View source for Nevada

{{short description|U.S. state}}
{{about|the U.S. state}}
{{redirect|Silver State}}
{{Merge from|Southern Nevada |discuss=Talk:Southern Nevada#Merge into Nevada Article|date=February 2025}}
{{Duplicated citations|reason=[[User:Polygnotus/DuplicateReferences|DuplicateReferences]] detected:<br>
* https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/NV/PST045221 (refs: 46, 47)<br>
|date=June 2025}}
{{use mdy dates|date = February 2025}}
{{use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox U.S. state
| name = Nevada
| image_flag = Flag of Nevada.svg
| flag_link = Flag of Nevada
| image_seal = State Seal of Nevada.svg
| image_map = Nevada in United States.svg
| nickname = The Silver State (official);<br />The Sagebrush State; The Battle Born State
| population_demonym = Nevadan
| motto = All for Our Country
| anthem = "[[Home Means Nevada]]"
| Former = [[Nevada Territory]], [[Utah Territory]], [[Arizona Territory]]
| seat = [[Carson City, Nevada|Carson City]]
| LargestCity = [[Las Vegas]]
| LargestCounty = [[Clark County, Nevada|Clark]]
| LargestMetro = [[Las Vegas Valley]]
| Governor = [[Joe Lombardo]] ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]])
| Lieutenant Governor = [[Stavros Anthony]] (R)
| Legislature = [[Nevada Legislature]]
| Upperhouse = [[Nevada Senate|Senate]]
| Lowerhouse = [[Nevada Assembly|Assembly]]
| Judiciary = [[Supreme Court of Nevada]]
| Senators = {{nowrap|[[Catherine Cortez Masto]] ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]])}} <br>
 {{nowrap|[[Jacky Rosen]] (D)}}
| Representative = {{nowrap|[[Nevada's 1st congressional district|1]]: [[Dina Titus]] (D)}}<br />{{nowrap|[[Nevada's 2nd congressional district|2]]: [[Mark Amodei]] (R)}}<br />{{nowrap|[[Nevada's 3rd congressional district|3]]: [[Susie Lee]] (D)}}<br />{{nowrap|[[Nevada's 4th congressional district|4]]: [[Steven Horsford]] (D)}}
| postal_code = NV
| TradAbbreviation = Nev.
| OfficialLang = [[Template:Official languages of U.S. states and territories|None]]
| area_rank = 7th
| area_total_sq_mi = 110,577
| area_total_km2 = 286,382
| area_land_sq_mi = 109,781.18
| area_land_km2 = 284,332
| area_water_sq_mi = 791
| area_water_km2 = 2,048
| area_water_percent = 0.72
| population_rank = 32nd
| population_as_of = 2024
| 2010Pop = {{IncreaseNeutral}} 3,267,467<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/NV/PST045224|accessdate=January 9, 2025|title= United States Census Quick Facts Nevada}}</ref>
| population_density_rank = 42nd
| 2000DensityUS = 26.8
| 2000Density = 10.3
| MedianHouseholdIncome = ${{round|76364|-2}} (2<span>0</span>23)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2024/demo/acsbr-023.pdf|title=Household Income in States and Metropolitan Areas: 2023|accessdate=January 12, 2025}}</ref>
| IncomeRank = [[List of U.S. states and territories by income#States and territories ranked by median household income|24th]]
| AdmittanceOrder = 36th
| AdmittanceDate = October 31, 1864
| timezone1 = [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific]]
| utc_offset1 = −08:00
| timezone1_DST = [[Pacific Daylight Time|PDT]]
| utc_offset1_DST = −07:00
| timezone1_location = most of state
| timezone2 = [[Mountain Time Zone (North America)|Mountain]]
| utc_offset2 = −07:00
| timezone2_DST = [[Mountain Daylight Time|MDT]]
| utc_offset2_DST = −06:00
| timezone2_location = [[West Wendover, Nevada|West Wendover]]
| Longitude = 114° 2′ W to 120° W
| Latitude = 35° N to 42° N
| width_mi = 322
| width_km = 519
| length_mi = 492
| length_km = 787
| elevation_max_point = [[Boundary Peak (Nevada)|Boundary Peak]]<ref>{{cite ngs|id=HR2576|designation=Boundary|access-date=October 20, 2011}}</ref><ref name=USGS>{{cite web|url=http://egsc.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html |title=Elevations and Distances in the United States |publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]] |year=2009 |access-date=October 24, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015012701/http://egsc.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html |archive-date=October 15, 2011 }}</ref>{{Efn|name=NAVD88|Elevation to [[North American Vertical Datum of 1988]]}}{{Efn|The distinction of highest point in Nevada goes to the summit of Boundary Peak, so named because it is very near the Nevada–California border, at the northern terminus of the White Mountains. However, Boundary Peak can be considered a subsidiary summit of Montgomery Peak, whose summit is in California, since the [[topographic prominence]] of Boundary Peak is only {{convert|253|ft}}, which falls under the often used {{convert|300|ft|adj=on}} cutoff for an independent peak. Also, Boundary Peak is less than {{convert|1|mi}} away from its higher neighbor. Hence Boundary Peak can be described as not being wholly within Nevada. By contrast, the prominence of Wheeler Peak, {{convert|13063|ft}}, is quite large and in fact it is the twelfth largest in the contiguous United States. Wheeler Peak is the highest point in a radius of more than {{convert |200|sqmi}} and is entirely within the state of Nevada.}}
| elevation_max_ft = 13,147
| elevation_max_m = 4007.1
| elevation_ft = 5,500
| elevation_m = 1680
| elevation_min_point = [[Colorado River]] at {{nowrap|California border}}<ref name=USGS/>{{Efn|name=NAVD88}}
| elevation_min_ft = 481
| elevation_min_m = 147
| iso_code = US-NV
| website = https://nv.gov
| Capital = Carson City, Nevada
| Representatives = 
}}
{{Infobox region symbols|country=United States
| state = Nevada
| bird = [[Mountain bluebird]] (''Sialia currucoides'')
| butterfly =
| crustacean =
| fish = [[Lahontan cutthroat trout]] (''Oncorhynchus clarkii henshawi'')
| flower = [[Sagebrush]] (''Artemisia tridentata'')
| horse =
| insect = [[Argia vivida|Vivid Dancer Damselfly]] (''Argia vivida'')
| mammal = [[Desert bighorn sheep]]
| reptile = [[Desert tortoise]] (''Gopherus agassizii'')
| tree = [[Bristlecone pine]], [[Pinus monophylla|Single-leaf Piñon]] (''Pinus monophylla'')
| beverage =
| colors =Silver, Blue
| dance =
| food =
| fossil = [[Shonisaurus|Ichthyosaur]] (''Shonisaurus popularis'')
| gemstone =Virgin Valley Black Fire Opal
| mineral = [[Silver]]
| instrument =
| poem =
| rock = [[Sandstone]]
| shell =
| slogan =
| soil = [[Orovada (soil)|Orovada]] series
| sport =
| toy =
| other = Element: [[Neon]]
| image_route = Nevada 147.svg
| image_quarter = 2006 NV Proof.png
| quarter_release_date = 2006
| song=[[Home Means Nevada]]|grass=[[Oryzopsis hymenoides|Indian Rice Grass]]
}}
'''Nevada''' ({{IPAc-en|n|ə|ˈ|v|æ|d|ə|}} {{respell|nə|VAD|ə}};<ref>{{Cite Merriam-Webster|Nevada|accessdate=2024-03-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite LPD|3}}</ref> {{IPA|es|neˈβaða|lang|Pronunciation of Nevada in Spanish.ogg}}) is a landlocked [[U.S. state|state]] in the [[Western United States]].{{Efn|Also sometimes placed in the [[Mountain States|Mountain West]] and [[Southwestern United States]]}} It borders [[Oregon]] to the northwest, [[Idaho]] to the northeast, [[California]] to the west, [[Arizona]] to the southeast, and [[Utah]] to the east. Nevada is the [[List of U.S. states and territories by area|seventh-most extensive]], the [[List of U.S. states and territories by population|32nd-most populous]], and the [[List of U.S. states and territories by population density|ninth-least densely populated]] U.S. state. Nearly three-quarters of Nevada's population live in [[Clark County, Nevada|Clark County]], which contains the [[Las Vegas–Paradise, NV MSA|Las Vegas–Paradise metropolitan area]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas Population Totals: 2010-2017 |url=https://census.gov/data/tables/2017/demo/popest/total-metro-and-micro-statistical-areas.html |url-status= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926205910/https://census.gov/data/tables/2017/demo/popest/total-metro-and-micro-statistical-areas.html |archive-date=September 26, 2018 |access-date=March 2, 2019 |website=2017 Population Estimates |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]], Population Division}}</ref> including three of the state's four largest incorporated cities.<ref>{{cite web |title=City and Town Population Totals: 2010-2017 |url=https://census.gov/data/tables/2017/demo/popest/total-cities-and-towns.html |url-status= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328165215/https://census.gov/data/tables/2017/demo/popest/total-cities-and-towns.html |archive-date=March 28, 2019 |access-date=March 2, 2019 |website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> Nevada's capital is [[Carson City, Nevada|Carson City]]. [[Las Vegas]] is the largest city in the state.

