Nevada is one of the largest states in the US. It is also the home to the nation's largest silver deposit, and therefore, is sometimes nicknamed Silver State. Nevada is filled with many interesting and unusual facts. To get a glimpse of this wonderful state, read on...
Nevada is located in northwestern United States, has Arizona on the southeast, Utah on the east, California on the southwest and west and Oregon and Idaho on the north. Carson city is its capital, while Las Vegas is its largest city.
Nevada was accepted as the 36th state on October 31, 1864. The state got its name from the Spanish word 'Nevada', which means 'snow-capped'. The motto of Nevada state is "All for Our Country".
Nevada, area-wise, is the seventh largest state area wise, with more than 85% of the land owned by the federal government. Nevada shares a border with the Mojave Desert to the south and the Great Basin to the north and is considered to be one of the fastest-growing states in the US.
Nevada shot to fame with the discovery of 'Comstock Lode' in 1859. Nevada mines have produced a large amount of gold, silver, copper, zinc, mercury, barite, and tungsten. In 1954, oil was discovered here. It is the largest gold-producing state in the US, and 4th-largest in the world.
Facts about Nevada
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Nevada is mostly made up of desert areas, and hence the climate is sunny and dry most of the year. The state experiences wide changes in the daily temperature as well. It is the driest state in the US, owing to its rainfall; a meager 7 inches per year.
Nevada is the legalized gambling capital and amusement center of the US. Las Vegas is one of the major tourist attractions. This city has more hotel rooms and casinos than any other city in the world. Millions of visitors flock to Las Vegas every year to try their luck at the various casinos.
The prime source of income is tourism and gambling. Mining contributes to the rest of the revenue generation for Nevada.
The majority of Nevada's population are Christians. Other major religions comprises Latter-day Saint/Mormon, Jewish, Muslim, and other miscellaneous religions. The residents of Nevada speak English, while Spanish is the unofficial language of the state.
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The Hoover Dam in Nevada is one of the largest public works project in US history and has a greater constructional volume than even the largest Egyptian pyramid. Lake Mead, created by the Hoover dam, is the largest reservoir in the United States in terms of water capacity.
Nevada's economy is dominated by tourism, mining, cattle and sheep raising, machinery, printing, publishing, food processing, and electric equipment.
It is famous for its manufacture of gaming equipment, lawn and garden irrigation equipment, seismic and machinery supervising devices, and titanium products. Nevada's agricultural yields include dairy products, alfalfa, hay, wheat, barley, onions, and potatoes.
Las Vegas is also home to some of the largest hotels in the world, and it would take about 288 years for a person to spend a night in each hotel room.
Nevada has recreational areas like Death Valley National Park, Pyramid Lake, Lake Mead, and Lake Tahoe. The Reno-Tahoe area is famous for skiing, biking and hiking. Lake Mead and Hoover Dam are famous for fishing, swimming and boating.
In 1899, Charles Fey invented the first slot machine, called the Liberty Bell which became the model for all future slot machines. Today, there are over 200,000 slot machines in Nevada, which relates to about one slot machine for every 10 residents.
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Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas, Reno, and Laughlin are the major resorts that attract visitors from all over the world.
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Nevada is also well-recognized for its easy marriage and divorce dealings, as well as legalized active brothels. Las Vegas is known as the Marriage Capital of the World.
Nevada ranks second in the United States by number of mountains, behind Alaska. The highest point, in Nevada, is the13,145 ft Boundary Peak, near the west central border. The Humboldt River, which begins in the desert ranges, has no outlet to the ocean.
Kangaroo Rats, found in the Death Valley desert, Nevada, are known to live their entire life without drinking a single drop of water.
Nevada has an entire skeleton of the Ichthyosaur, an extinct marine reptile. It is about 55 feet long and it is Nevada's official state fossil.
In Henderson, the annual Native American Arts Festival is a three-day festival held in celebration of Native American culture, including art, dance, food, and music. A number of world-famous events like the Great Reno Balloon Race, the National Championship Air Race, and many more take place in Nevada.
The state is also home to Andre Agassi, the famous tennis star. He launched the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy in 2001, with a mission to improve the lives of the youth in Las Vegas.
Nevada is the only state to have devoted an entire museum to the life and time of the famous entertainer Valentino Liberace.
Millions of people visit to experience the desert scenery in the Great Basin National Park in Nevada.
Other attractions include the limestone caverns known as Lehman Caves National Monument and the reinstated mining ghost towns like Virginia city.
A big state, with many attractions, places to see, and tourist spots make Nevada a famous destination for vacations. It's easy rules regarding marriage and divorce, and numerous casinos have made this place a heaven for tourists.