Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls are a set of massive waterfalls located on the Niagara River in eastern North America, on the border between Ontario, Canada and New York State. Niagara Falls (French: les Chutes du Niagara) comprises three waterfalls (one in Canada, the other two in the U.S.A.): the Canadian Horseshoe Falls, the American Falls, and the smaller, adjacent Bridal Veil Falls. The Falls are located 17 miles (27 km) from the city of Buffalo, New York, and 75 miles (120 km) from Toronto, Ontario.The Falls formed after glaciers receded at the end of the most recent Ice Age, as water from the newly formed Great Lakes carved a path through the Niagara Escarpment en route to the Atlantic Ocean. While not exceptionally high, Niagara Falls is very wide. With more than 6 million cubic feet (168,000 m³) of water falling over the crestline every minute[1] in high flow, and almost 4 million cubic feet (110,000 m³) on average, it is the most powerful waterfall in North America.[2]Niagara Falls is renowned both for its beauty and as a valuable source of hydroelectric power for Ontario and New York. Preserving this natural wonder from commercial over-development, while allowing for the needs of the area's people, has been a challenging project for environmental preservationists since the 1800s. A popular tourist site for over a century, the Falls are shared between the twin cities of Niagara Falls, Ontario and Niagara Falls, New York.