State of Nevada
Flag of Nevada Seal Nickname(s): Silver State (official), Sagebrush State, Battle Born State Motto(s): All For Our Country
Official language(s)	none (de facto English)
Demonym	Nevadan
Capital	Carson City
Largest city	Las Vegas
Largest metro area	Las Vegas Valley
Area	Ranked 7th in the US
- Total	110,567 sq mi (286,367 km²)
- Width	322 miles (519 km)
- Length	490 miles (788 km)
- % water
- Latitude	35° N to 42° N
- Longitude	114° 2′ W to 120° W
Population	Ranked 36th in the US
- Total	2,495,529
- Density	18. The Flag of Nevada consists of a blue field with a star in the upper left hand corner surrounded by the state name "Nevada The Nevada State Seal is derived from the seal of the Territory of Nevada This is a list of US state nicknames, including officially adopted Nicknames and other traditional nicknames for individual states of the United States. Here is a list of state Mottos for the states of the United States of America. The United States does not have an Official language; however the majority of the population speaks English as a native language (about 82% English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place Washington DC has been the capital of the United States since 1800 This is a list of the largest cities of US states by population Las Vegas ( Spanish: "The Meadows" is the most populous City in the state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, and an internationally Table of United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas|Table of United States Core Based Statistical AreasIn the United States, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB has produced The Las Vegas metropolitan area includes the Las Vegas Valley a 600-square-mile (1600 km² basin and surrounding areas that is part of Clark County in southern Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. This is a complete list of the states of the United States and its major territories ordered by total area, land area, and water area The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology This is a list of states of the United States by population (with inhabited non-state jurisdictions included for comparison as of July 1, 2007, according to the This article is a list of the 50 US States ordered by Population density. 21/sq mi  7. 03/km² (43rd in the US)
- Median income	$46,984 (16th)
Elevation
- Highest point	Boundary Peak[1] 13,140 ft  (4,005 m)
- Mean	5,499 ft  (1,676 m)
- Lowest point	Colorado River[1] 479 ft  (146 m)
Admission to Union	October 31, 1864 (36th)
Governor	Jim Gibbons (R)
Lieutenant Governor	Brian Krolicki (R)
U.S. Senators	Harry Reid (D) John Ensign (R)
Congressional Delegation	List
Time zones
- most of state	Pacific: UTC-8/-7 (DST)
- West Wendover	Mountain: UTC-7/-6 (DST)
Abbreviations	NV US-NV
Website	www.nv.gov

Nevada (help·info) (IPA: /nɨˈvæːdə/) is a state located in the western region of the United States of America. Household income is a measure of current private income commonly used by the United States government and private institutions Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below --> For other mountains by this name see Boundary Peak. Boundary Peak is the highest summit in state of Nevada The Colorado River (' Aha Kwahwat in Mojave) is a River in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This is a list of U Events 445 BC – Ezra reads the Book of the Law to the Israelites in Jerusalem (see Nehemiah 91 NLTse Year 1864 ( MDCCCLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year A governor is a governing official usually the executive (at least nominally to different degrees also politically and administratively of a non-sovereign level of government James Arthur "Jim" Gibbons (born December 16 1944) is the 28th and current governor of the U This is a complete and current List of United States Lieutenant Governors. Brian Krolicki is an American political figure He is currently the Lieutenant Governor of Nevada. The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives Harry Mason Reid (born December 2 1939 is the senior United States Senator from Nevada and a member of the Democratic Party, as well as John Eric Ensign (born March 25 1958) is the junior United States Senator from Nevada, serving since January 2001 The United States Congress is the bicameral Legislature of the federal government of the United States of America, consisting of two houses United States Senate See also List of United States Senators from Nevada House of Representatives Delegates from Nevada Territory This is a list of United States of America States by time zone The Pacific Time Zone observes Standard time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time ( UTC-8) UTC−8 is a band of Timezones separated from the Universal Coordinated Time by 8 hours UTC−7 can be observed in Mountain Standard Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time Zone Canada Daylight saving time ( DST West Wendover is a city in Elko County, Nevada, United States. The Pacific Time Zone observes Standard time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time ( UTC-8) UTC−7 can be observed in Mountain Standard Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time Zone Canada Areas using UTC−6 Single zone countries Belize Costa Rica El Salvador Guatemala Daylight saving time ( DST The traditional abbreviations for US states and territories were widely used in mailing addresses prior to the introduction of two-letter U ISO 3166-2US is an ISO standard which defines Geocodes it is the subset of ISO 3166-2 which applies to the United States of America. A website (alternatively web site or Web site, a back-construction from the Proper noun World Wide Web) is a collection of Web pages A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government The Western United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American West or simply the West &mdashtraditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The capital is Carson City and the largest city is Las Vegas. Las Vegas ( Spanish: "The Meadows" is the most populous City in the state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, and an internationally The state's nickname is "The Silver State" due to the large number of silver deposits that were discovered and mined there. Silver (ˈsɪlvɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol " Ag " (argentum from the Ancient Greek: ἀργήντος - argēntos gen In 1864, Nevada became the 36th state to enter the union, and the phrase "Battle Born" on the state flag reflects the state's entry on the Union side during the American Civil War. Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South Its first settlement was called Mormon Station.

Nevada is the seventh-largest state in area, and geographically covers the Mojave Desert in the south to the Great Basin in the north. For the indigenous American tribe see Mohave. The Mojave Desert (moʊˈhɑːvi or /məˈhɑːvi/ ( Hayikwiir Mat'aar in Mojave The Great Basin is a large arid region of the western United States. About 86% of the state's land is owned by the US federal government under various jurisdictions both civilian and military. The federal government of the United States is the central United States Governmental body established by the United States Constitution. ^[2] As of 2006, there were about 2. 6 million residents, with over 85% of the population residing in the metropolitan areas around Las Vegas and Reno. ^[3] The state is well known for its easy marriage and divorce proceedings, legalization of gambling and, in a few counties, legalized brothels. NOTICE TO WOULD-BE ROMEOS ************** Divorce or dissolution of marriage is the termination of a Marriage. For the 2008 film of this name see The Brothel. For the television series of this name see Cathouse The Series.

Although the name is derived from the Spanish word Nevada, which is the feminine form of "covered in snow", the local pronunciation of the state's name is not IPA: [nəˈvɑ.də] (as in the "o" in "odd"), but IPA: [nəˈvæ.də] (as in the "a" in "glad"). ^[4] In 2005, the state issued a specialty license plate via the Nevada Commission on Tourism that lists the name of the state as Nevăda to help with the pronunciation problem. Local residents - particularly natives of the state - resent hearing Nevada's name mispronounced in the national media, a problem that has crystallized with increased coverage of the state following the 2008 Presidential Primary Elections. ^[5]

Contents 1 Geography 1.1 Climate 1.2 Bordering states 2 History 2.1 Before 1861 2.2 Statehood 2.3 Industry 2.3.1 Gaming and labor 2.3.2 Nuclear Testing 3 Demographics 3.1 Religion 4 Economy 5 Transportation 6 Law and government 6.1 Legislature 6.1.1 Judiciary 6.1.2 Libertarian laws 6.1.2.1 Divorce laws 6.1.2.2 Tax laws 6.1.2.3 Incorporation laws 6.1.2.4 Financial institutions 6.1.2.5 Drug laws 6.1.2.6 Smoking 7 Politics 7.1 State departments and agencies 7.1.1 Local government 8 Important Cities and Towns 8.1 10 richest places in Nevada 9 Education 9.1 Colleges and universities 9.2 Research Institutes 10 Parks and Recreation 10.1 Recreation areas maintained by the National Park Service 10.2 Southern Nevada 10.3 Wilderness 10.4 State Parks 11 Sports 12 Miscellaneous topics 12.1 Songs about Nevada 12.2 Future Issues 12.3 State symbols 13 See also 14 References 15 External links

Geography

Further information: List of Nevada counties

Nevada is almost entirely within the Basin and Range Province, and therefore is broken up by many north-south mountain ranges. This is a List of counties in Nevada. There are sixteen counties and one Independent city in the U The Basin and Range Province is a large geologic province which includes parts of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, typified by Basin and Most of these ranges have inland-draining (unconnected to the ocean by waterways) valleys between them, which belies the image portrayed by the term Great Basin. The Great Basin is a large arid region of the western United States.