Nevada is officially known as the "Silver State" because of the importance of silver to its history and economy. It is also known as the "Battle Born State" because it achieved statehood during the [[American Civil War|Civil War]] (the words "Battle Born" also appear on [[Flag of Nevada|its state flag]]); due to the [[Presidency of Abraham Lincoln|presidency]] of [[Abraham Lincoln]], the Union  benefited immensely from the support of newly awarded statehood by the infusion of the monetary support of nearly $400 million in silver ore generated at the time by the [[Comstock Lode]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/the-almanac-of-american-politics-on-nevada-and-lombardo|title=The Almanac of American Politics on Nevada and Lombardo|date=July 13, 2023 }}</ref> It is also known as the "[[Sagebrush]] State", for the native plant of the same name; and as the "[[Sage grouse|Sage-hen]] State".<ref>{{Cite Americana|wstitle= Sage-brush State}}</ref>  The state's name means "snowy" in Spanish, referring to Nevada's extensive number of [[List_of_mountain_ranges_of_Nevada|mountain ranges]] capped with snow in winter, which help make Nevada among the [[List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_elevation|highest US states by mean altitude]]. These include the [[Carson Range]] portion of the [[Sierra Nevada]] (and about 1/3 of [[Lake Tahoe]] by surface area), as well as the [[Toiyabe Range]], [[Ruby Mountains]], and [[Spring Mountains]] (which exemplify the [[Sky island|sky islands]] of the [[Great Basin montane forests]]), in western, central, northeastern, and southern Nevada, respectively. Nevada is the driest U.S. state, both lying in the [[rain shadow]] of the Sierra Nevada and receiving among the highest [[solar irradiance]] of any U.S. state, and is thus largely [[desert]] and [[Semi-arid climate|semi-arid]]. Nevada comprises the majority of the [[Great Basin]], as well as a large portion of the [[Mojave Desert]]. In 2020, 80.1% of the state's land was managed by various jurisdictions of the [[Federal government of the United States|U.S. federal government]], both civilian and military.<ref>{{cite report |title=Federal Land Ownership: Overview and Data |date=February 21, 2020 |number=R42346 |publisher=[[Congressional Research Service]] |url=https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R42346 |access-date=September 8, 2024}}</ref>

[[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]] of the [[Paiute]], [[Shoshone]], and [[Washoe people|Washoe]] tribes inhabit what is now Nevada. The first Europeans to explore the region were Spanish. They called the region ''Nevada'' (snowy) because of the snow which covered the mountains in winter, similar to the [[Sierra Nevada (Spain)|Sierra Nevada in Spain]]. The area formed from mostly [[Alta California]] and part of [[Santa Fe de Nuevo México|Nuevo México]]'s territory within the [[Viceroyalty of New Spain]], which gained independence as Mexico in 1821. The United States annexed the area in 1848 after its victory in the [[Mexican–American War]], and it was incorporated as part of the [[New Mexico Territory|New Mexico]] and [[Utah Territory]] in 1850. The discovery of silver at the [[Comstock Lode]] in 1859 led to a population boom that became an impetus to the creation of [[Nevada Territory]] out of western Utah Territory in 1861. Nevada became the 36th state on October 31, 1864, as the second of two states added to the Union during the Civil War (the first being [[West Virginia]]).<ref>Rocha, Guy [http://nsla.nevadaculture.org//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=674&Itemid=418 "Myth No.{{spaces}}12{{snd}}Why Did Nevada Become a State?"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131024003357/http://nsla.nevadaculture.org//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=674&Itemid=418 |date=October 24, 2013 }}, Nevada State Library and Archives, accessed January 9, 2011</ref>

