Nevada (NV) is a predominantly desert state in the western USA, characterised by hot summers and mild winters. The largest city in Nevada is the world-famous Las Vegas, the capital is Carson City. Nevada’s economy is based on tourism, gambling, and resource extraction. Along with Las Vegas, major tourist attractions include Death Valley National Park, Hoover Dam and Lake Tahoe.
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Table of Contents
Quick Facts
Name Nevada Abbreviation NV Capital Carson City Largest city Las Vegas (Population: 660 929) Current time 7:55 Time zone Most of the state follows PST (UTC-8) and observes daylight saving time PDT (UTC-7). Only small areas around West Wendover near the Utah border observe MST (UTC-7) and MDT (UTC-6) in the summer. Population 3,104,617 (#32 most populous US state) Area 110,572 mi² (#7 largest US state) Admitted to the Union October 31, 1864 (#36 state to join) ⭐ Capital of Nevada
The capital of the state of Nevada is Carson City, which was founded in 1858 on the site of a busy California Trail trading post. It was named for fur trapper and famous Wild West pioneer Kit Carson. Carson City became first the capital of the Nevada Territory in 1861 and the capital of the independent state after Nevada entered the Union in 1864.
🏙️ Largest City in Nevada
The largest city in Nevada is Las Vegas, with a population of 660,929 in 2023. Henderson is second with 337,305 residents and the position of the third most populous city is held by North Las Vegas with a population of 284,771.
🕒 Time in Nevada
The current time in Nevada is 7:55. Most of the state is governed by Pacific Standard Time (PST, UTC-8) and switches to Daylight Saving Time from March to November. Only the town of West Wendover and its surrounding area is governed by Mountain Standard Time (MST, UTC-7) and transitions to Daylight Saving Time MDT (UTC-6) from March to November.
🧑🤝🧑 Population of Nevada
In 2023, Nevada had a total population of 3,104,617, making the state the 32nd most populous in the United States.
📍 Area of Nevada
Nevada’s total area is 110,572 mi², of which 109,781 mi² is land and only 791 mi² is water. Nevada is the 7th largest US state in terms of land area.
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Fun Facts About Nevada
🧩 Nevada Neighboring States
Nevada is bordered by five American states: California to the west and southwest, Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, Utah to the east, and Arizona to the south.
📅 Date of Nevada Statehood
Nevada was admitted to the Union on October 31, 1864 as the 36th state in the order, the predecessor being the Territory of Nevada.
📛 Nickname of the State of Nevada
Nevada’s official nickname is “The Silver State”, which refers to its rich silver deposits and their important role in the state’s history. The nickname “The Silver State” is also embossed on the license plates of cars registered in Nevada.
Nevada earned the nickname “The Sagebrush State” due to the vast fields of big sagebrush typical in some areas of the state. The sagebrush has been declared the official plant of Nevada.
The Nevada state flag includes the inscription “Battle Born”, which can be considered another unofficial nickname for Nevada. The text refers to the fact that Nevada gained its independence during the Civil War.
⛰️ Highest Mountain in Nevada
The highest mountain in Nevada is 13,140 ft Boundary Peak, which is part of the White Mountains and lies on the state’s border with California.
🏞️ Rivers in Nevada
The longest river in Nevada is the Colorado River, with the total length of flow in all states 1,448 mi. It is followed by the Owyhee River (346 mi), the Humboldt River (329 mi), the Amargosa River (185 mi), and the Reese River (181 mi).
🎓 Universities in Nevada
Most students are enrolled at the University of Nevada, which operates several campuses. University of Nevada, Las Vegas was founded in 1957 in the city of Paradise and today has around 28,500 students. The second largest is the University of Nevada, Reno, which has been enrolling students since 1874 and today has over 21 thousand students. The third major university is Nevada State University in Henderson, with more than 3,000 students.
✉️ Nevada ZIP Codes
Nevada has dedicated ZIP code ranges 889xx-891xx, 893xx-895xx and 897xx-898xx. You can look up the ZIP code for any address on the USPS website or see the ZIP Codes in the USA article for more information.
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Weather in Nevada
The best times to visit Nevada are spring and fall, when temperatures are not as high as in the summer months.
Spring in Nevada is pleasant, with temperatures varying significantly across different areas of the state. In Las Vegas, temperatures usually hover around 61°F to 72°F, and rainfall is not common. Thunderstorms can occur in late spring, yet these months are ideal for hiking and other outdoor activities.
