Nevada - Political
 
CapitalCarson City
Largest CityLas Vegas
Major CitiesHenderson, Reno, Sparks
NicknamesSilver State, Sagebrush State, Battle Born State
Area110,540 sq. miles
Population1,998,257
 
Nevada - Physical features
 
Mountain Ranges/PlateausSierra Nevada, Basin and Range Province
PeaksBoundary Peak, Wheeler Peak
Deserts- Great Basin, Mojave Desert, Amargosa Desert
DepressionsHumboldt Sink, Carson Sink
LakesLake Tahoe, Pyramid Lake, Lake Mead, Lake Mojave
RiversHumboldt, Colorado
Highest PointBoundary Peak
Bordering StatesCalifornia (west), Oregon (northwest), Idaho (northeast), Utah (east), Arizona (southeast)
National ParksGreat Basin NP
Key ProductsGambling, Tourism, Mining
Natural ResourcesGold, Silver, Copper, Lead, Zinc, Mercury
 
Nevada - History
 
1848Acquired by US as part of the Mexican Cession at the end of the Mexican War after the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo.
1859The Comstock Lode, a large silver deposit, is discovered on Mount Davidson near Virginia City.
1850Becomes the 31st state.
1864Amitted to the Union as the 36th state.
Present DayLas Vegas is a major shopping and gambling destination. The city’s metropolitan area is the fastest growing in the United states, making Nevada the fastest growing state in the country.
 
Nevada - Facts
 
  • Nevada is the driest state in the United States, with an average annual rainfall of only 7 inches.
  • Nevada has the highest marriage and divorce rate in the United States, due to many couples who get married and divorced in Las Vegas. Reno and Las Vegas are known as the "Divorce Capitals of the Nation".
  • Hoover Dam forms Lake Mead, which, together with close Lake Mohave, forms one of the world’s largest recreation areas.
  • Most of Nevada is desert, covered with sagebrush grasses and stereotypical saguaro cacti.
  • Nevada produces more Gold and Silver than any other state.
  • Nevada is the seventh largest state by area in the United States.
  • Nevada Test Site and Nellis Air Force Base have been the scenes of much nuclear and aircraft testing. Nearby Yucca Mountain is a site for the deposition of radioactive waste.