Waterfalls are water systems in which water falls from a height into another water body at the base. They may be natural or artificial. Waterfalls are very aesthetically appealing and regarded as tourist spots. Several huge natural waterfalls are responsible for running the entire economies of the settlements around them by attracting tourists. People also construct artificial waterfalls in their backyards or gardens, or even indoors, to avail of their scenic beauty and soothing sounds.

Angel Falls in Venezuela is the highest natural waterfall of the world. It falls from a drop of 3,230 feet. The Canaima Natural Park is built around it and it mainly attracts tourists because of Angel Falls. Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River located on the Zambia-Zimbabwe border is about 1 mile in breadth as it falls, making it the widest waterfall in the world. Niagara Falls in America and Canada contains the highest quantity of any waterfall all over the world. All these waterfalls attract millions of people each year, thus building up tremendous foreign exchange for their countries.

In order to partake of some of this beauty, people have begun building waterfalls in their own gardens and backyards. Building artificial waterfalls is an age-old Japanese art, which has now taken many modern twists. Waterfalls are built of rock or stone. There are artificial foam and pumice stones available, which are used for building waterfall cascades. Even copper and slate are used for building waterfalls. Artificial waterfalls need a submersible pump unit and a base for receiving water. The base can be designed as a pond with fishes and aquatic life in it. Waterfalls automatically attract various birds and butterflies, thus adding to their visual appeal.

Indoor waterfalls are also becoming popular. These are made of a variety of materials such as copper, slate, stone and fiberglass, and they may be wall-mounted or tabletop. Water can be made to flow through thin transparent glass sheets and used as a partition for offices or bars. There are infinite possibilities to customize a waterfall.

Hotels build waterfalls around their pools or construct whole waterfall gardens. Different colored bulbs can be placed strategically in the waterfall to give the effect of colored water. Metal tubes and pipes are also effectively used to produce calming reverberating water sounds.

Waterfalls are mainly built for their visual appeal, but some people, especially in Asia, believe in the supernatural powers of a waterfall. Feng Shui and Vaastu experts believe that having a system of flowing water in the house creates dynamism indicative of progress. In fact, in Asia people who can afford to design their living rooms with a waterfall in them.