Nevada is known for its [[Libertarianism|libertarian]] laws. In 1940, with a [[List of U.S. states by historical population|population]] of just over 110,000 people, Nevada was by far the least-populated state, with less than half the population of the next least-populous state, [[Wyoming]].<ref name="Census1900">{{cite web |title=Race and Hispanic Origin: 1790 to 1990 by State |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0056/tabs15-65.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141121134738/http://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0056/tabs15-65.pdf |archive-date=November 21, 2014 |access-date=July 16, 2014 |website= |publisher=US Census}}</ref> However, legalized [[Gambling in the United States|gambling]] and [[Marriage law|lenient marriage and divorce laws]] transformed Nevada into a major tourist destination in the 20th century.<ref>{{Cite news
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170712131210/https://lasvegassun.com/news/2000/aug/11/where-i-stand----bill-bible-protect-gamings-legacy/
| archive-date = 12 July 2017
|series=Where I Stand (opinion) 
| author = Bill Bible
|title= Protect gaming's legacy 
|newspaper =  Las Vegas Sun
|date=11 August 2000
|url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/2000/aug/11/where-i-stand----bill-bible-protect-gamings-legacy/|access-date=2023-03-17}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171229083632/http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2010/07/betty_goes_reno.html
| archive-date = 29 December 2017
|last=Jain|first=Priya|date=21 July 2010|title=Betty Goes Reno|language=en-US|work=Slate|url=https://slate.com/culture/2010/07/a-visit-to-the-glamorous-divorce-ranches-of-the-mad-men-era.html|access-date=2023-03-17|issn=1091-2339}}</ref> Nevada is the only U.S. state where [[Prostitution in Nevada|prostitution]] is legal, though it is illegal in its most populated regions{{snd}}Clark County (Las Vegas), [[Washoe County, Nevada|Washoe County]] ([[Reno]]) and [[Carson City]] (which, as an independent city, is not within the boundaries of any county). The tourism industry remains Nevada's largest employer,<ref>[http://detr.state.nv.us/Press/UI_Rate_Releases/2010/Nov_2010_emp_stats.pdf "Nevada Employment & Unemployment Estimates for November 2010"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170525073633/http://detr.state.nv.us/Press/UI_Rate_Releases/2010/Nov_2010_emp_stats.pdf |date=May 25, 2017 }}, Nevada Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation.</ref> with mining continuing as a substantial sector of the economy: Nevada is the fourth-largest producer of gold in the world.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-02-23|title=Mining FAQs |publisher= Nevada Mining Association|url=https://www.nevadamining.org/education/faqs/|access-date=2023-03-17|language=en-US
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180123200859/http://www.nevadamining.org/faq/index.php |archive-date=January 23, 2018}}</ref> 

[[Drought]]s in Nevada, which are influenced by [[climate change]], have been increasing in frequency and severity,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://m.lasvegassun.com/news/2022/feb/15/west-megadrought-worsens-to-driest-in-at-least-120/ |title=West megadrought worsens to driest in at least 1,200 years |work=Las Vegas Sun |last=Bornstein |first=Seth |agency=Associated Press |date=February 15, 2022 |access-date=September 12, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220306024048/https://m.lasvegassun.com/news/2022/feb/15/west-megadrought-worsens-to-driest-in-at-least-120/ |archive-date=March 6, 2022 }}</ref> putting a further strain on Nevada's [[water security]]. Nonetheless, Nevada is among the leaders in adapting to climate change, including via [[Climatology|climate science]] at [[Desert Research Institute]], extensive [[Reclaimed water|water recycling]] in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, voter-mandated investment in [[Solar power in Nevada|solar power]], hosting leading [[electric vehicle]] manufacturing ecosystem resources at the largest [[Tahoe Reno Industrial Center|industrial park]] in the U.S., and developing the largest [[Thacker Pass lithium mine|lithium mine]] in the U.S. for use in [[Electric battery|electric batteries]].

==Etymology==
The name "Nevada" comes from the Spanish adjective {{Lang|es|nevada}} ({{IPA|es|neˈβaða|}}), meaning "snowy" or "snow-covered".<ref>{{cite web |title=Nevada |url=http://www.wordreference.com/es/en/translation.asp?spen=nevada |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071225103913/http://www.wordreference.com/es/en/translation.asp?spen=nevada |archive-date=December 25, 2007 |access-date=February 24, 2007 |publisher=[[WordReference.com]]}}</ref> The state takes its name from the [[Nevada Territory]], which in turn was named for the [[Sierra Nevada]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nevada |url=https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=Nevada |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210901115959/https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=Nevada |archive-date=September 1, 2021 |access-date=September 1, 2021 |website=Online Etymology Dictionary}}</ref>

===Standard pronunciation===
Nevadans pronounce the second syllable with the "a" of "apple" ({{IPAc-en|n|ə|ˈ|v|æ|d|ə}}). Despite this, some people from outside of the state pronounce it with the "a" of "palm" ({{IPAc-en|n|ə|ˈ|v|ɑː|d|ə}}).<ref>{{cite web |author=McCabe |first=Francis |date=October 18, 2018 |title=You Say Nevada, I Say Nevada… |url=https://www.unlv.edu/news/article/you-say-nevada-i-say-nevada |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190801193302/https://www.unlv.edu/news/article/you-say-nevada-i-say-nevada |archive-date=August 1, 2019 |access-date=November 26, 2019 |website=[[University of Nevada, Las Vegas]]}}</ref> Although the [[Vowel#Articulation|quality]], but not the [[Vowel length|length]], of the latter pronunciation is closer to the Spanish pronunciation (Spanish {{IPA|/a/}} is [[Open central unrounded vowel|open central]] {{IPA|[ä]}},<ref>{{Citation|last1=Ladefoged|first1=Peter|last2=Johnson|first2=Keith|author-link=Peter Ladefoged|year=2010|title=A Course in Phonetics|edition=6th|publisher=Wadsworth Publishing|place=Boston, Massachusetts|page=227|isbn=978-1-4282-3126-9}}</ref> whereas American English {{IPA|/ɑː/}} varies from [[Open back unrounded vowel|back]] {{IPA|[ɑː]}} to central {{IPA|[äː]}}),<ref>{{Accents of English|hide1=y|hide2=y}}. Page 476.</ref> it is not the pronunciation used by Nevadans. State Assemblyman [[Harry Mortenson]] proposed a bill to recognize the alternative pronunciation of Nevada,<ref>{{cite news|first=Guy |last=Clifton |url=http://www.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20108220380|title=You heard it right: Bill would let them say Ne-VAH-da|date=August 22, 2010|newspaper=[[Reno Gazette-Journal]]}}</ref> though the bill was not supported by most legislators and never received a vote. The Nevadan pronunciation is the one used by the state legislature. At one time, the state's official tourism organization, TravelNevada, stylized the name of the state as "Nevăda", with a [[breve]] over the ''a'' indicating the locally preferred pronunciation,<ref>{{cite web |title=Nevada: A World Within. A State Apart. &#124; Nevada Travel & Tourism |url=http://travelnevada.com/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131229064306/http://travelnevada.com/ |archive-date=December 29, 2013 |access-date=October 7, 2016 |publisher=Travel Nevada}}</ref> which was also available as a license plate design until 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nevada Tourism License Plate |url=https://dmvnv.com/images/tourism.jpg |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190703071346/https://dmvnv.com/images/tourism.jpg |archive-date=July 3, 2019 |access-date=July 3, 2019 |website=[[Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles]]}}</ref>

==History==
{{Main|History of Nevada}}{{Further|History of Las Vegas}}

=== Indigenous history ===
Before the arrival of Europeans, the earliest inhabitants were Indigenous tribes including the [[Goshute]], [[Southern Paiute people|Southern Paiute]], [[Mohave people|Mohave]], and Wašišiw ([[Washoe people]]).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://jic.nv.gov/About/History_of_Nevada/ |title=History of Nevada |access-date=March 14, 2022 |archive-date=November 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106194807/https://jic.nv.gov/About/History_of_Nevada/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=6UTVDwAAQBAJ&dq=Before+the+arrival+of+Europeans%2C+the+earliest+inhabitants+were+Native+American+tribes+including+the+Shoshone%2C+the+Paiute%2C+the+Mohave%2C+and+the+Washoe.&pg=PA185|title = Native Americans State by State|isbn = 9780785835875|last1 = Sapp|first1 = Rick|date = October 16, 2018| publisher=Book Sales |access-date = March 25, 2022|archive-date = April 17, 2022|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220417035929/https://books.google.com/books?id=6UTVDwAAQBAJ&dq=Before+the+arrival+of+Europeans,+the+earliest+inhabitants+were+Native+American+tribes+including+the+Shoshone,+the+Paiute,+the+Mohave,+and+the+Washoe.&pg=PA185|url-status = live}}</ref>