Summers in Nevada are extremely hot, with temperatures in Las Vegas typically ranging between 90°F and 100°F. In desert areas in the south of the state, temperatures often exceed 104°F. Summer rains are rare in Nevada, with dry weather prevailing. The daytime heat tends to be exhausting for visitors to Nevada.
Autumn in Nevada brings a pleasant cool down to 59°F to 68°F. Rainfall remains minimal, making September and October the ideal months for exploring Nevada’s natural beauty.
Winter in Nevada varies from region to region. The northern part tends to be colder, temperatures can drop below freezing and snow showers can occur. The southern part of Nevada, including Las Vegas, tends to be warmer with stable weather and temperatures around 43°F to 54°F. Snowfall in Las Vegas is very unusual.
🌡️ Average Temperatures and Precipitation in Nevada
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Things to Do in Nevada
1️⃣ Las Vegas Strip
The Strip is 4.2 mi a long main avenue in Las Vegas. Hotels, casinos and more or less bizarre attractions surround the entertainment and nightlife center.
Some of the biggest attractions include the High Roller observation wheel, the giant Sphere entertainment arena, a replica of the Eiffel Tower, the Big Apple Coaster, the CBS Television City research center, and the Coca-Cola Store. The Bellagio, Mirage and other hotels are attractions in their own right.
Beyond the edge of the Strip, the fun continues with adrenaline-pumping attractions on the rooftop of The Strat or at the quirky Heart Attack Grill.
2️⃣ Grand Canyon Helicopter Tours
Grand Canyon National Park, or the western part of the Grand Canyon West, is one of the stalwarts of West Coast travel itineraries. From my own experience, I can recommend another experience where you can see the orange canyon from a completely different perspective.
Sightseeing helicopter tours over the Grand Canyon last 35 to 90 minutes, during which you can admire the beauty and majesty of a landscape that has been shaped over the last 5 to 6 million years.
3️⃣ Hoover Dam
Hoover Dam is located on the Nevada-Arizona border, 37 mi and approximately 45 minutes by car from downtown Las Vegas. The massive dam opened in 1936 after five years of construction, and its hydroelectric power plant is still an important source of energy for the area today.
Tourists can explore the bowels of the dam on a guided tour, where they can learn more about its construction and history. Adjacent to Hoover Dam is Lake Mead, one of the largest reservoirs in the United States.
4️⃣ Death Valley National Park
Death Valley National Park is considered to be the hottest place on Earth, as a record temperature was measured at Furnace Creek on July 10, 1913 134.1°F. The park is known for its colorful rocks, salt flats, and sand dunes.
A very interesting place is Badwater Basin, which lies 282 ft below sea level, making it the lowest point in North America. Death Valley is a place you should not miss when traveling in the western United States.
5️⃣ The Neon Museum
The Neon Museum collects old neon signs from hotels, casinos and other businesses in Las Vegas. The collection of one of the most photogenic museums in America includes around 250 original signs. Visitors can take a guided daytime tour or, even more interesting, a nighttime tour, when the lit neon signs stand out better.
6️⃣ Great Basin National Park
Great Basin National Park is located in a remote part of Nevada near the state border with Utah. The park is known for its diverse landscape that includes mountains, deserts and forests. The park’s main attraction is Wheeler Peak, with a summit at 13,064 ft. The park is also home to longleaf pines, which can live to an incredible age of 4,000-5,000 years.
There are several campsites in the park where you can spend the night stargazing. Conditions are ideal for stargazing due to minimal light smog.
7️⃣ The Mob Museum
The Mob Museum in downtown Las Vegas offers an in-depth look into the history of organized crime in the USA, with a focus on Sin City. Visitors can get up close and personal with real objects and exhibits that illustrate the struggle between the mob and the police.
The National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, as its official name is, also focuses on notorious criminals Al Capone and Bugsy Siegel.
8️⃣ Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is one of the most beautiful and pure alpine lakes in the United States, located right on the Nevada-California border. The lake offers a wide range of year-round activities for tourists, with hiking and biking trails, water sports facilities, and ski resorts in the winter months. Around the lake there are beautiful views of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and plenty of campgrounds.
9️⃣ Red Rock Canyon National Wildlife Refuge
Red Rock Canyon National Wildlife Refuge is located near the western edge of Las Vegas and is known for its rock formations and deep red sandstone cliffs. For a quick tour, take a drive along the 13.0 mi long scenic road, which offers spectacular views of the canyons and surrounding landscape.
