Niagara Falls (French: les Chutes du Niagara) is a set of massive
waterfalls located on the Niagara River, straddling the international
border separating the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state
of New York.

The falls are located 17 miles (27 km) north-northwest of Buffalo, New York,
75 miles (120 km) south-southeast of Toronto, Ontario, between the twin cities
of Niagara Falls, Ontario, and Niagara Falls, New York.

Niagara Falls is comprised of two major sections separated by Goat
Island: Horseshoe Falls, mostly on the Canadian side of the border and
American Falls on the United States side.

The smaller Bridal Veil Falls also is located on the American side,separated from the main
falls by Luna Island.

Niagara Falls were formed when glaciers receded at the end of the Wisconsin glaciation
(the last ice age), and water from the newly-formed Great Lakes carved a path through
the Niagara Escarpment en route to the Atlantic Ocean.

While not exceptionally high, the Niagara Falls are very wide.

More than six million cubic feet (168,000 m³) of water fall over the
crest line every minute in high flow,and almost 4 million cubic feet
(110,000 m³) on average.

It is the most powerful waterfall in North America.

The Niagara Falls are renowned both for their beauty and as a valuable
source of hydroelectric power.

Managing the balance between recreational, commercial, and industrial uses has been a
challenge for the stewards of the falls since the 1800s.