Much of the northern part of the state is within the Great Basin Desert, a mild desert that experiences hot temperatures in the summer and sub-freezing temperatures in the winter. The Great Basin is a large arid region of the western United States. Occasionally, moisture from the Arizona Monsoon will cause summer thunderstorms; Pacific storms may blanket the area with snow. The State of Arizona ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. A monsoon is a seasonal prevailing wind which lasts for several months The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions The state's highest recorded temperature was 125 °F (52 °C) in Laughlin (elevation of 605 feet (184 m)) on 29 June 1994. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. Events 512 - A Solar eclipse is recorded by a monastic chronicler in Ireland. Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) ^[6]

The Humboldt River crosses from east to west across the northern part of the state, draining into the Humboldt Sink near Lovelock. The Humboldt River runs through northern Nevada in the western United States. Humboldt Sink is an intermittent Dry lake bed approximately 11 mi (18 km long and 4 mi (6 km across in northwestern Nevada in the United States. Lovelock is a city in Pershing County, Nevada, United States. Several rivers drain from the Sierra Nevada eastward, including the Walker, Truckee and Carson rivers. The Sierra Nevada ( Spanish for "Snowy Range" is a Mountain range located in the U The Walker River is a river in west central Nevada in the United States, approximately 50 mi (80 km long The Truckee River is a River 140 miles (225 km long in northern California and northern Nevada in the United States.

The mountain ranges, some of which have peaks above 13,000 feet (4,000 m), harbor lush forests high above desert plains, creating sky islands for endemic species. For the indigenous American tribe see Mohave. The Mojave Desert (moʊˈhɑːvi or /məˈhɑːvi/ ( Hayikwiir Mat'aar in Mojave For the fantasy novel by L Frank Baum, see Sky Island (novel. The valleys are often no lower in elevation than 3,000 feet (900 m).

The eastern parts of the state receive more summer moisture and have a slightly more verdant terrain. Sagebrush grows everywhere and some rivers and streams break the desert terrain.

The southern third of the state, where the Las Vegas area is situated, is within the Mojave Desert. For the indigenous American tribe see Mohave. The Mojave Desert (moʊˈhɑːvi or /məˈhɑːvi/ ( Hayikwiir Mat'aar in Mojave The area receives less rain in the winter but is closer to the Arizona Monsoon in the summer. The terrain is also lower, mostly below 4,000 feet (1,200 m), creating conditions for hot summer days and cool to chilly winter nights due to inversion. In meteorology an inversion is a deviation from the normal change of an atmospheric property with altitude Nevada and California have by far the longest diagonal line (in respect to the cardinal directions) as a state boundary at just over 400 miles (640 km). California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. A diagonal can refer to a line joining two nonconsecutive vertices of a Polygon or Polyhedron, or in contexts any upward or downward sloping line Borders define geographic boundaries of political entities or legal jurisdictions such as Governments States or subnational administrative This line begins in Lake Tahoe nearly 4 miles (6 km) offshore (in the direction of the boundary), and continues to the Colorado River where the Nevada, California, and Arizona boundaries merge 12 miles (19 km) southwest of the Laughlin Bridge. Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater Lake in the Sierra Nevada mountains of the United States. The Colorado River (' Aha Kwahwat in Mojave) is a River in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately Laughlin is a Census-designated place (CDP in Clark County, Nevada, United States. A bridge is a Structure built to span a Gorge, Valley, Road, railroad track, River, Body of water

The largest mountain range in the southern portion of the state is the Spring Mountains, just west of Las Vegas. The Spring Mountains are a Mountain range of southern Nevada in the United States, running generally northwest-southeast along the west side of The state's lowest point is along the Colorado River, south of Laughlin.

Climate

Nevada is made up of mostly desert areas, where temperatures can reach up to 110 degrees Fahrenheit in short, hot summers and can reach as low as 20 degrees in long, cold winters. Nevada rarely has any precipitation during the year. Most rain falls on the lee side of the Sierra Nevada Range.

Bordering states

• Utah—East
• Arizona—Southeast
• California—West
• Oregon—North
• Idaho—North

History

Main article: History of Nevada

Before 1861

See History of Utah (beginning 12,000 BCE), History of Las Vegas, and the discovery of the first major U. The State of Utah (ˈjuːtɔː or) is a western state of the United States. The State of Arizona ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Oregon ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The State of Idaho ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States of America. Nevada in the American Civil WarOn March 2, 1861, the Nevada Territory separated from the Utah territory and adopted its current name shortened from Sierra Nevada The History of Utah is an examination of the human history and social activity within the state of Utah located in the western United States. This History of Las Vegas covers both the Las Vegas, Nevada and the Las Vegas metropolitan area. S. deposit of silver ore in Comstock Lode under Virginia City, Nevada in 1859. An ore is a volume of rock containing components or Minerals in a mode of occurrence that renders it valuable for mining The Comstock Lode was the first major US deposit of Silver Ore, discovered under what is now Virginia City Nevada on the eastern slope of Mt

Statehood

See also: Nevada during the War of Secession

On March 2, 1861, the Nevada Territory separated from the Utah Territory and adopted its current name, shortened from Sierra Nevada (Spanish for "snowy range"). During the American Civil War, Nevada ' s entry into full statehood in the United States was expedited Events 986 - Louis V becomes King of the Franks. 1127 - Assassination of Charles the Good Year 1861 ( MDCCCLXI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Nevada Territory was a historic Organized territory of the United States from March 2, 1861 until October 31, 1864 Eight days prior to the presidential election of 1864, Nevada became the 36th state in the union. In the United States Presidential election of 1864, Abraham Lincoln was re-elected as president Statehood was rushed to the date of October 31 to help ensure Abraham Lincoln's reelection on 8 November and post-Civil War Republican dominance in Congress. Events 445 BC – Ezra reads the Book of the Law to the Israelites in Jerusalem (see Nehemiah 91 NLTse Abraham Lincoln (February 12 1809 &ndash April 15 1865 the sixteenth President of the United States, successfully led his country through its greatest internal Events 1519 - Hernán Cortés enters Tenochtitlán and Aztec ruler Moctezuma welcomes him with great a Celebration ^[7] As Nevada's mining-based economy tied it to the more industrialized Union, it was viewed as more politically reliable than other Confederate-sympathizing states such as neighboring California. During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty-three

Nevada achieved its current boundaries on May 5, 1866 when it absorbed the portion of Pah-Ute County in the Arizona Territory west of the Colorado River, essentially all of present day Nevada south of the 37th parallel. Events 553 - The Second Council of Constantinople begins 1215 - Rebel Barons renounce their allegiance to King John Year 1866 ( MDCCCLXVI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Pah-Ute County is a former county in the northwest corner of Arizona Territory, created from the division of the existing Mohave County on December 22 The Territory of Arizona was an Organized territory of the United States that existed between 1863 and 1912 The transfer was prompted by the discovery of gold in the area, and it was thought by officials that Nevada would be better able to oversee the expected population boom. This area includes most of what is now Clark County. Clark County is a County located in the US state of Nevada. The county had a population of 1375765 at the 2000 census, and a 2006 estimated

Industry

Mining shaped Nevada's economy for many years (see Silver mining in Nevada). Silver mining in Nevada, a state of the United States, began in 1858 with the discovery of the Comstock Lode, the first major silver-mining district in the United When Mark Twain lived in Nevada during the period described in Roughing It, mining had lead to an industry of speculation and immense wealth. Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30 1835 – April 21 1910 better known by the Pen name Mark Twain, was an American Humorist, satirist Roughing It is semi-autobiographical Travel literature written by American humorist Mark Twain. However, both mining and population declined in the late 19th century. However, the rich silver strike at Tonopah in 1900, followed by strikes in Goldfield and Rhyolite, again put Nevada's population on an upward trend. Tonopah is an Unincorporated town and Census-designated place (CDP in Nye County, Nevada, United States. Rhyolite Nevada is a Ghost town in Nye County, Nevada, United States.