===Before 1861===
{{Main|1 = The Californias#History|2 = Alta California}}
{{further|1 = Treaty of Córdoba|2 = Declaration of Independence of the Mexican Empire|3 = First Mexican Empire|4 = Provisional Government of Mexico|5 = First Mexican Republic|6 = Centralist Republic of Mexico|7 = Siete Leyes|8 = Definitive treaty of peace and friendship between Mexico and Spain}}

[[File:Mexico 1824 (equirectangular projection).png|thumb|upright=1.5|Mexico in 1824. [[Alta California]] included today's Nevada.|left]]

[[Francisco Garcés]] was the first European in the area.<ref>{{cite web |title=Explorers and Settlers in Nevada |url=http://scottforesman.com/state/nv/washoe/pdfs/g4_less03.pdf |publisher=Washoe County School District |page=2 |access-date=May 20, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716020035/http://scottforesman.com/state/nv/washoe/pdfs/g4_less03.pdf |archive-date=July 16, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> Nevada was annexed as a part of the [[Spanish Empire]] in the northwestern territory of [[New Spain]]. Administratively, the area of Nevada was part of the [[Provincias Internas|Commandancy General of the Provincias Internas]] in the Viceroyalty of New Spain. Nevada became a part of [[Alta California]] (Upper California) province in 1804 when [[the Californias]] were split. With the [[Mexican War of Independence]] won in 1821, the province of Alta California became a territory (state) of Mexico, with a small population.

[[Jedediah Smith]] entered the [[Las Vegas Valley]] in 1827, [[Peter Skene Ogden]] traveled the [[Humboldt River]] in 1828, and in 1829 a merchant from [[Santa Fe de Nuevo México|Nuevo México]] named [[Antonio Armijo]] streamlined travel along the [[Old Spanish Trail (trade route)|Old Spanish Trail]]. Chronicling [[Old Spanish Trail (trade route)#Armijo Route|Armijo's route]] his scout [[Raphael Rivera]] was the first to name Las Vegas, in an 1830 report to governor [[José Antonio Chaves]]. Following the suggestions by Rivera of a spring, on the published expedition's map, located in the Las Vegas area [[John C. Frémont]] set up camp in [[Las Vegas Springs]] in 1844. In 1847, Mormons established the [[State of Deseret]], claiming all of Nevada within the Great Basin and the Colorado watershed. They built the first permanent settlement in what is now Nevada, called [[Genoa, Nevada|Mormon Station]] (now Genoa), in 1851. Additionally, in June 1855, William Bringhurst and 29 other Mormon missionaries built the first permanent structure, a 150-foot square [[Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park|adobe fort]], northeast of downtown Las Vegas, converging on the Spanish and [[Mormon Road]]s. The fort remained under [[Salt Lake City]]'s control until the winter of 1858–1859, and the route remained largely under the control of Salt Lake City and [[Santa Fe, New Mexico|Santa Fe]] tradespersons.

As such, these pioneers laid the foundation for the emergence of the initial settlements between the [[Sierra Nevada]]s and [[Mojave Desert]] and within the Las Vegas Valley. The enduring influence of [[New Mexico]] and [[Utah]] culture has since profoundly impacted Nevada's identity, manifesting through [[New Mexican cuisine]] and [[Mormon foodways]] or [[New Mexico music|New Mexican]] and [[Mormon folk music]]s, into the fabric of Nevada's own cultural landscape.

As a  result of the [[Mexican–American War]] and the [[Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo]], Mexico permanently lost Alta California in 1848. The new areas acquired by the United States continued to be administered as territories. As part of the [[Mexican Cession]] (1848) and the subsequent [[California Gold Rush]] that used [[Emigrant Trail]]s through the area, the [[Territorial evolution of Nevada|state's area evolved]] first as part of the [[Utah Territory]] and [[New Mexico Territory]], then the [[Nevada Territory]] (March 2, 1861; named for the [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevada]]).<ref>{{cite web |title=Online Etymology Dictionary |url=http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=Nevada&searchmode=none |access-date=May 20, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606102953/http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=Nevada&searchmode=none |archive-date=June 6, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:Early 19th Century locomotive in Ely, Nevada.JPG|thumb|Sculpture representing a steam locomotive, in Ely, Nevada. Early locomotives played an important part in Nevada's mining industry.|left]]

The first discovery of a major U.S. deposit of [[silver ore]] occurred in [[Comstock Lode]] under [[Virginia City, Nevada]], in 1859.

===Separation from Utah Territory===
{{Main|Utah Territory|Organic act#List of organic acts|Nevada Territory|Nevada in the American Civil War}}
[[File:Nevada Territory in 1861.svg|thumb|upright|Nevada territory in 1861]]
On March 2, 1861, the Nevada Territory separated from the Utah Territory and adopted its current name, shortened from ''The Sierra Nevada'' (Spanish for "snow-covered mountain range"). The 1861 southern boundary is commemorated by [[Nevada Historical Markers]] 57 and 58 in the [[Lincoln County, Nevada|Lincoln]] and [[Nye County, Nevada|Nye]] counties.

===Statehood (1864)===
{{Main|Admission to the Union|List of U.S. states by date of admission to the Union|Nevada in the American Civil War|Constitution of Nevada}}
[[File:Map of the States of California and Nevada by SB Linton 1876.jpg|thumb|Map of the States of California and Nevada by SB Linton, 1876]]
Eight days before the [[1864 United States presidential election|presidential election of 1864]], Nevada became the 36th state in the Union, despite lacking the minimum 60,000 residents that [[United States Congress|Congress]] typically required a potential state to have in order to become a state.<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia
|title=Nevada
|author1-first = Roman J. | author1-last = Zorn
|author2-first = Gregory Lewis | author2-last = McNamee
|display-authors = etal
|year=2023
|encyclopedia= Britannica|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Nevada-state/History|access-date=2023-03-17|language=en}}</ref> At the time, Nevada's population was little more than 40,000.<ref name=HistoryChannel>{{cite web |title=The U.S. Congress admits Nevada as the 36th state |url=https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-u-s-congress-admits-nevada-as-the-36th-state |publisher=The History Channel |access-date=September 30, 2023 |date=October 29, 2020 }}</ref> Governor [[James W. Nye]] was frustrated that previous attempts to send the constitution via overland mail and by sea had failed by October 24, so on October 26 the full text was sent by telegraph at a cost of $4,303.27<ref name=NationalArchives>{{cite web |title=National Archives Celebrates the 145th Anniversary of Nevada Statehood |url=https://www.archives.gov/press/press-releases/2009/nr09-127.html |publisher=National Archives of the United States |access-date=November 4, 2011 |date=September 23, 2009 |archive-date=October 20, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111020221208/http://www.archives.gov/press/press-releases/2009/nr09-127.html |url-status=live }}</ref>{{Efn|The National Archives press release states that the cost was $4,313.27, but the amount $4,303.27 is actually written on the document.}}{{snd}}the most costly telegraph on file at the time for a single dispatch, {{Inflation|US|4303.27|1864|r=2|fmt=eq}}. Finally, the response from Washington came on October 31, 1864: "the pain is over, the child is born, Nevada this day was admitted into the Union". Statehood was rushed to the date of October 31 to help ensure [[Abraham Lincoln]]'s reelection on November{{spaces}}8 and post-Civil War [[United States Republican Party|Republican]] dominance in Congress,<ref>Rocha Guy, [http://dmla.clan.lib.nv.us/docs/nsla/archives/myth/myth12.htm ''Historical Myth a Month: Why Did Nevada Become A State?''] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080113222250/http://dmla.clan.lib.nv.us/docs/nsla/archives/myth/myth12.htm |date=January 13, 2008 }}</ref> as Nevada's mining-based economy tied it to the more industrialized [[Union (American Civil War)|Union]]. As it turned out, however, Lincoln and the Republicans won the election handily and did not need Nevada's help.

