Nevada
The Silver State
Quick Stats
Map
Seal & Motto
"All For Our Country"
Additional Information
Reflects patriotism and unity forged during the Civil War era.
Adopted 1866.
Population Growth
Overview
Nevada, the 'Silver State,' is the driest state in the U.S. and the most dramatic — a land of neon-blazing desert cities, vast empty basins, and a pioneering spirit of reinvention. Best known as the world's entertainment capital, it is also a rapidly growing tech and logistics hub transforming the American economy.
Historical Significance
Nevada officially joined the Union on October 31, 1864 — Halloween — as the 36th state, rushed to statehood during the Civil War for its strategic silver reserves. Its history reads like an American epic: from the massive Comstock Lode silver boom, to the construction of Hoover Dam, to Las Vegas rising overnight from desert sand into the world's most glamorous city.
Top Cities & Hubs
Las Vegas
Population: ~650,000The world's entertainment capital, a stunning city of neon and spectacle in the Mojave Desert, hosting over 40 million visitors annually and generating the nation's largest concentration of hotel rooms.
Henderson
Population: ~330,000The state's second-largest city and consistently ranked among the safest and best places to live in the U.S., a master-planned community with a thriving business and healthcare sector.
Reno
Population: ~270,000The "Biggest Little City in the World," transforming from a gaming town into a booming tech hub, home to Tesla's and Apple's massive data centers and a thriving University of Nevada.
North Las Vegas
Population: ~275,000A rapidly growing industrial and logistics powerhouse in the Las Vegas Valley, benefiting from Nevada's tax advantages to attract major manufacturing and distribution operations.
Carson City
Population: ~58,000The compact and historic state capital nestled in the Eagle Valley, featuring the landmark Nevada State Capitol and serving as a gateway to Lake Tahoe's recreational paradise.
Key Landmarks & Economy
Did You Know?
- Nevada is the driest state in the entire nation, receiving an average of only about 9.5 inches of rain per year across most of its territory.
- Las Vegas has more hotel rooms than any other city on Earth, with over 150,000 hotel and motel rooms, more than entire countries like Iceland or Luxembourg.
- Nevada is the largest gold-producing state in the U.S. and the fourth-largest in the world, far surpassing its famous silver-mining heritage in modern output.