Gaming and labor

Unregulated gambling was common place in the early Nevada mining towns but outlawed in 1909 as part of a nation-wide anti-gaming crusade. Due to subsequent declines in mining output and the decline of the agricultural sector during the Great Depression, Nevada re-legalized gambling on March 19, 1931, with approval from the legislature. Events 1279 - A Mongolian victory in the Battle of Yamen ends the Song Dynasty in China. Year 1931 ( MCMXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. At the time, the leading proponents of gambling expected that it would be a short term fix until the state's economic base widened to include less cyclical industries. However, re-outlawing gambling has never been seriously considered since, and the industry has become Nevada's primary source of revenue today.

The Hoover Dam, located outside Las Vegas near Boulder City, was constructed between 1932–1935. Hoover Dam, also sometimes known as Boulder Dam, is a Concrete Arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the Boulder City is a city in Clark County, Nevada, United States. Thousands of workers from across the country came to build the dam, and providing for their needs in turn required many more workers. The boom in population is likely to have fueled the relegalization of gambling, alike present-day industry. Both Hoover Dam and later war industries such as the Basic Magnesium Plant first started the growth of the southern area of the state near Las Vegas. Over the last 75 years, Clark County has grown in relation to the Reno area, and today encompasses most of the state's population.

Nuclear Testing

The Nevada Test Site, 65 miles (105 km) Northwest of the City of Las Vegas, was founded on January 11, 1951 for the testing of nuclear weapons. The Nevada Test Site is a United States Department of Energy reservation located in Nye County, Nevada, about 65 miles (105 km northwest of the City of Events 1055 - Theodora is crowned Empress of the Byzantine Empire. Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from Nuclear reactions either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. The site is composed of approximately 1,350 square miles (3,500 km²) of desert and mountainous terrain. Nuclear testing at the Nevada Test Site began with a one-kiloton of TNT (4 terajoule) bomb dropped on Frenchman Flats on January 27, 1951. Nuclear weapons tests are experiments carried out to determine the effectiveness yield and explosive capability of Nuclear weapons Throughout the twentieth century most nations The joule (written in lower case ˈdʒuːl or /ˈdʒaʊl/ (symbol J) is the SI unit of Energy measuring heat, Electricity Events 98 - Trajan becomes Roman Emperor after the death of Nerva. Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January The last atmospheric test was conducted on July 17, 1962 and the underground testing of weapons continued until September 23, 1992. Events 180 - Twelve inhabitants of Scillium in North Africa are executed for being Christians Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1122 - Concordat of Worms. 1459 - Battle of Blore Heath, the first major battle of the English Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) The location is known for the highest amount of concentrated nuclear detonated weapons in the U. S.

Over 80% of the state's area is owned by the federal government. The primary reason for this is that homesteads were not permitted in large enough sizes to be viable in the arid conditions that prevail throughout desert Nevada. The Homestead principle in law is the concept that one can gain ownership of a property that currently has no owner by using that property Instead, early settlers would homestead land surrounding a water source, and then graze livestock on the adjacent public land, which is useless for agriculture without access to water (this pattern of ranching still prevails). Livestock is the term used to refer (singularly or plurally to a Domesticated Animal intentionally reared in an agricultural setting to produce such as Food Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture A ranch is an area of landscape including various structures given primarily to the practice of ranching the practice of raising grazing livestock such as Cattle The deficiencies in the Homestead Act as applied to Nevada were probably due to a lack of understanding of the Nevada environment, although some firebrands (so-called "Sagebrush Rebels") maintain that it was due to pressure from mining interests to keep land out of the hands of common folk. The' Homestead Act' was a United States Federal law that gave an applicant freehold title to 160 Acres (one quarter section or about 65 Hectares This debate continues to be argued among some state historians today.

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1860	6,857		—
1870	42,941		526. 2%
1880	62,266		45%
1890	47,355		−23. 9%
1900	42,335		−10. 6%
1910	81,875		93. 4%
1920	77,407		−5. 5%
1930	91,058		17. 6%
1940	110,247		21. 1%
1950	160,083		45. 2%
1960	285,278		78. 2%
1970	488,738		71. 3%
1980	800,493		63. 8%
1990	1,201,833		50. 1%
2000	1,998,257		66. 3%
Est. 2007	2,565,382		28. 4%

Demographics of Nevada (csv)
By race	White	Black	AIAN*	Asian	NHPI*
2000 (total population)	86. 11%	7. 67%	2. 17%	5. 67%	0. 83%
2000 (Hispanic only)	18. 78%	0. 44%	0. 45%	0. 25%	0. 11%
2005 (total population)	84. 25%	8. 58%	2. 15%	6. 87%	0. 92%
2005 (Hispanic only)	22. 31%	0. 69%	0. 51%	0. 30%	0. 12%
Growth 2000–05 (total population)	18. 23%	35. 25%	20. 23%	46. 27%	33. 72%
Growth 2000–05 (non-Hispanic only)	11. 17%	31. 96%	16. 39%	46. 36%	33. 55%
Growth 2000–05 (Hispanic only)	43. 57%	88. 97%	34. 74%	44. 46%	34. 84%
* AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native; NHPI is Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

According to the Census Bureau's 2006 estimate, Nevada has an estimated population of 2,495,529, which is an increase of 92,909, or 3. 5%, from the prior year and an increase of 516,550, or 20. 8%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 81,661 people (that is 170,451 births minus 88,790 deaths) and an increase due to net migration of 337,043 people into the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 66,098 people, and migration within the country produced a net increase of 270,945 people. According to the 2006 census estimate, Nevada is the country's second-fastest growing state. ^[8]

The center of population of Nevada is located in southern Nye County [1]. In Demographics, the center of population of a region is the geographical point nearest to all the inhabitants of that region on average Nye County is a County located in the US state of Nevada. As of the 2000 census, the population was 32485

According to the census estimates the racial distributions were as follows: 65% White American, 7. 1% African-American, 6% Asian-American, 2% others and the remaining 20% were Hispanics or Latino's of any race. African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa Asian Americans are Americans of Asian ancestry. They include sub-ethnic groups such as Chinese Americans Filipino Americans Indian Hispanic (hispano hispánico hispânico Hispānus adjective from ''Hispānia'', the Roman name for the Iberian Peninsula) is a term that historically Nevada also has a sizable Basque ancestry population. Basque-Americans, or (Amerikanuak in Basque are Citizens of the United States who are of Basque ancestry In Clark and Pershing Counties, a plurality of residents are of Mexican ancestry; Nye County and Humboldt County have a plurality of German Americans. German Americans ( German: Deutschamerikaner) are citizens of the United States of Ethnic German ancestry

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 16. 19% of the population aged 5 and over speak Spanish at home, while 1. 59% speak Filipino [2]. Filipino is the national and an Official language of the Philippines as designated in the 1987 Philippine Constitution.

6. 8% of its population were reported as under 5, 26. 3% under 18, and 13. 6% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 50. 7% of the population. As a result of its rapid population growth, Nevada has a higher percentage of residents born outside of the state than any other state.

From about the 1940s to 2003, Nevada was the fastest growing state in the country percentage-wise. Between 1990 and 2000, Nevada's population increased 66. 3%, while the USA's population increased 13. 1%. Over two thirds of the population of the state live in the fast-growing Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Las Vegas metropolitan area includes the Las Vegas Valley a 600-square-mile (1600 km² basin and surrounding areas that is part of Clark County in southern If Congress were reapportioned using 2005 data, Nevada would gain a representative seat, for a total of 4.

