The meaning of the word Niagara is “Thunder of Water”, what is really appropriate to this great waterfall named Niagara Falls, that can be heard in a distant of 75 km and it’s the most powerful waterfall in the North America.
The Niagara Falls has an unusual geography because it’s both in Canada and United States of America. How is that?
It exists the Niagara Falls Canada (province/city Ontario) and the Niagara Falls U.S. (state of New York). The international border is in the Rainbow Bridge.
First there’s the Erie Lake that forms the Niagara River, this is slipted by the Goat Island, forming 2 waterfalls, which continue their way making Lake Ontario. The 2 waterfalls are: the Canadian Horseshoe Falls to the west and U.S. Falls to the east.The smaller Bridal Veil Falls is also located in the United States side (separated from the main falls by Luna Island).
Canadian Horseshoe Falls has this name due to his shape. It’s the biggest part of the Niagara Falls, it has 2600 feet (800m) wide versus the 1000 feet (330m) of the American side. Concerning height the canadian fall has 167 feet (50m) and american fall has 176 feet (55m).
The Niagara River flows at approximately 35 miles/hour (56.3 kilometers/hour). The river Niagara moves about 7000 m³ of water per second and has about 6 - 10 m of water thickness. In what concerns water volume approaching the falls, it’s about 202,000 cubic feet per second (5,720 m³/s) during peak flow season. Every minute more than 6 million cubic feet (168,000 m³) of water fall over the crest line in high flow and almost 4 million cubic feet (110,000 m³) on average.
Due to the erosion the waterfalls moves back about 1,5 m (1 foot) a year.
Niagara Falls are about 12.000 years old and they were formed when glaciers receded (melted) 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.
The falls face directly toward the Canadian shore. Thus, the most complete views of Niagara Falls are available from the Canadian shoreline.
The grand cataracts of Niagara Falls besides being a Nature Wonder have also an important economic contribution, as it annually attracts 2 to 3 million tourists. And it atracts people all over the year because it’s grandiosity is visible such in summer as in winther. Indeed its beauty intensifies in the months of cold by the formation of stalactites and snow flakes in trees. The night lighting is also spectacular.
Besides the hight rates of tourism, Niagara Falls is also known as the capital of honeymoons, each year over 50.000 honeymoons are arranged there.
The enormous energy of Niagara Falls has long been recognized as a potential source of power. So 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.
 Niagara Falls’ Hydro Electricity is redirected throught 2 power stations, and serve the electrical needs of Southern Ontario and Western New York.

Here are some CURIOSITIES about Niagara falls:

- “In 1848, Niagara Falls actually stopped flowing for 30 hours when ice fields from Lake Erie jammed at the source of the river.”
- «The 20th Century Fox Movie, “Niagara” starring Marilyn Monroe was filmed in Niagara Falls, Ontario in 1952.»
- “Blondin was a funambulist (tight-rope walker) who performed numerous crossings of the gorge in Niagara Falls during the mid 1800s.”
- “Blondin performed endless stunts on the high-wire, from crossing blindfolded to carrying a cooking stove and preparing an omelet on the high wire.”
- “Most spectacularly, was the stunt during which Blondin carried on his back Harry Colcord his 148-pound manager August 19, 1859.”
- «Annie Taylor “Queen of the Mist” , a school teacher from Bay City Michigan was first person to travel over the Falls in a barrel on October 24, 1901.»
- “Since her feat, many stunt artists have challenged the mighty Falls usually in home-made barrel-like contraptions.
More recently, a couple of foolhardy individuals have attempted to survive a plunge over Niagara Falls in a kayak and a jetski - they both perished.”
- “Ice bridges form below the Falls when ice floes travel over the edge and collect at the base of the Falls.”
- “Until 1886, when the Statue of Liberty was erected, the Falls at Niagara were the symbol of America and the New World.”- “Visitors from all over the world targeted Niagara as a must-see during a visit to North America.”
- “Niagara Falls is steeped in history and was one of the most popular and busiest New World visiting spot.”
- “Water painting artists embraced this City’s natural wonders as a source for their artistic inspirations - there exists hundreds of these early impressions.”