Those who prefer to walk can choose from 11 hiking trails of varying difficulty, ranging in length from 1.7 mi to 5.4 mi. If you’re lucky, you may encounter bighorn sheep or wild mustang horses, animals typical of the area, along the way.
🔟 Area 51
Area 51 is a secret military base northwest of Las Vegas that is surrounded by mystery and conspiracy theories about aliens. Officially, the base is used to test aerospace technology, and more or less plausible theories suggest that aliens are being dissected here. Area 51 is off-limits to the public, but it is possible to reach the base’s borders.
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Largest Cities in Nevada
The table below shows the ten largest cities in the state of Nevada in 2023, the source of the data is the United States Census Bureau, a federal agency whose primary function is to count the population.
City County Population 1 Las Vegas Clark 660,929 Map of Las Vegas 2 Henderson Clark 337,305 Map of Henderson 3 North Las Vegas Clark 284,771 Map of North Las Vegas 4 Reno Washoe 274,915 Map of Reno 5 Sparks Washoe 110,323 Map of Sparks 6 Carson City – 58,036 Map of Carson City 7 Fernley Lyon 24,744 Map of Fernley 8 Mesquite Clark 22,786 Map of Mesquite 9 Elko Elko 20,785 Map of Elko 10 Boulder City Clark 14,828 Map of Boulder City -
Sports Teams in Nevada
🏒 Ice Hockey (NHL)
The only team from Nevada in the NHL is the Vegas Golden Knights, who were formed in 2017. The club is ranked in the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and plays its home games at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The team colors are steel gray, gold, red and black.
🏈 American Football (NFL)
As of the 2020 season, Nevada’s only representatives in the NFL are the Las Vegas Raiders, who are ranked in the West Division within the AFC Conference. The club moved from California, where it had played since 1970 under the name Oakland Raiders. Home games are played at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, and the club colors are silver and black.
🏀 Basketball (NBA)
No team from Nevada plays in the NBA.
⚾ Baseball (MLB)
Nevada is not represented in the MLB baseball league.
⚽ Soccer (MLS)
There is no team from Nevada in the MLS.
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Nevada State Symbols
The official state symbols are approved by the General Assembly and the adopted law is signed by the Governor of Nevada. The article below lists some of Nevada’s most famous symbols.
State Flag of Nevada
The Nevada flag in its current concept has been in use since 1929. The flag consists of a blue background with a white star, the words “Nevada” and “Battle Born” surrounded by sprigs of sagebrush in the upper left corner. In 1991, the state’s name was slightly modified, with the letters previously scattered around the white star, making the text illegible.
Great Seal of Nevada
The Great Seal was officially adopted in 1864, when Nevada became the 36th state of the United States. The landscape with its mountains and valleys, steam train, sunrise and cornfields symbolizes Nevada’s major industries and natural beauty.
State Mineral
One of Nevada’s most famous symbols is silver, which became the state’s official mineral in 1977. Silver was one of the major drivers of the economy, especially during the silver rush of the 19th century.
State Colors
Nevada’s state colors have been blue and silver since 1983. Blue represents the sky and open deserts of Nevada, while silver refers to the rich history of mining this precious metal.
State Flower
In 1917, the big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) became the official flower, which is typical in the dry regions of Nevada. Sagebrush plays a role in the desert ecosystem and as a plant symbolizes the hardiness and resilience of the state’s residents.
State Fish
Nevada’s fish symbol since 1981 has been the Lahontan cutthroat trout (Oncoryhnchus clarki henshawi), which is a native species in the Lahontan Reservoir in the western part of the state.
State Animal
The official state animal is the desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni), which excels in its ability to survive in extreme desert conditions. Sheep are good at navigating steep cliffs, which helps them escape predators.
State Reptile
Nevada’s state reptile since 1989 has been the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii), which is an endangered species due to declining populations. The desert tortoise spends most of its time in underground burrows, avoiding high temperatures, which may be why it can live up to 80 years.
State Song
In 1933, Home Means Nevada, then only a year old, became the national anthem, composed by local teacher and civic worker Bertha Eaton Raffetto. The song celebrates the beauty and uniqueness of Nevada as well as the pride residents take in their state.
State Chemical Element
Nevada lawmakers passed a law in 2019 that added neon to the list of state symbols. The gaseous chemical element is meant to resemble the lit-up streets of Las Vegas, for which neon signs are typical.
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