Religion

The religious affiliations of the people of Nevada are:^[9]

• • Roman Catholic – 27%
  • Protestant – 11%
    • Baptist – 10%
    • Methodist – 6%
    • Other Protestant – 11%
  • Latter-day Saint/ Mormon – 11%
• Muslim – 2%
• Jewish – 1%
• Other Religions – 1%
• Non-Religious – 20%

Economy

The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that Nevada's total state product in 2006 was $117 billion. Resort areas such as Las Vegas, Reno, Lake Tahoe, attract visitors from around the world. Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater Lake in the Sierra Nevada mountains of the United States. Per capita personal income in 2005 was $46,108, 11^th in the nation. Its agricultural outputs are cattle, hay, alfalfa, dairy products, onions and potatoes. Its industrial outputs are tourism, mining, machinery, printing and publishing, food processing, and electric equipment. Prostitution is legal in parts of Nevada, in the form of brothels, but only counties with populations under 400,000 residents can legalize it, and even those counties may choose to outlaw it if they wish. Nevada is one of only two US states that allow some legal Prostitution; in most of its counties, Brothels are legalized and heavily regulated Prostitution is illegal and offenders are prosecuted in Clark County (which contains Las Vegas), Washoe County (which contains Reno), and several other counties around the state. Clark County is a County located in the US state of Nevada. The county had a population of 1375765 at the 2000 census, and a 2006 estimated Washoe County is a County located in the US state of Nevada. The population was 339486 at the 2000 census; 2006 Census Bureau

In portions of the state outside of the Las Vegas and Reno metropolitan areas, mining and cattle ranching are the major economic activities. By value, gold is by far the most important mineral mined. In 2004, 6. 8 million ounces of gold worth $2. 84 billion were mined in Nevada, and the state accounted for 8. 7% of world gold production (see Gold mining in Nevada). Gold mining in Nevada, a state of the United States, is a major industry and one of the largest sources of gold in the world Silver is a distant second, with 10. 3 million ounces worth $69 million mined in 2004 (see Silver mining in Nevada). Silver mining in Nevada, a state of the United States, began in 1858 with the discovery of the Comstock Lode, the first major silver-mining district in the United ^[10] Other minerals mined in Nevada include construction aggregates, copper, gypsum, diotomite and lithium. Despite its rich deposits, the cost of mining in Nevada is generally high, and output is very sensitive to world commodity prices.

As of January 1, 2006 there were an estimated 500,000 head of cattle and 70,000 head of sheep in Nevada. ^[11] Most of these animals forage on rangeland in the summer, with supplemental feed in the winter. Calves are generally shipped to out-of-state feedlots in the fall to be fattened for market. A feedlot or feedyard is a type of Confined Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO (also known as " Factory farming " which is used for finishing livestock Over 90% of Nevada's 484,000 acres (1,960 km²) of cropland is used to grow hay, mostly alfalfa, for livestock feed. Hay is a generic term for grass or Legumes that have been cut dried and stored for use as animal feed, particularly for grazing animals like

Further information: Nevada locations by per capita income

Nevada is also one of only a few states with no personal income tax and no corporate income tax. Nevada is the sixteenth richest state in the United States of America, with a Per capita income of $21989 (2000 and a Personal per capita income of $31266 The state sales tax in Nevada is 6. A sales tax is a Consumption tax charged at the Point of purchase for certain goods and services 5%. Counties can assess option taxes as well, making the combined state/county sales taxes rate in some areas as high as 7. In the United States, a Local Option Sales Tax (often abbreviated LOST) is a special-purpose Tax implemented and levied at the City or County 75%. Sales tax in Carson City is 7. 125% in Clark County 7. 75%, in Washoe County 7. 375%, while sales tax in Douglas County is 6. 75%.

Transportation

Amtrak's California Zephyr train uses the Union Pacific's original transcontinental railroad line in a daily service from Chicago to Emeryville, California serving Elko, Winnemucca, Sparks, and Reno. The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Doing business as Amtrak, is a Government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971 The California Zephyr is a 2438-mile (3924-km long Passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the Midwestern and Western United Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. Emeryville is a small city located in Alameda County California, in the United States. Elko is a city in Elko County, Nevada, United States. The population was 16980 at the 2000 census. Winnemucca (Win-ah-muc-ah is the County seat of Humboldt County in the U Sparks is a city in Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The population was 66346 at the 2000 census. Amtrak Thruway Motorcoaches also provide connecting service from Las Vegas to trains at Needles, California, Los Angeles, and Bakersfield, California; and from Stateline, Nevada, to Sacramento, California. Thruway Motorcoach is Amtrak's system of Amtrak-owned intercity coaches locally contracted transit buses through-ticketed local bus routes and taxi services to Needles ( Mojave ʼAha Kuloh) is a city located on the western banks of the Colorado River in San Bernardino County, California. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Stateline is a Census-designated place (CDP on the east shore of Lake Tahoe in Douglas County, Nevada, United States.

Union Pacific Railroad has some railroads in the north and in the south. Greyhound Lines provides some bus services. Greyhound Lines is an intercity Common carrier of passengers by Bus serving over 3700 destinations in the United States.

Interstate 15 passes through the southern tip of the state, serving Las Vegas and other communities. Route description Motorists in California leave the mountainous Mohave Desert and begin a long descent through Ivanpah Valley and Ivanpah Dry I-215 and spur route I-515 also serve the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Las Vegas Beltway (officially named the Bruce Woodbury Beltway) is the name of the Beltway route circling three-quarters of the the Las Vegas valley Interstate 515 (I-515 is a spur of Interstate 15 that runs from the junction of I-15 US 93 and US 95 (the "Spaghetti Bowl" Interchange The Las Vegas metropolitan area includes the Las Vegas Valley a 600-square-mile (1600 km² basin and surrounding areas that is part of Clark County in southern Interstate 80 crosses through the northern part of Nevada, roughly following the path of the Humboldt River from Utah in the east and passing westward through Reno and into California. In the US state of Nevada, Interstate 80, often abbreviated I-80 traverses the northern portion of the state It has a spur route, I-580. Interstate 580 (I-580 in Nevada is an unsigned Interstate highway in northwestern Nevada. Nevada also is served by several federal highways: US 6, US 50, US 93, US 95 and US 395. In the US state of Nevada, US Route 6 (US 6 cuts across the middle portion of the state serving the cities of Tonopah and Ely US Route 50 crosses the center of Nevada and was designated the Loneliest Road in America by Life in July 1986 US Route 93 is a major north-south United States highway in the Western United States. In the US state of Nevada, US Route 95 is a major US highway traversing the state from north to south directly through Las Vegas and In the US state of Nevada, US Route 395 clips a corner of Nevada near Lake Tahoe and serves the cities of Gardnerville, Minden There are also 189 Nevada state highways. The following is a list of all past and present state maintained highways and other regionally significant highways located in the U Nevada is one of a few states in the U. S. that does not have a continuous interstate highway linking its major population centers of Reno/Carson City and Las Vegas. The Dwight D Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly called the Interstate Highway System (or simply the Interstate System) Even the non-interstate federal highways aren't contiguous between its two largest metropolitan areas, though they are well marked by signs showing where to turn.

The state is one of just a few in the country that allow semi-trailer trucks with three trailers—what might be called a "road train" in Australia. truckcartransporterarp750pixjpg|thumb|right|A tractor with an auto-transport Semi-trailer. A road train or roadtrain is a Trucking concept used in remote areas of Australia, the United States, and Western Canada to move For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. However, American versions are usually smaller, in part because they must ascend and descend some fairly steep mountain passes.

Citizens Area Transit (CAT) is the public transit system in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The agency is the largest transit agency in the state and operates a network of frequent bus service, including the use of double-decker buses on the Las Vegas Strip. A double-decker bus is a Bus that has two levels While double-decker long-distance coaches are in widespread use around the world double-decker city buses are The Las Vegas Strip (also known as The Strip) is an approximately 4 mile (6 RTC RIDE operates a system of local transit bus service throughout the Reno-Sparks metropolitan area. Other transit systems in the state include Carson City's JAC. Most other counties in the state do not have public transportation at all.

