Niagara Falls in America

Niagara Falls is a large waterfall on the Niagara River, straddling the international border separating the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of New York. The waterfall is 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 consists of two major sections separated by Goat Island: Horseshoe Falls, on the Canadian and American Falls on the border of the United States. Bridal Veil Falls smaller also 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 on the way to the Atlantic Ocean.

Although not very high, Niagara Falls is very wide. More than six million cubic feet (168,000 m³) of water fall on the top line every minute in high flow, and almost 4 million cubic feet (110,000 m³) on average. This is the most powerful waterfall in North America.

Niagara Falls is renowned both for its beauty and as a valuable source of hydroelectric power. Managing the balance between recreational, commercial and industrial have used a challenge for the servants of the fallen since the 1800s.

The peak number of visitors occur in the summer, when the Niagara Falls attraction both day and night. From the Canadian side, floodlights illuminate both sides of the waterfall for a few hours after dark (until midnight). Number of visitors in 2008 expected to reach 20 million and in 2009, the annual rate is expected to top 28 million tourists a year. The oldest and most famous tourist attractions in Niagara Falls is a yacht Maid of the Mist, named for an ancient Indian myth Ongiara, which has been carrying passengers into the whirlpool below the Falls since 1846. Cruise ships operate from boat docks on both sides of the waterfall.


source: kaskus.us

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