Interesting Facts about Nevada

Nevada is located in northwestern United States. It is surrounded by Arizona on the southeast, Utah on the east, California on the southwest and west, and Oregon and Idaho on the north. Carson city, with a population of about 2.6 million, is the capital of Nevada, while Las Vegas is its largest city. Nevada is also 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 developing states in the US.

The state got its name from the Spanish word 'Nevada', which means 'snow-capped'. The motto of this state is "All for Our Country". Nevada shot to fame with the discovery of the fabulous Comstock Lode, the largest sliver deposit in the US, in 1859, which led to it being accepted as the 36th state in 1864. Its mines have produced large amounts of gold, silver, copper, zinc, mercury, barite and tungsten. In 1954, oil was also discovered in Nevada. It also ranks as the largest gold producing state in the US, and second in the world after South Africa.

Facts about Nevada

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 also one of the driest state in the US, owing to its rainfall; a meager 7 inches per year.

The majority of Nevada's population are Christians and follow Catholicism in a strict manner. There are also a significant amount of Protestants. 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.

Nevada's economy is dominated by cattle and sheep raising, mining, tourism, 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.

Nevada is also the legalized gambling capital and amusement center of the US. Las Vegas, its largest city, is one of the major tourist attractions. This city has more hotel rooms, as well as 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 from gambling; about 75% of the annual revenue comes from casinos. Mining and tourism contribute to the rest of the revenue generation for Nevada. 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.

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.

Nevada is also well recognized for its easy marriage and divorce dealings, as well as legalized active brothels. On an average, about 150 couples are married in Las Vegas daily.

The Hoover Dam in Nevada is 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 man-made reservoir in the world.

Nevada has more mountain ranges than any other state, with the highest point being the 13,145 foot top of Boundary Peak, near the west central border. The Humboldt River, which begins in the desert ranges, has no outlet to the ocean.

Nevada also 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. Kangaroo Rats, also nicknamed as "Kennedy Rats', are found in the Death Valley desert. These animals are known to live their entire life without drinking a single drop of water.

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.

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.

Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas, Reno and Laughlin are the major resorts that attract visitors from all over the world. Recreational areas like Pyramid Lake, Lake Mead, Lake Tahoe and Death Valley National Park are found on the way to California. The Reno-Tahoe territory is famous among tourists for its adventurous world-class skiing, biking and hiking. Visitors are attracted to Lake Mead and Hoover Dam, famous for its fishing, swimming and boating facilities. Other attractions include the Great Basin National Park, 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 place for vacations. Its easy rules regarding marriage and divorce, and its many casinos have made this place a heaven for tourists.