Additionally, a monorail system provides public transportation in the Las Vegas area. A monorail is a transportation system based on a single beam The term is also used variously to describe the beam of the system or the vehicles travelling on such a beam or The Las Vegas Monorail line services several casino properties and the Las Vegas Convention Center on the east side of the Las Vegas Strip, with a possible future extension to McCarran Airport. The Robert N Broadbent Las Vegas Monorail (formerly MGM Grand-Bally's Monorail) is a 3

McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas is one of the busiest airports in the nation. McCarran International Airport is the principal commercial airport serving Las Vegas and Clark County, Nevada. The Reno-Tahoe International Airport (formerly known as the Reno Cannon International Airport) is the other major airport in the state. Reno/Tahoe International Airport is a public Airport located three Nautical miles (6 km) southeast of the Central business district of

Law and government

The current Governor of Nevada is Jim Gibbons (Republican), the Governor of Nevada is limited to two (four year) terms in office, by election, or succession (lifetime limit) by the Nevada Constitution. This is a list of Governors of Nevada. The only Governor of the Nevada Territory was James W James Arthur "Jim" Gibbons (born December 16 1944) is the 28th and current governor of the U Nevada's two U.S. senators are Harry Reid (Democrat) and John Ensign (Republican). The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives Harry Mason Reid (born December 2 1939 is the senior United States Senator from Nevada and a member of the Democratic Party, as well as The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. John Eric Ensign (born March 25 1958) is the junior United States Senator from Nevada, serving since January 2001

Further information: List of Nevada Governors; Map of Congressional Districts

Legislature

The Nevada Legislature is a bicameral body divided into an upper house Senate and a lower house Assembly. This is a list of Governors of Nevada. The only Governor of the Nevada Territory was James W This is a complete list of congressional districts for representation in the United States House of Representatives. The Nevada Legislature is the state legislature of the US state of Nevada. In Government, bicameralism (bi + Latin la ''camera'' chamber is the practice of having two legislative or Parliamentary chambers Thus a bicameral An upper house is one of two chambers of a Bicameral Legislature, the other chamber being the Lower house. The Nevada Senate is the Upper house of the Nevada Legislature, the state legislature of U A lower house is one of two chambers of a Bicameral Legislature, the other chamber being the Upper house. The Nevada Assembly is the Lower house of the Nevada Legislature, the state legislature of the U Members of the Senate serve for four years, and members of the Assembly serve for two years. Both houses of the Nevada Legislature will be impacted by term limits starting in 2010, as Senators and Assemblymen/women will be limited to a maximum of 12 years service in each house (by appointment or election which is a lifetime limit) - this provision has not been strictly enforced, as voters imposed term limits on the legislature back in mid to late 1990s, but rulings by the Nevada Attorney General's office have stated that term limits cannot go into effect prior to 2010. Each session of the Legislature meets for a constitutionally mandated 120 days in every odd-numbered year, or longer if the Governor calls a special session. Currently, the Senate is controlled by the Republican Party (11 to 10 majority) and the Assembly is controlled by the Democratic Party (27 to 15 majority).

Judiciary

Nevada is one of the few U. S. states without a system of intermediate appellate courts. It has a state supreme court, the Supreme Court of Nevada, which hears all appeals. This article discusses the state supreme courts in the United States The Supreme Court of Nevada is the highest judicial body in the Nevada state government The court lacks the power of discretionary review, so Nevada's judicial system is extremely congested. There have been several articles accusing judges in Nevada of making biased or favored decisions as the result of case outcomes and reporting done by the Los Angeles Times newspaper (in which it raised the issue of justice for sale). The Los Angeles Times (also known as the LA Times) is a daily Newspaper published in Los Angeles California and distributed

Original jurisdiction is divided between the District Courts (with general jurisdiction), and Justice Courts and Municipal Courts (both of limited jurisdiction).

Libertarian laws

In 1900, Nevada's population was the smallest of all states and was shrinking, as the difficulties of living in a "barren desert" began to outweigh the lure of silver for many early settlers. Historian Lawrence Friedman has explained what happened next:

Nevada, in a burst of ingenuity, built an economy by exploiting its sovereignty. Its strategy was to legalize all sorts of things that were illegal in California . California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. . . after easy divorce came easy marriage and casino gambling. Divorce or dissolution of marriage is the termination of a Marriage. NOTICE TO WOULD-BE ROMEOS ************** A casino is in the modern sense of the word a facility that houses and accommodates certain types of Gambling activities Even prostitution is legal in Nevada, in any county that decides to allow it. Nevada is one of only two US states that allow some legal Prostitution; in most of its counties, Brothels are legalized and heavily regulated Quite a few of them do. ^[12] With the advent of air conditioning for summertime use and Southern Nevada's mild winters, the fortunes of the state began to turn around, as it did for Arizona, making these two states the fastest growing in the Union. The State of Arizona ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States.

Divorce laws

Nevada's early reputation as a "divorce haven" arose from the fact that prior to the no-fault divorce revolution in the 1970s, divorces were quite difficult to obtain in the United States. No-fault divorce is a Divorce in which the dissolution of a marriage requires neither a showing of wrong-doing of either party nor any evidentiary proceedings at all Divorce or dissolution of marriage is the termination of a Marriage. Already having legalized gambling and prostitution, Nevada continued the trend of boosting its profile by adopting one of the most liberal divorce statutes in the nation. This resulted in Williams v. North Carolina, 317 U.S. 287 (1942), in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that North Carolina had to give "full faith and credit" to a Nevada divorce. The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial body in the United States and leads the federal judiciary. North Carolina ( is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States Article IV, Section 1 of the United States Constitution, commonly known as the Full Faith and Credit Clause, addresses the duties that states (This basically means all states have to honor a marriage or divorce performed in another state. )

Tax laws

Nevada's tax laws also draw new residents and businesses to the state. Nevada has no personal income tax or corporate income tax. Corporate tax refers to a Tax levied by various jurisdictions on the Profits made by companies or associations. [3].

Incorporation laws

Nevada also provides friendly environment for the formation of corporations, and many (especially California) businesspeople have incorporated their businesses in Nevada to take advantage of the benefits of the Nevada statute. A corporation is a separate legal entity usually used to conduct business Nevada Corporations offer great flexibility to the Board of Directors and simplify or avoid many of the rules that are cumbersome to business managers in some other states. A Nevada Corporation is a Corporation chartered under the Laws of the U In addition, Nevada has no franchise tax. Franchise tax is a tax charged by some US states to Corporations formed in those states based on the number of shares they issue or in some cases the amount of their

Financial institutions

Similarly, many U. S. states have usury laws limiting the amount of interest a lender can charge, but Federal law allows corporations to 'import' these laws from their home state. Usury (ˈjuːʒəri comes from the Medieval Latin usuria, "interest" or "excessive interest" from the Latin usura "interest" Interest is a fee paid on borrowed capital Assets lent include Money, Shares, Consumer goods through Hire purchase, major assets Nevada (amongst others) has relatively lax interest laws, in effect allowing banks to charge as much as they want, hence the preponderance of credit card companies in the state. A credit card is part of a system of Payments named after the small Plastic card issued to users of the system

Drug laws

This is a notable exception to Nevada's otherwise libertarian principles. It is notable for having the harshest penalties for drug offenders in the country. Nevada remains the only state to still use mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines for marijuana possession. A mandatory sentence is a court decision setting where Judicial discretion is limited by Law. Cannabis, also known as marijuana or marihuana, or ganja (from Hindi / Sanskrit: गांजा gānjā hemp) is a However, it is now a misdemeanor for possession of less than one ounce. In 2006, voters in Nevada defeated attempts to allow possession of 1 ounce of marijuana (for personal use) without being criminally prosecuted, but this failed by a vote of (55% against legalization, 45% in favor of legalization). Also, Nevada is one of the states that allows for use of marijuana for medical reasons (though this remains illegal under federal law, and US Supreme Court rulings).

