Nevada Geography

Basic Facts

• Geographical Region: West
• Size: 110567 sq.mi., 7th rank overall.
• Admitted to Statehood: October 31, 1864
• Population: 2,643,085;35th rank overall.
• Capital: Carson City
• Other Major City: Las Vegas
• Abbreviation: NV

Fun Facts

• Nickname: The Silver State
• State Flag: Click Here (opens window to 50states.com)
• State Bird: Mountain Bluebird (opens window to 50states.com)
• State Flower: Sagebrush (opens window to 50states.com)

Geographical Description

• Nevada is located almost entirely within the Great Basin.
• The northeastern corner is part of the Columbia Plateau. Here rivers and stream have carved out deep canyons with steep ridges.
• South of Carson City, the Sierra Nevada cuts across a portion of the state. These rugged mountains contain a beautiful glacial lake called Lake Tahoe.
• The Basin and Range Region characterizes the rest of the state. Here more than 150 mountain ranges running from north to south divide up the region. Most notably the Toiyabe and Toquima mountain ranges occupy the center of the state and the Snake and Toana mountain ranges to the east.

Map: Relief Map of NV

Industry

Tourism, gold, silver, mercury, machinery, printing and publishing, food processing, electric equipment, petroleum, diatomite, aerospace equipment.

Agriculture

sheep, cattle, hay, dairy products, potatoes, onions.

Other Information

Fun Facts:

• Charles Fey invented a slot machine named the Liberty Bell in 1899.
• Remains of old buildings are still on display at the ghost town of Rhyolite to pay homage to early pioneers and their dreams.
• Nevada comes from the Spanish word meaning snow-clad.
• Nevada is the largest gold producing state in the nation and second behind South Africa in the world.
• Death Valley is home of the kangaroo rat which can live its entire life without drinking a drop of liquid.

More Fun Facts: http://www.50states.com/facts/nevada.htm