Nevada is one of only two states to significantly expand its borders after admission to the Union, with the other being [[Missouri]], which acquired additional territory in 1837 due to the [[Platte Purchase]]. In 1866, another part of the western Utah Territory was added to Nevada in the eastern part of the state, setting the current eastern boundary. Nevada achieved its current southern boundaries on January 18, 1867, when it absorbed the portion of [[Pah-Ute County, Arizona|Pah-Ute County]] in the [[Arizona Territory]] west of the Colorado River, essentially all of present-day Nevada south of the [[37th parallel north|37th parallel]]. The transfer was prompted by the discovery of gold in the area, and officials thought Nevada would be better able to oversee the expected population boom. This area includes all of what is now [[Clark County, Nevada|Clark County]] and the southern-most portions of [[Esmeralda County, Nevada|Esmeralda]], Lincoln, and Nye counties.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Tannenbaum |first1=Austin |title=Did Nevada's original southern boundary exclude Las Vegas? |url=https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/fact-brief-did-nevadas-original-southern-boundary-exclude-las-vegas |website=The Nevada Independent |access-date=1 December 2024 |date=March 10, 2023}}</ref>

[[File:A654, Tom Kelly's bottle house, Rhyolite, Nevada, United States, 2011.jpg|thumb|Bottle house in the mining ghost town of [[Rhyolite, Nevada|Rhyolite]]; built in 1906 with about 50,000 bottles<ref>Coffin, Laura A. (9 March 2012). [https://www.nbmog.org/bottlehouse The Bottle Houses of the Old West] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20221001153501/https://www.nbmog.org/bottlehouse archive]). [[New Bedford Museum of Glass]]. Retrieved 13 February 2024. "In 1906, at the age of 76...[Tom Kelly] laid all the bottles on their sides, with the bottoms facing out, and mortared them together with adobe mud."</ref>]]
Mining shaped Nevada's economy for many years (see ''[[Silver mining in Nevada]]''). When [[Mark Twain]] lived in Nevada during the period described in ''[[Roughing It]]'', mining had led to an industry of speculation and immense wealth. Both mining and population temporarily declined in the late 19th century. However, the rich silver strike at [[Tonopah, Nevada|Tonopah]] in 1900, followed by strikes in [[Goldfield, Nevada|Goldfield]] and [[Rhyolite, Nevada|Rhyolite]], created a second mining boom in  Nevada and Nevada's population.

====Gambling and labor====
Unregulated [[gambling]] was commonplace in the early Nevada mining towns but was outlawed in 1909 as part of a nationwide anti-gambling crusade. Because of subsequent declines in mining output and the decline of the agricultural sector during the [[Great Depression]], Nevada again legalized gambling on March 19, 1931, with approval from the legislature. Governor [[Fred B. Balzar]]'s signature enacted the most liberal divorce laws in the country and open gambling. The reforms came just eight days after the federal government presented the $49{{spaces}}million construction contract for Boulder Dam (now [[Hoover Dam]]).<ref>Moe, Al W. ''Nevada's Golden Age of Gambling'', [https://www.amazon.com/Nevadas-Golden-Gambling-Revised-Expanded/dp/0971501904/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1322275959&sr=1-1 Puget Sound Books] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200313065525/https://www.amazon.com/Nevadas-Golden-Gambling-Revised-Expanded/dp/0971501904/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1322275959&sr=1-1 |date=March 13, 2020 }}, 2002, p. 18</ref>

====Nuclear testing====
The [[Nevada Test Site]], {{convert|65|mi}} northwest of the city of Las Vegas, was founded on January 11, 1951, for the testing of [[nuclear weapons]]. The site consists of about {{convert|1350|sqmi}} of the desert and mountainous terrain. [[Nuclear test]]ing at the Nevada Test Site began with a {{convert|1|ktonTNT|sp=us}} nuclear bomb dropped on [[Frenchman Flat]] on January 27, 1951. The last atmospheric test was conducted on July 17, 1962, and the underground testing of weapons continued until September 23, 1992. The location is known for having the highest concentration of nuclear-detonated weapons in the U.S.

Over 80% of the state's area is owned by the federal government. This is mainly because [[Homestead Acts|homesteads]] were not permitted in large enough sizes to be viable in the arid conditions that prevail throughout desert Nevada. Instead, early settlers would homestead land surrounding a water source, and then graze livestock on the adjacent public land, which is useless for agriculture without access to water (this pattern of [[ranching]] still prevails).

==== 2020s ====
The [[COVID-19 pandemic]] was confirmed in Nevada on March 5, 2020. Because of concerns about [[coronavirus disease 2019]] (COVID-19), Nevada governor [[Steve Sisolak]] declared a [[state of emergency]] on March 12, 2020. Four days later, Nevada reported its first death. On March 17, 2020, Sisolak ordered the closure of non-essential businesses in the state to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Various protests were held against Sisolak's shutdown order beginning in April 2020. Nevada launched the first phase of its reopening on May 9, 2020. Restaurants, retailers, outdoor malls, and hair salons were among the businesses allowed to reopen, but with precautions in place, such as limiting occupancy to 50 percent. A second phase went into effect on May 29, 2020. It allowed for the reopening of [[List of Nevada state parks|state parks]] and businesses such as bars, gyms, and movie theaters. Casinos began reopening on June 4, 2020.

==Geography==
{{See also|Geography of Nevada}}
{{more citations needed|date=December 2021}}
[[File:CCF12262007 00003.jpg|thumb|upright|Mountains west of Las Vegas in the [[Mojave Desert]]]]
[[File:Valley in Nevada.jpg|alt=A landscape shot of a long, dry valley. The sky is partially clouded over but blue sky breaks through in patches. It is a showcase of Nevada's natural beauty.|thumb|left|A valley near [[Pyramid Lake (Nevada)|Pyramid Lake]]]]
[[File:Digital-elevation-map-nevada.gif|thumb|left|Topographic map of Nevada]]

Nevada is almost entirely within the [[Basin and Range Province]] and is broken up by many north–south mountain ranges. Most of these ranges have [[Endorheic basin|endorheic]] valleys between them.

