Niagara Falls
The Niagara Falls is made up of several large waterfalls on the Niagara River , spanning the international border between the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of New York . The falls are 17 miles (27 km) north-northwest of Buffalo , New York and 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 made up of two major sections divided by Goat Island : Horseshoe Falls , the majority of which lies on the Canadian side of the border, and American Falls on the American side. The smaller Bridal Veil Falls are also located on the American side, separated from the main falls by Luna Island . The creation of the falls occurred when glaciers receded at the end of 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