Nevada has very liberal alcohol laws. In Chemistry, an alcohol is any Organic compound in which a Hydroxyl group ( - O[[hydrogen H]]) is bound to a Carbon Bars are permitted to remain open 24 hours, with no "last call". In a pub, a last call is an announcement made shortly before the bar closes for the night urging the patrons to buy one last drink. Liquor stores, convenience stores and supermarkets may also sell alcohol 24 hours per day, and may sell beer, wine and spirits. A liquor store dore is the American and Canadian name for a type of Convenience store which specializes in the sale of Alcoholic beverages in A convenience store is a small store or shop. They are often located alongside busy roads or at gas/petrol stations. Customer divider barjpg|thumb|In supermarkets sellers periodically change prices for classes of goods in response to market conditions rather than negotiating the price of each good

Smoking

Nevada voters enacted a smoking ban ("the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act") in November 2006 that became effective on December 8, 2006. Events 1609 - Biblioteca Ambrosiana opens its reading room the second public library of Europe. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. It outlaws smoking in most workplaces and public places. Smoking is permitted in bars, but only if the bar serves no food, or the bar is inside a larger casino. Smoking is also permitted in hotel rooms, tobacco shops, and brothels. For the 2008 film of this name see The Brothel. For the television series of this name see Cathouse The Series. ^[13] However, some businesses do not obey this law and the government tends not to enforce it. ^[14] Yet, in one case they did prosecute an establishment called "Bilbo's" but trial is pending until 2008. ^[15]

Politics

Presidential elections results

Year	Republican	Democratic
2004	50. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. The United States presidential election of 2004 was held on Tuesday November 2, 2004, to elect the President of the United States. 47% 418,690	47. 88% 397,190
2000	49. The United States presidential election of 2000 was a contest between Democratic candidate Al Gore, then Vice President, and Republican 49% 301,575	45. 94% 279,978
1996	44. The United States presidential election of 1996 was a contest between the Democratic national ticket of President Bill Clinton of Arkansas and Vice 55% 198,775	45. 60% 203,388
1992	34. The United States presidential elections of 1992 featured a battle between incumbent President, Republican George H 71% 175,828	37. 41% 189,148
1988	58. -->The United States presidential election of 1988 featured an open primary for both major parties 90% 206,040	37. 91% 132,738

Due to the tremendous growth of Las Vegas in recent years, there is a noticeable divide between politics of northern and southern Nevada. The north has long maintained control of key positions in the state government even while the population of the Las Vegas area is larger than the rest of the state. This has fostered resentment as the north sees the south as a potential bully of majority rule and the south sees the north as the "old guard" trying to rule as an oligarchy. Oligarchy' ( Greek, Oligarkhía) is a Form of government where Political power effectively rests with a small elite segment However, due to a term limit amendment passed by Nevada voters in 1994, and again in 1996, some of the North's hold over key positions will soon be forfeited to the South, leaving Northern Nevada with less power. Most people outside the state are not familiar with this rivalry.

The state is not dominated by either major political party and remains a swing state in both state and federal politics. A swing state (also battleground state or purple state) in United States Republicans won Nevada three times in the 1980s. Democrat Bill Clinton won the state in the 1992 and 1996 presidential elections and Republican George W. Bush won in 2000 and 2004. William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III, August 19 1946 served as the forty-second President of the United States The United States presidential elections of 1992 featured a battle between incumbent President, Republican George H The United States presidential election of 1996 was a contest between the Democratic national ticket of President Bill Clinton of Arkansas and Vice George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. The United States presidential election of 2000 was a contest between Democratic candidate Al Gore, then Vice President, and Republican The United States presidential election of 2004 was held on Tuesday November 2, 2004, to elect the President of the United States.

The state's U. S. Senators are long time Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D), a native of Searchlight, and Senator John Ensign (R). Harry Mason Reid (born December 2 1939 is the senior United States Senator from Nevada and a member of the Democratic Party, as well as Searchlight is a Census-designated place (CDP in Clark County, Nevada, United States. John Eric Ensign (born March 25 1958) is the junior United States Senator from Nevada, serving since January 2001 The Governorship is held by Jim Gibbons, a moderate republican. James Arthur "Jim" Gibbons (born December 16 1944) is the 28th and current governor of the U Recently, however, the state is trending to become more divergent, According to official statistics, party registration numbers show that 38. 1% of voters are registered Republicans, 41. 7% are Democrats and the remaining 20. 1% are considered Independents.

State departments and agencies

Local government

Incorporated towns in Nevada, known as cities, are vested with home rule powers, meaning that they are given the authority to legislate anything not prohibited by law. The Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR is a Governmental agency in the U The Nevada Department of Corrections (NDOC is a Governmental agency in the U The Nevada Department of Education (NDOE is a Governmental agency in the U The Nevada Gaming Control Board, also known as the State Gaming Control Board, is a Nevada state governmental agency involved in the regulation of casinos The Nevada Lieutenant Governor is an elected office in the US The Nevada National Guard consists of the Nevada Army National Guard Nevada Air National Guard ** 152nd Airlift Wing "High The Nevada Department of Public Safety (NDPS is a Governmental agency in the U The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT is a Governmental agency in the U The Nevada State Treasurer is an elected office in the US state of Nevada. An incorporated town is a Town that is a Municipal corporation. Home rule refers to a demand that constituent parts of a state be given greater self-government within the greater administrative purview of the central government

Unincorporated towns are settlements eminently governed by the county in which they are located, but who, by local referendum or by the act of the county commission, can form limited local governments in the form of a Town Advisory Board (TAB)/ Citizens Advisory Council (CAC), or a Town Board. In Law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any Municipality. A county is a Land area of Regional Government within a larger State. A referendum (plural referendums or referenda) ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita

Town Advisory Boards and Citizens Advisory Councils are formed purely by act of the county commission. Consisting of three to five members, these elected boards form a purely advisory role, and in no way diminish the responsibilities of the county commission that creates them. Members of advisory councils and boards are elected to two year terms, and serve without compensation. The councils and boards, themselves, are provided no revenue, and oversee no budget.

Town Boards are limited local governments created by either the local county commission, or by referendum. A referendum (plural referendums or referenda) ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita The board consists of five members elected to four-year terms. Half the board is required to be up for election in each election. The board elects from within its ranks a town chairperson and town clerk. While more powerful than Town Advisory Boards and Citizens Advisory Councils, they also serve a largely advisory role, with their funding provided by their local county commission. The local county commission has the power to put before residents of the town a vote on whether to keep or dissolve a town board at any general election. Town boards have the ability to appoint a town manager if they choose to do so.

Important Cities and Towns

Rank City Population within city limits Land Area sq. Las Vegas ( Spanish: "The Meadows" is the most populous City in the state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, and an internationally Elko is a city in Elko County, Nevada, United States. The population was 16980 at the 2000 census. Ely (pronounced, rhyming with "freely" is a city in White Pine County, Nevada, in the United States. miles Population Density per sq mi County 1 Las Vegas 591,536 131. Las Vegas ( Spanish: "The Meadows" is the most populous City in the state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, and an internationally 3 4,217. 8 Clark 2 Henderson 265,790 79. Clark County is a County located in the US state of Nevada. The county had a population of 1375765 at the 2000 census, and a 2006 estimated Henderson is a city in Clark County, Nevada, United States adjacent to the Las Vegas metropolitan area; it is located mainly to the southeast 7 2,200. 8 Clark 3 Reno 206,629 69. Clark County is a County located in the US state of Nevada. The county had a population of 1375765 at the 2000 census, and a 2006 estimated 1 2,611. 4 Washoe 4 North Las Vegas 197,567 78. Washoe County is a County located in the US state of Nevada. The population was 339486 at the 2000 census; 2006 Census Bureau North Las Vegas is a city in Clark County, Nevada, United States, located in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. 5 1,471. 0 Clark 5 Sunrise Manor 195,727 38. Clark County is a County located in the US state of Nevada. The county had a population of 1375765 at the 2000 census, and a 2006 estimated Sunrise Manor is a Census-designated place (CDP in Clark County, Nevada, United States, located on the western base of Frenchman Mountain 2 4,081. 8 Clark 6 Paradise 189,958 47. Clark County is a County located in the US state of Nevada. The county had a population of 1375765 at the 2000 census, and a 2006 estimated Paradise is a Census-designated place (CDP in Clark County, Nevada, United States and a major suburb of Las Vegas. 1 3,947. 3 Clark 7 Spring Valley 175,581 33. Clark County is a County located in the US state of Nevada. The county had a population of 1375765 at the 2000 census, and a 2006 estimated Spring Valley is a Census-designated place (CDP in Clark County, Nevada, United States located two miles west of the Las Vegas Strip 4 3,519. 4 Clark 8 Sparks 88,518 23. Clark County is a County located in the US state of Nevada. The county had a population of 1375765 at the 2000 census, and a 2006 estimated Sparks is a city in Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The population was 66346 at the 2000 census. 9 2,773. 6 Washoe 9 Carson City 58,350 143. Washoe County is a County located in the US state of Nevada. The population was 339486 at the 2000 census; 2006 Census Bureau 4 366 Carson City 10 Pahrump 44,614 297. Pahrump is a Census-designated place (CDP in Nye County, Nevada, United States. 9 82. 7 Nye