Much of the northern part of the state is within the [[Great Basin]], a mild desert that experiences hot temperatures in the summer and cold temperatures in the winter. Occasionally, moisture from the [[Arizona Monsoon]] will cause summer thunderstorms; Pacific storms may blanket the area with snow. The state's highest recorded temperature was {{convert|125|°F|°C|0}} in [[Laughlin, Nevada|Laughlin]] (elevation of {{convert|605|ft|disp=or|sp=us}}) on June 29, 1994.<ref name="ReferenceA">National Climatic Data Center, Asheville, N.C., and Storm Phillips, Stormfax, Inc.</ref> The coldest recorded temperature was {{convert|-52|°F|°C|0|lk=on}} set in San Jacinto in 1972, in the northeastern portion of the state.<ref name="ReferenceA" />

The [[Humboldt River]] crosses the state from east to west across the northern part of the state, draining into the [[Humboldt Sink]] near [[Lovelock, Nevada|Lovelock]]. Several rivers drain from the Sierra Nevada eastward, including the [[Walker River|Walker]], [[Truckee River|Truckee]], and [[Carson River|Carson]] rivers. All of these rivers are [[endorheic basin]]s, ending in [[Walker Lake (Nevada)|Walker Lake]], [[Pyramid Lake (Nevada)|Pyramid Lake]], and the [[Carson Sink]], respectively. However, not all of Nevada is within the Great Basin. Tributaries of the [[Snake River]] drain the far north, while the [[Colorado River]], which also forms much of the boundary with [[Arizona]], drains much of southern Nevada.

The mountain ranges, some of which have peaks above {{convert|13000|ft}}, harbor lush forests high above desert plains, creating [[sky island]]s for endemic species. The valleys are often no lower in elevation than {{convert|3000|ft}}, while some in central Nevada are above {{convert|6000|ft}}.
[[File:Charge! Little Finland, NV.jpg|thumb|[[Little Finland]] rock formation in Nevada]]

The southern third of the state, where the Las Vegas area is situated, is within the [[Mojave Desert]]. The area receives less rain in the winter but is closer to the Arizona Monsoon in the summer. The terrain is also lower, mostly below {{convert|4000|ft}}, creating conditions for hot summer days and cool to chilly winter nights.

Nevada and California have by far the longest diagonal [[Line (geometry)|line]] (in respect to the cardinal directions) as a state [[Border|boundary]] at just over {{convert|400|mi}}. This line begins in [[Lake Tahoe]] nearly {{convert|4|mi}} offshore (in the direction of the boundary), and continues to the [[Colorado River]] where the Nevada, California, and Arizona boundaries merge {{convert|12|mi}} southwest of the Laughlin Bridge.

The largest mountain range in the southern portion of the state is the [[Spring Mountains|Spring Mountain Range]], just west of Las Vegas. The state's lowest point is along the Colorado River, south of Laughlin.

Nevada has 172 mountain summits with {{convert|2000|ft}} of prominence. Nevada ranks second, after Alaska, for the greatest number of mountains in the United States, followed by California, Montana, and Washington.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Nevada Mountains|url=https://peakvisor.com/adm/nevada.html|access-date=2023-03-17|website=PeakVisor|language=en}}</ref>

===Climate===
{{further|Climate change in Nevada}}
[[File:Köppen Climate Types Nevada.png|left|thumb|upright=1.35|[[Köppen climate classification|Köppen climate types]] of Nevada, using 1991–2020 [[Climatological normal|climate normals]].]]
Nevada is the driest state in the United States.<ref>{{cite web |last=Osborn |first=Liz |url=http://www.currentresults.com/Weather-Extremes/US/driest-states.php |title=Driest states |publisher=Currentresults.com |access-date=January 17, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117095100/http://www.currentresults.com/Weather-Extremes/US/driest-states.php |archive-date=January 17, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> It is made up of mostly desert and semi-arid climate regions, and, with the exception of the [[Las Vegas Valley (landform)|Las Vegas Valley]], the average summer [[diurnal temperature range]] approaches {{convert|40|F-change|C-change}} in much of the state. While winters in northern Nevada are long and fairly cold, the winter season in the southern part of the state tends to be of short duration and mild. Most parts of Nevada receive scarce precipitation during the year. The most rain that falls in the state falls on the east and northeast slopes of the [[Sierra Nevada]].

The average annual rainfall per year is about {{convert|7|in|mm}}; the wettest parts get around {{convert|40|in|mm}}. Nevada's highest recorded temperature is {{convert|125|F|C}} at [[Laughlin, Nevada|Laughlin]] on June 29, 1994, and the lowest recorded temperature is {{convert|-50|F|C}} at [[San Jacinto, Nevada|San Jacinto]] on January 8, 1937. Nevada's {{convert|125|F|C}} reading is the third highest statewide record high temperature of a U.S. state, just behind Arizona's {{convert|128|F|C}} reading and California's {{convert|134|F|C}} reading.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:auto;"
|+Average daily maximum and minimum temperatures for selected cities in Nevada<ref name="Nevada climate averages">{{cite web|url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/city.php3?c=US&s=NV&statename=Nevada-United-States-of-America|title=Nevada climate averages|publisher=Weatherbase|access-date=November 11, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151009031701/http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/city.php3?c=US&s=NV&statename=Nevada-United-States-of-America|archive-date=October 9, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
! rowspan="2" |Location
! colspan="2" |July (°F)
! colspan="2" |July (°C)
! colspan="2" |December (°F)
! colspan="2" |December (°C)
|-
!Max
!Min
!Max
!Min
!Max
!Min
!Max
!Min
|-
|[[Las Vegas, Nevada|Las Vegas]] || 106||81 || 41||27 || 56||38 || 13||3
|-
|[[Reno, Nevada|Reno]] || 92||57 || 33||14 || 45||25 || 7||–4
|-
|[[Carson City, Nevada|Carson City]] || 89||52 || 32||11 || 45||22 || 7||–5
|-
|[[Elko, Nevada|Elko]] || 90||50 || 32||10 || 37||14 || 2||–9
|-
|[[Fallon, Nevada|Fallon]] || 92||54 || 33||12 || 45||19 || 7||–7
|-
|[[Winnemucca, Nevada|Winnemucca]] || 93||52 || 34||11 || 41||17 || 5||–8
|-
|[[Laughlin, Nevada|Laughlin]] || 112||80 || 44||27 || 65||43 || 18||6
|}

===Flora and fauna===
{{Main|Fauna of Nevada}}
The vegetation of Nevada is diverse and differs by state area. Nevada contains six [[biotic zone]]s: [[Alpine vegetation|alpine]], [[sub-alpine]], [[ponderosa pine forest|ponderosa pine]], [[pinyon-juniper woodland|pinion-juniper]], [[sagebrush]] and [[creosotebush]].<ref>{{cite book | title=Nevada: a guide to the Silver state | author=Federal Writers' Project | author-link=Federal Writers' Project | publisher=US History Publishers | year=1940 | isbn=978-1-60354-027-8 | page=11 }}</ref>

===Counties===
{{Further|List of counties in Nevada}}
[[File:The Strip from Eiffel Tower (9176999807).jpg|thumb|The [[Las Vegas Strip]] looking South]]
[[File:Nevada State Museum.jpg|thumb|[[Carson City Mint]] in [[Carson City, Nevada|Carson City]]. Carson City is an [[Independent city (United States)|independent city]] and the capital of Nevada.]]

