of 'está' to talk about the waterfall's height?
We use es (from the verb ser) because height is a defining, permanent characteristic of this waterfall. We use ser for inherent traits and facts, while estar is generally used for temporary states or physical locations.

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