Paradise, Sunrise Manor, and Spring Valley are unincorporated towns in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. Nye County is a County located in the US state of Nevada. As of the 2000 census, the population was 32485

Rank	County	Population within county limits	Land Area sq. miles	Population Density per sq mi	Largest city
1	Clark	1,715,337	7,910	174	Las Vegas
2	Washoe	383,453	6,342	54	Reno
3	Carson City	56,146	155. Clark County is a County located in the US state of Nevada. The county had a population of 1375765 at the 2000 census, and a 2006 estimated Las Vegas ( Spanish: "The Meadows" is the most populous City in the state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, and an internationally Washoe County is a County located in the US state of Nevada. The population was 339486 at the 2000 census; 2006 Census Bureau 7	366	Carson City
4	Douglas	47,803	710	58	Gardnerville Ranchos
5	Elko	46,499	17,179	3	Elko
6	Lyon	44,646	1,994	17	Fernley
7	Nye	38,181	18,147	2	Pahrump
8	Churchill	26,106	4,929	5	Fallon
9	Humboldt	17,129	9,648	2	Winnemucca
10	White Pine	8,966	8,876	1	Ely

Note: table was compiled using Nevada State estimates from 2004 for population and Census 2000 for area and density

See also: List of cities in Nevada

10 richest places in Nevada

Ranked by per capita income

1. Incline Village-Crystal Bay $52,521
2. Kingsbury $41,421
3. Mount Charleston $38,821
4. Verdi-Mogul $38,233
5. Zephyr Cove-Round Hill Village $37,218
6. Summerlin South $33,017
7. Blue Diamond $30,479
8. Minden $30,405
9. Boulder City $29,770
10. Spanish Springs $26,908

Further information: Nevada locations by per capita income

Education

Colleges and universities

• Morrison University
• Nevada System of Higher Education
  • University of Nevada (UNR)
  • University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV)
  • Nevada State College at Henderson
  • Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC)
  • Great Basin College
  • College of Southern Nevada (CSN)
  • Western Nevada Community College
• Sierra Nevada College
• Touro University Nevada
• University of Southern Nevada

Research Institutes

• Desert Research Institute

Parks and Recreation

Recreation areas maintained by the National Park Service

• California National Historic Trail
• Death Valley National Park
• Great Basin National Park near Baker
• Lake Mead National Recreation Area
• Old Spanish National Historic Trail
• Pony Express National Historic Trail

Southern Nevada

• Mount Charleston and the Mount Charleston Wilderness Area
• Spring Mountains and the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area
• Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
• Bootleg Canyon Mountain Bike Park
• Ash Meadows National Wildlife Preserve

Wilderness

Further information: List of wilderness areas in Nevada

There are 68 designated wilderness areas in Nevada, protecting some 6,579,014 acres (26,624. Great Basin National Park is a United States National Park established in 1986 located in east-central Nevada near its border with Utah. The California Trail was a major overland Emigrant route across the Western United States from Missouri to California in the middle 19th Death Valley National Park is a mostly Arid United States National Park located east of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in southern Inyo County Great Basin National Park is a United States National Park established in 1986 located in east-central Nevada near its border with Utah. Baker Nevada is a small community in White Pine County, Nevada. Lake Mead National Recreation Area is located in southern Nevada and northwestern Arizona. The Old Spanish Trail is a historic Trade route which connected the northern New Mexican settlement of Santa Fé with that of Los Ángeles The Pony Express was a fast Mail service crossing the North American continent from St Mount Charleston is the highest Mountain of the Spring Mountains of southern Nevada, approximately 35 miles northwest of Las Vegas. The Mount Charleston Wilderness Area is located west of Las Vegas in the southern part of the state of Nevada in the western United States. The Spring Mountains are a Mountain range of southern Nevada in the United States, running generally northwest-southeast along the west side of The Spring Mountains National Recreation Area (SMNRA is a US National Recreation Area, administered by the U The Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest ( HTNF) currently led by Edward Monnig the Forest Supervisor is the principal U Internationally renowned Bootleg Canyon Mountain Bike Park near Boulder City, Nevada and 45 minutes southeast of Las Vegas in the desert near Lake The Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge is a protected Wildlife refuge, administered by the U A wilderness area is a region where the land is in a natural state where impacts from human activities are minimal—that is as a Wilderness. 33 km²) under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management. The National Park Service ( NPS) is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation The Bureau of Land Management (BLM is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's Public lands totaling approximately ^[16]

State Parks

See: List of Nevada state parks. This is a list of State parks and reserves in the US state of Nevada state park system operated by the Nevada Division of State Parks.

Sports

• Las Vegas 51s, minor league baseball
• Las Vegas Wranglers, East Coast Hockey League
• Battle Born Derby Deamons, Roller Derby
• Reno Silver Sox, Golden Baseball League
• Reno Raiders, ECHL
• Las Vegas Posse, Canadian Football League (defunct)
• Las Vegas Outlaws, XFL (defunct)
• UNLV Rebels
• University of Nevada Wolf Pack
• Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Miscellaneous topics

Nevada's nicknames are "Sagebrush State, "Battle Born State", and "Silver State", and the state's motto is "All for Our Country". The Las Vegas 51s, formerly known as the Las Vegas Stars are a Minor league baseball team Part of the History of baseball series Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of Professional baseball leagues in North The Las Vegas Wranglers are a minor league Ice hockey team in Las Vegas Nevada. The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a Professional Ice hockey league based in Princeton New Jersey, with teams scattered Roller derby is an American -invented contact Sport —and historically a form of Sports entertainment —based on formation Roller skating For the disambiguation see Reno Silver Sox (disambiguation. The Reno Silver Sox are a professional baseball team based in Reno The Golden Baseball League, based in Dublin California, is a professional independent baseball league with teams in the western United States and Canada The Reno Raiders will be a Professional Ice hockey franchise in the ECHL, with an unknown planned start date The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a Professional Ice hockey league based in Princeton New Jersey, with teams scattered Brief Franchise History On The Field The Posse had notable football talent such as QB Anthony Calvillo, KR Tamarick Vanover, RB Jon Volpe The Canadian Football League (CFL ( Ligue canadienne de football (LCF in The Las Vegas Outlaws were an American Football team in the short-lived XFL in the Western Division with the Los Angeles Xtreme, San Francisco Demons The XFL was a professional American football league that played for one season in 2001 The University of Nevada Reno ( Nevada) is a University located in Reno Nevada, USA and is known for its programs in agricultural research journalism Las Vegas Motor Speedway, located in Clark County, Nevada, just outside Las Vegas, is a 1200 acre (4 "Home Means Nevada" by Bertha Raffetto is the state song. " Home Means Nevada " is the official state song of the state of Nevada. Bertha Raffetto (born 1845 is best known for her song "Home Means Nevada" which is the official State song for Nevada The phrase "Battle Born" is on the state flag; "The Battle Born State" is the official state slogan, as Nevada was admitted into the union during the American Civil War. Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South

Several United States Navy ships have been named USS Nevada in honor of the state. At least four ships of the United States Navy have borne the name Nevada, after the Nevada. The one that preceded the ship that was at Pearl Harbor was eventually renamed USS Tonopah, for the Nevada city

Nevada is home to Nellis Air Force Base, a major testing and training base of the United States Air Force. Pearl Harbor is a Harbor on the Island of O{{okina}}ahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. The Name She was likely named for Tonopah Nevada. See also See USS ''Nevada'' for other ships of this name Nellis Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in Clark County, Nevada. Nellis is reputedly the home of Area 51, a top-secret installation of which the U. Area 51 is a nickname for a military base located in the southern portion of Nevada in the western United States S. federal government has always denied existence. Area 51 is supposedly located in Groom Lake. Some time ago, the United States Air Force confirmed that there is an operating facility at Groom Lake, but the nature of the activities being conducted at Groom Lake are classified and cannot be disclosed.

