Nevada, located in the western region of the U.S.A was the thirty-sixth state of the United States, joining on October 31, 1864. It is the seventh largest state in the country and the thirty-fifth most populous. The state capital is Carson City and the largest city, Las Vegas. Nevada's bordering states are Arizona, California, Idaho, Oregon and Utah. Its major rivers are Colorado River, Humboldt River and Truckee River and its major lakes Pyramid Lake, Lake Mead, Lake Mojave, Lake Tahoe and Walker Lake. Nevada is now famous for its legalized gambling, entertainment and easy marriages.
The state name, Nevada, originated from the Spanish word meaning "snowcapped". The state was nicknamed "Silver City" due to the several large silver deposits that were discovered and mined. The states logo is “Battle Born” out if its inclusion into the Union during the Civil War. Nevada's state bird is the Mountain Bluebird and the state flower, the Sagebrush. The state's official flag was adopted in 1929, but was altered in 1991. The flag features a deep blue field. Illustrated in the left top corner is a yellow ribbon which, reads ‘Battle Born’. Below it is a white star and the state name, Nevada, which is also surrounded by green sagebrush with yellow flowers. The star is symbolic of the rich mineral wealth of Nevada, especially the Comstock lode that is one of the largest gold and silver mines ever found.
Prior to European arrival in Nevada, Native Americans occupied the state. In 1829, a trade caravan of about sixty men discovered the Las Vegas Valley in Nevada. The travelers named the area "Las Vegas" which was Spanish for "The Meadow". The first settlement in the state was named "Mormon Station". Quite a number of years later, in 1861, the Nevada Territory separated from the Utah territory and took on its current name. One of the major reasons for the split was because Mormons occupied the Utah Territory whereas non-Mormons occupied the Nevada Territory. The differences in tradition and culture caused much conflict amongst the residents, especially following the 1857 Mountain Meadows Massacre and 1857-58 Utah War.
The state of Nevada achieved its boundaries in 1866. Added to its borders was the Pah-Ute County in the Arizona Territory west of the Colorado River. Nevada was granted this extra piece of land due to the discovery of gold in the area. It was believed that Nevada would have a better ability to oversee the population boom and maintain a better control over the gold deposits. In 1868, the state achieved another piece of the Utah Territory since the people inhabiting that area desired freedom from Mormon dominance. It is this extra piece of land that now sets Nevada's current eastern boundary.
For quite some years, Nevada experienced a great amount of wealth owing to its mining industry. This industry experienced a decline in the nineteenth century, but regained its status in the rich silver strike at Tonopah in 1900, followed by strikes in Goldfield and Rhyolite.
Gambling was a popular pastime in the small towns of Nevada, however in 1909, gambling throughout the entire state became outlawed. Nevada re-legalized gambling in 1931 due to its declines in its mining and agricultural outputs in the Great Depression. It is believed that the booming population in Hoover Dam also had a great influence or re-legalizing the pastime. Gambling has now become one of the state's largest industries, henceforth re-outlawing the activity has never been seriously considered.
The Nevada Test Site was established in 1951 for the testing of nuclear weapons. Nuclear testing at the Nevada Test Site began with a one kiloton bomb dropped on Frenchman Flat on January 27, 1951. The last atmospheric test was carried out in 1962. The location is known for the highest amount of concentrated nuclear detonated weapons in the U.S.
Nevada's major industries are tourism, gold and silver mining and hydroelectric power. Tourism is most popular in the city of Las Vegas, which allows the state to increase its gaming revenue bit a large sum. 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. Second to the gold, 10.3 million ounces worth $69 million of silver was mined in 2004. The state's primary agricultural output consists of cattle, hay, alfalfa, dairy products, onions and potatoes whilst its industrial outputs comprise of machinery, printing and publishing, food processing and electric equipment.
Nevada is the driest state in the U.S.A. It is made up of mostly desert and semiarid climate regions. In the south, the winter tends to be short and mild. In the mountains, snowfall is quite abundant. The summer is sunny and dry, with wide variation in daily temperatures.
Nevada is home to 2.6 million residents. The center of population of Nevada is located in southern Nye County. Las Vegas, which was once home to a mere one hundred people, is now settled by 2.5 million people. Many residents of the state emigrated from California, causing the residents to feel that their home is becoming 'Californicated'. There are a few religious affiliations in the state of Nevada. The primary religions are Roman Catholic and Protestant. The small minorities consist of Jews, Mormons and Muslims.
The state has plenty of outdoor recreation to keep all its residents and tourists happy. The populace enjoys the air sports, auto racing, biking, climbing, cultural activities, hiking, hot springs, tours & cruises, water sports, wildlife and skiing that the state has to offer. The major tourist attractions consist of Bonnie & Clyde Death Car, Last Supper and Giant Pink Woman, Atomic Testing Museum, Star Trek: The Experience, Most Photographed Sculpture in Las Vegas and Thunder Mountain Park.
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