Nevada is divided into political jurisdictions designated as ''[[County (United States)|counties]]''. Carson City is officially a consolidated municipality, meaning it legally functions as both a city and a county. As of 1919, there were 17 counties in the state, ranging from {{convert|146|to|18159|sqmi}}.

[[Lake County, Nevada|Lake County]], one of the original nine counties formed in 1861, was renamed [[Roop County, Nevada|Roop County]] in 1862. Part of the county became [[Lassen County, California]], in 1864, resolving border uncertainty. In 1883, Washoe County annexed the portion that remained in Nevada.<ref name="library">{{cite web|url=http://dmla.clan.lib.nv.us/docs/nsla/archives/political/historical/hist19.htm |title=Political History of Nevada |access-date=August 17, 2007 |website=Nevada State Library and Archives. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927213541/http://dmla.clan.lib.nv.us/docs/nsla/archives/political/historical/hist19.htm |archive-date=September 27, 2007 }}</ref>

In 1969, Ormsby County was dissolved and the [[Consolidated Municipality of Carson City]] was created by the Legislature in its place coterminous with the old boundaries of Ormsby County.

[[Bullfrog County, Nevada|Bullfrog County]] was formed in 1987 from part of Nye County. After the creation was declared unconstitutional, the county was abolished in 1989.<ref name="library" />

Humboldt County was designated as a county in 1856 by [[Utah Territorial Legislature]] and again in 1861 by the new Nevada Legislature.

Clark County is the most populous county in Nevada, accounting for nearly three-quarters of its residents. Las Vegas, Nevada's most populous city, has been the [[county seat]] since the county was created in 1909 from a portion of [[Lincoln County, Nevada]]. Before that, it was a part of Arizona Territory. Clark County attracts numerous tourists: An estimated 44{{spaces}}million people visited Clark County in 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.clarkcountynv.gov/visitors/Pages/default.aspx |title=Visitors |publisher=Clarkcountynv.gov |access-date=July 27, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140717004427/http://www.clarkcountynv.gov/visitors/Pages/default.aspx |archive-date=July 17, 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Washoe County is the second-most populous county of Nevada. Its county seat is [[Reno, Nevada|Reno]]. Washoe County includes the [[Reno–Sparks metropolitan area]].

Lyon County is the third most populous county. It was one of the nine original counties created in 1861. It was named after [[Nathaniel Lyon]], the first Union General to be killed in the [[American Civil War|Civil War]]. Its current county seat is [[Yerington, Nevada|Yerington]]. Its first county seat was established at [[Dayton, Nevada|Dayton]] on November 29, 1861.<ref name="1stSession">{{cite book |author=<!--Legislative Assembly, Territory of Nevada.--> |title=Laws of the Territory of Nevada passed at the first regular session of the Legislative Assembly |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oq0wAQAAMAAJ |location=San Francisco, CA |publisher=Valentine & Co. |pages=289–291 |date=1862 |access-date=May 14, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140707140535/http://books.google.com/books?id=oq0wAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover |archive-date=July 7, 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible sortable" style="margin:lem; margin-top:0;"
|+ Nevada counties
|-
!rowspan=2 |County name
!rowspan=2 |County seat
!rowspan=2 |Year founded
!rowspan=2 |2022 population<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/NV/PST045221 |title=Nevada's Census Population By County 2020 and 2022 |access-date=July 2, 2023 |archive-date=April 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220422021034/https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/NV/PST045221 |url-status=live }}</ref>
!rowspan=2 |Percent of total
!colspan=2 |Area
!rowspan=2 |Percent of total
!colspan=2 |Population density
|-
!sq&nbsp;mi
!{{nowrap|km<sup>2</sup>}}
!per sq&nbsp;mi
!per {{nowrap|km<sup>2</sup>}}
|-
|[[Carson City, Nevada|Carson City]]||[[Carson City, Nevada|Carson City]]||1861|| style="text-align:right;" |58,130|| style="text-align:right;" |1.83 % || {{convert|157|sqmi|km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} || style="text-align:right;" |0.14 % || {{convert|370.25|/sqmi|/km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} 
|-
|[[Churchill County, Nevada|Churchill]]||[[Fallon, Nevada|Fallon]]||1861|| style="text-align:right;" |25,843|| style="text-align:right;" |0.81 % || {{convert|5,024|sqmi|km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} || style="text-align:right;" |4.54 % || {{convert|5.14|/sqmi|/km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} 
|-
|[[Clark County, Nevada|Clark]]||[[Las Vegas, Nevada|Las Vegas]]||1908|| style="text-align:right;" |2,322,985|| style="text-align:right;" |73.10 % || {{convert|8,061|sqmi|km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} || style="text-align:right;" |7.29 % || {{convert|288.18|/sqmi|/km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} 
|-
|[[Douglas County, Nevada|Douglas]]||[[Minden, Nevada|Minden]]||1861|| style="text-align:right;" |49,628|| style="text-align:right;" |1.56 % || {{convert|738|sqmi|km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} || style="text-align:right;" |0.67 % || {{convert|67.25|/sqmi|/km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} 
|-
|[[Elko County, Nevada|Elko]]||[[Elko, Nevada|Elko]]||1869|| style="text-align:right;" |54,046|| style="text-align:right;" |1.70 % || {{convert|17,203|sqmi|km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} || style="text-align:right;" |15.56 % || {{convert|3.14|/sqmi|/km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} 
|-
|[[Esmeralda County, Nevada|Esmeralda]]||[[Goldfield, Nevada|Goldfield]]||1861|| style="text-align:right;" |744|| style="text-align:right;" |0.02 % || {{convert|3,589|sqmi|km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} || style="text-align:right;" |3.25 % || {{convert|0.21|/sqmi|/km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} 
|-
|[[Eureka County, Nevada|Eureka]]||[[Eureka, Nevada|Eureka]]||1869|| style="text-align:right;" |1,863|| style="text-align:right;" |0.06 % || {{convert|4,180|sqmi|km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} || style="text-align:right;" |3.78 % || {{convert|0.45|/sqmi|/km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} 
|-
|[[Humboldt County, Nevada|Humboldt]]||[[Winnemucca, Nevada|Winnemucca]]||1856/1861|| style="text-align:right;" |17,272|| style="text-align:right;" |0.54 % || {{convert|9,658|sqmi|km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} || style="text-align:right;" |8.73 % || {{convert|1.79|/sqmi|/km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} 
|-
|[[Lander County, Nevada|Lander]]||[[Battle Mountain, Nevada|Battle Mountain]]||1861|| style="text-align:right;" |5,766|| style="text-align:right;" |0.18 % || {{convert|5,519|sqmi|km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} || style="text-align:right;" |4.99 % || {{convert|1.04|/sqmi|/km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} 
|-
|[[Lincoln County, Nevada|Lincoln]]||[[Pioche, Nevada|Pioche]]||1867|| style="text-align:right;" |4,482|| style="text-align:right;" |0.14 % || {{convert|10,637|sqmi|km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} || style="text-align:right;" |9.62 % || {{convert|0.42|/sqmi|/km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} 
|-
|[[Lyon County, Nevada|Lyon]]||[[Yerington, Nevada|Yerington]]||1861|| style="text-align:right;" |61,585|| style="text-align:right;" |1.94 % || {{convert|2,024|sqmi|km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} || style="text-align:right;" |1.83 % || {{convert|30.43|/sqmi|/km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} 
|-
|[[Mineral County, Nevada|Mineral]]||[[Hawthorne, Nevada|Hawthorne]]||1911|| style="text-align:right;" |4,525|| style="text-align:right;" |0.14 % || {{convert|3,813|sqmi|km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} || style="text-align:right;" |3.45 % || {{convert|1.19|/sqmi|/km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} 
|-
|[[Nye County, Nevada|Nye]]||[[Tonopah, Nevada|Tonopah]]||1864|| style="text-align:right;" |54,738|| style="text-align:right;" |1.72 % || {{convert|18,199|sqmi|km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} || style="text-align:right;" |16.46 % || {{convert|3.01|/sqmi|/km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} 
|-
|[[Pershing County, Nevada|Pershing]]||[[Lovelock, Nevada|Lovelock]]||1919|| style="text-align:right;" |6,462|| style="text-align:right;" |0.20 % || {{convert|6,067|sqmi|km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} || style="text-align:right;" |5.49 % || {{convert|1.07|/sqmi|/km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} 
|-
|[[Storey County, Nevada|Storey]]||[[Virginia City, Nevada|Virginia City]]||1861|| style="text-align:right;" |4,170|| style="text-align:right;" |0.13 % || {{convert|264|sqmi|km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} || style="text-align:right;" |0.24 % || {{convert|15.80|/sqmi|/km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} 
|-
|[[Washoe County, Nevada|Washoe]]||[[Reno, Nevada|Reno]]||1861|| style="text-align:right;" |496,745|| style="text-align:right;" |15.63 % || {{convert|6,542|sqmi|km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} || style="text-align:right;" |5.92 % || {{convert|75.93|/sqmi|/km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} 
|-
|[[White Pine County, Nevada|White Pine]]||[[Ely, Nevada|Ely]]||1869|| style="text-align:right;" |8,788|| style="text-align:right;" |0.28 % || {{convert|8,897|sqmi|km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} || style="text-align:right;" |8.05 % || {{convert|0.99|/sqmi|/km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} 
|-
|Totals||Counties: 17|| || style="text-align:right;" |3,177,772|| || {{convert|110,572|sqmi|km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} || || {{convert|28.74|/sqmi|/km2|disp=table|sortable=on}} 
|}