The paranormal radio talk show host Art Bell lives in Pahrump, Nevada. Arthur W "Art" Bell III (born June 17, 1945) is an American broadcaster and Author, known primarily as the founder and Pahrump is a Census-designated place (CDP in Nye County, Nevada, United States.

In Finnish language there is a very well known concept "huitsin Nevada", which refers to some far away place in spoken language (in a same way as a saying "from here to Timbuktu"). Finnish ( or suomen kieli) is the language spoken by the majority of the population in Finland (92% As of 2006) and by ethnic Finns outside The origin and history of the saying is unknown. "Nevada" refers to the name of this US state and "huitsin" is a slang word meaning "very" or "utter".

Songs about Nevada

• Sands of Nevada from Mark Knopfler's 2000 release Sailing to Philadelphia
• Darcy Farrow

Future Issues

Nevada enjoys many economic advantages as a whole, and the southern portion of the state enjoys mild winter weather, but rapid growth has led to issues of overcrowded schools. Mark Knopfler OBE (born August 12 1949 Glasgow, Scotland) is a British Guitarist, Singer, Songwriter, Sailing to Philadelphia is an Album by Mark Knopfler released in 2000 Nevada is already home to the nation's 5th largest school district in the Clark County School District (projected fall 2007 enrollment is 314,000 students grades K-12), the state has seen rising crime levels, and problems with transportation (according to state figures, there is a 1 billion dollar shortfall in funds for road construction projects in Nevada). Most recently, there has been news of water shortfalls in Southern Nevada in the years to come, due to the population increase, and the Southern Nevada Water Authority estimates that there will be water shortages by the year 2010, despite plans to import water from rural and northern Nevada. Despite this, the state remains one of the fast growing in the country.

The residents of the communities in the Las Vegas Valley pay some of the highest car insurance rates in the nation.

Some have suggested that Nevada annex the town of Wendover, Utah, which would be merged with West Wendover, Nevada. Wendover is a city in Tooele County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Salt Lake City, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. West Wendover is a city in Elko County, Nevada, United States. This deal will require the permission of the Nevada and Utah legislatures, as well as the U. The State of Utah (ˈjuːtɔː or) is a western state of the United States. S. Congress.

Portions of Nevada, particularly in the greater Las Vegas area, are dealing with the problems brought about by large cities such as traffic and a rise in pollution. The Las Vegas metropolitan area includes the Las Vegas Valley a 600-square-mile (1600 km² basin and surrounding areas that is part of Clark County in southern Despite these challenges, the Las Vegas metropolitan area still remains one of the fastest-growing areas in the country, helping to make Nevada one of the fastest-growing states in the nation.

State symbols

• State animal: Desert Bighorn Sheep
• State artifact: Tule Duck Decoy
• State bird: Mountain Bluebird
• State colors: Silver and Blue
• State fish: Lahontan cutthroat trout
• State flower: Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata)
• State fossil: Ichthyosaur
• State grass: Indian ricegrass
• State march: "Silver State Fanfare" by Gerald Willis
• State metal: Silver (Ag)
• State motto: "All for our country"
• State precious gemstone: Virgin Valley black fire opal
• State semiprecious gemstone: Nevada turquoise
• State song: "Home Means Nevada" by Bertha Raffetto
• State reptile: Desert Tortoise
• State rock: Sandstone
• State soil: Orovada (soil) series
• State tartan: A particular tartan designed for Nevada by Richard Zygmunt Pawlowski
• State trees: Single-leaf Pinyon pine and Bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva)

A fictional history (with a great deal of fact) titled Nevada was written by Clint McCullough. A state mammal is the official or representative Animal of a U The Desert Bighorn Sheep ( Ovis canadensis nelsoni) is a subspecies of Bighorn Sheep that occurs in the desert Southwest regions of the United States A decoy is usually a person device or event meant as a distraction to conceal what an individual or a group might be looking for This is a list of US state birds as designated by each state's legislature The Mountain Bluebird ( Sialia currucoides) is a medium-sized bird weighing about an ounce with a length from 15-20 cm (6-8 in) Silver (ˈsɪlvɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol " Ag " (argentum from the Ancient Greek: ἀργήντος - argēntos gen Blue is a Colour, the Perception of which is evoked by This is a list of official and *unofficial US state fish:The only states lacking a state fish as of 2008 are Arkansas Indiana Kansas and Ohio Lahontan cutthroat trout ( Oncorhynchus clarki henshawi) is the largest Cutthroat trout Subspecies, and the state fish of Nevada In a number of countries plants have been chosen as symbols to represent specific geographic areas Most American states have made a state fossil designation in many cases during the 1980s. Ichthyosaurs ( Greek for 'fish lizard' - ιχθυς / ichthyos meaning 'fish' and σαυρος / sauros meaning 'lizard' were giant The following is a list of official US state grass. See also Lists of U Indian ricegrass ( Oryzopsis hymenoides) is a perennial Bunchgrass, native to Nevada and Utah in the southwestern United Silver (ˈsɪlvɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol " Ag " (argentum from the Ancient Greek: ἀργήντος - argēntos gen Here is a list of state Mottos for the states of the United States of America. Not every state has an official state mineral rock stone or gemstone OPAL ( Open Pool Australian Lightwater reactor) is a 20 megawatt pool-type nuclear research reactor that was officially opened in April 2007 Not every state has an official state mineral rock stone or gemstone Turquoise is an opaque blue-to-green Mineral that is a hydrous Phosphate of Copper and Aluminium, with the Chemical Introduction Forty-nine states of the United States (all except New Jersey) have one or more state songs, selected by the state " Home Means Nevada " is the official state song of the state of Nevada. This is a list of official US state reptiles: See also Lists of United States state insignia The desert tortoise ( Gopherus agassizii) is a Species of Tortoise native to the Mojave desert and Sonoran desert of the southwestern Not every state has an official state mineral rock stone or gemstone Sandstone is a Sedimentary rock composed mainly of Sand -size Mineral or rock grains. This is a list of Representative US State Soils. A state soil is a Soil that has special significance to a particular state. Orovada series Soils are extensive in northern Nevada where they have an extent of more than 360000000 acres (1500000 km² Tartan is a pattern consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours In a number of countries plants have been chosen as symbols to represent specific geographic areas The Single-leaf Pinyon ( Pinus monophylla) is a Pine in the Pinyon pine group native to the United States and northwest Mexico The bristlecone pines are a small group of Pine trees (Family Pinaceae, genus Pinus, subsection Balfourianae) that are thought to Nevada is a Historical novel by Clint McCullough, and was published in 1986.

See also

• List of Nevada-related topics

References

External links

• Official state website
• Nevada State Databases - Annotated list of searchable databases produced by Nevada state agencies and compiled by the Government Documents Roundtable of the American Library Association.
• State Tourism website
• Nevada state symbols
• Secretary of State of Nevada
• Nevada State Library and Archives
• USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Nevada
• US Census Bureau
• County Maps of Nevada Full color maps. List of cities, towns and county seats
• Nevada State Facts
• Pronunciation Guide: Nevada
• Forgotten Nevada - Ghost Towns and Mining Camps of Nevada

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