Nevada

"Nevada" is a Spanish adjective that means "snow-covered". The name derives from the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the west of the state. The USS Nevada was named in honor of this state.

History

In 1850, the U.S. Congress established the Utah territory[?] which included the present day states of Utah, Idaho and Nevada. 1859 saw the discovery of the Comstock Lode, a rich outcropping of gold and silver, and Virgina City sprang up. This discovery brought a flood of miners, prospectors, merchants and others hoping to cash in on the wealth.

On March 2, 1861, Nevada separated from the Utah territory and adopted its current name. On October 31^st, 1864, Nevada became the 36^th state in the union.

During the Great Depression on March 17, 1931 Nevada legalized gambling in order to stimulate economic growth.

Law and Government

Nevada's capital is Carson City and its governor is Kenny Guinn[?] (Republican). Nevada's two U.S. senators are Harry Reid[?] (Democrat) and John Ensign[?] (Republican). See List of Nevada Governors

Geography See List of Nevada counties

Nevada has borders with Oregon and Idaho to the north, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast and Utah to the east. The border with Arizona includes the Colorado River. It is in a mountain region that includes semiarid grasslands and sandy deserts, and is the most arid (dry) state in the nation. Nevada is a land of rugged, snow-capped mountains, grassy valleys and sandy deserts.

Economy

Nevada's total gross state product for 1999 was $69 billion placing it 32^nd in the nation. Its 2000 Per Capita Personal Income was $30,529 or 14^th in the nation. Its agricultural outputs are cattle, hay, dairy products, and potatoes. Its industrial outputs are tourism, mining, machinery, printing and publishing, food processing, and electric equipment. It is well-known for gambling and nightlife. Large, luxurious casinos in Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe and Reno attract visitors from around the world. Brothel prostitution is legal in most counties of Nevada, see prostitution in Nevada.

Demographics

As of the 2000 census, the population of Nevada is 1,711,263. Its population grew 8.4% (132,846) from its 1990 levels. According to the 2000 census, 89.6% (1,533,261) identified themselves as White, 5.5% (94,425) as Hispanic or Latino, 4% (68,541) as black, 1.3% (21,931) as Asian, 0.9% (14,896) as American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.05% (836) as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 2.8% (47,845) as other, and 1.4% (23,953) identified themselves as belonging to two or more races.

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.

Important Cities and Towns

The largest city is Las Vegas.

Education

Colleges and Universities

• Sierra Nevada College[?]
• University of Nevada System[?]
  • University of Nevada, Las Vegas
  • University of Nevada Reno[?]

Professional Sports Teams

• Las Vegas 51s, minor league baseball

External Links

• Official web site of Nevada: http://www.state.nv.us