Nevada

Nevada (pronounced niv AD-@; Spanish pronunciation: [ne’bada]), is a state located in the Western region. It is bordered by Oregon in the northwest, Idaho in the northeast, California in the west, Arizona in the southeast, Utah to the east, and California to the west. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, the 32nd-most populous, and the 9th-least densely populated of the U.S. states. Nearly three-quarters of Nevada’s people live in Clark County, which contains the Las Vegas-Paradise metropolitan area, including three of the state’s four largest incorporated cities. Nevada’s capital city is Carson City, while Las Vegas is the largest.

Nevada is officially known as the “Silver State” because of the importance of silver to its history and economy. It is also known as the “Battle Born State” because it achieved statehood during the Civil War (the words “Battle Born” also appear on its state flag); as the “Sagebrush State”, for the native plant of the same name; and as the “Sage-hen State”. Its name means “snowy” (in Spanish), and refers to Nevada’s small overlaps with the Sierra Nevada mountain range. However, most of Nevada is desert and semi-arid, with much of it within The Great Basin. Areas south of the Great Basin are within the Mojave Desert, while Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada lie on the western edge. Around 86% of the state’s land are managed by the U.S. federal government in various jurisdictions, both civilian and military.