Nevada State is located in three regions in the United States: the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions. Nevada State has a population of 2.7 million, making it the 35th-most populous state; and an area of 286,350 km2 or 110,561 square miles, which makes it the 7th largest within the nation. Over two-thirds of Nevada's inhabitants live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its three largest incorporated cities. Carson City is the capital of the state of Nevada.
The state of Nevada is semi-arid and largely desert, located within the Great Basin area. South of the Great Basin is the Mojave Desert, whereas the Lake Tahoe and Sierra Nevada mountain are located on the west edge of the state. About 86 percent of Nevada's land is owned by the US government under different jurisdictions, both civilian and military.
The name Nevada is derived from the nearby Sierra Nevada Mountains, which means "snow-capped mountain range" in Spanish. The land comprising the modern state was occupied by Native Americans of the Paiute, Shoshone, and Washoe tribes previous to European contact. It was subsequently claimed by Spain as a part of Alta California until the Mexican War of Independence brought it under Mexican control. The United States gained the territory in 1848 following its victory in the Mexican-American War and the area was finally incorporated as part of Utah Territory in the year 1850. The discovery of silver at the Comstock Lode during the year 1859 led to an increase in population which was an impetus to the creation of Nevada Territory out of western Utah Territory in 1861. On the 31st of October, the year 1864, Nevada became the 36th state.
The state of Nevada legalized gambling and lenient marriage and divorce proceedings in the 20th century, helping to grow the state into a main tourist location. The tourism business remains Nevada's biggest employer, with mining continuing to be a significant sector of the economy since Nevada is the world's fourth largest producer of gold.
The state of Nevada is officially known as the "Silver State" due to the importance of silver to its history and economy. It is likewise called the "Battle Born State" as it achieved statehood in the Civil War and the "Sagebrush State" for the native eponymous plant.
Nevada State has an estimated in 2010, a total state product of $126 billion, based on the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The resort areas and resorts of Las Vegas, Reno, Lake Tahoe, and Laughlin attract millions of tourists to Nevada State. In FY08 the total of 266 casinos with gaming revenue over $1m for the year, brought in revenue of $12 billion in gaming revenue, and $13 billion in non-gaming revenue. A review of gaming statistics could be found at Nevada gaming area.
Its agricultural outputs are hay, cattle, alfalfa, dairy products, onions, and potatoes. Its industrial outputs are mining, tourism, machinery, printing and publishing, food processing, and electric equipment.