=== Settlements ===
{{See also|List of cities in Nevada}}{{Largest cities| country = Nevada
| stat_ref = Source:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/NV/PST045221|title=2020 Nevada QuickFacts|date=August 18, 2021|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=April 12, 2022|archive-date=April 22, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220422021034/https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/NV/PST045221|url-status=live}}</ref>
| list_by_pop =
| div_name =
| div_link = Counties of Nevada{{!}}County
| city_1 = Las Vegas, Nevada{{!}}Las Vegas
| div_1 = Clark County, Nevada{{!}}Clark
| pop_1 = 641,903
| img_1 = DowntownLasVegas.jpg
| city_2 = Henderson, Nevada{{!}}Henderson
| div_2 = Clark County, Nevada{{!}}Clark
| pop_2 = 317,610
| img_2 = Lake_Las_Vegas_aerial_view.jpg
| city_3 = Reno, Nevada{{!}}Reno
| div_3 = Washoe County, Nevada{{!}}Washoe
| pop_3 = 264,165
| img_3 = Reno,_Nevada_photo_D_Ramey_Logan.jpg
| city_4 = North Las Vegas, Nevada{{!}}North Las Vegas
| div_4 = Clark County, Nevada{{!}}Clark
| pop_4 = 262,527
| img_4 = Northlasv.jpg
| city_5 = Enterprise, Nevada{{!}}Enterprise
| div_5 = Clark County, Nevada{{!}}Clark
| pop_5 = 221,831
| img_5 =
| city_6 = Spring Valley, Nevada{{!}}Spring Valley
| div_6 = Clark County, Nevada{{!}}Clark
| pop_6 = 215,597
| img_6 =
| city_7 = Sunrise Manor, Nevada{{!}}Sunrise Manor
| div_7 = Clark County, Nevada{{!}}Clark
| pop_7 = 205,618
| img_7 =
| city_8 = Paradise, Nevada{{!}}Paradise
| div_8 = Clark County, Nevada{{!}}Clark
| pop_8 = 191,238
| img_8 =
| city_9 = Sparks, Nevada{{!}}Sparks
| div_9 = Washoe County, Nevada{{!}}Washoe
| pop_9 = 108,445
| img_9 =
| city_10 = Carson City, Nevada{{!}}Carson City
| div_10 = Carson City
| pop_10 = 58,639
| img_10 =
}}

==Parks and recreation areas==
[[File:Calico basin red rock cumulus mediocris.jpg|thumb|[[Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area]], Calico basin]]
[[File:Stella Lake Great Basin.jpg|thumb|[[Great Basin National Park]]]]
[[File:View of Doso Doyabi from Wheeler Peak.jpg|thumb|The quartzite of [[Doso Doyabi]] in [[Great Basin National Park]]]]
[[File:Valley of Fire State Park (6882627246).jpg|thumb|[[Valley of Fire State Park]]]]
[[File:Charleston peak.JPG|thumb|[[Mount Charleston]]]]

===Recreation areas maintained by the federal government===
====Northern Nevada====
*[[Basin and Range National Monument]] 
*[[Black Rock Desert-High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area]]
* [[California National Historic Trail]]
* [[Great Basin National Park]]
* [[Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest]]
* [[Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit]]
* [[Pony Express National Historic Trail]]
* [[Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge]]

====Southern Nevada====
* [[Ash Meadows National Wildlife Preserve]]
* [[Avi Kwa Ame National Monument]]
* [[Basin and Range National Monument]]
* [[Bootleg Canyon Mountain Bike Park]]
* [[Death Valley National Park]]
* [[Desert National Wildlife Refuge]]
* [[Gold Butte National Monument]]
* [[Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest]]
* [[Inyo National Forest]]
* [[Lake Mead National Recreation Area]]
* [[Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge]]
* [[Mount Charleston]] and the [[Mount Charleston Wilderness]]
* [[Old Spanish National Historic Trail]]
* [[Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge]]
* [[Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area]]
* [[Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area]]
* [[Spring Mountains]] and the [[Spring Mountains National Recreation Area]]
* [[Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument]]

===Wilderness===
{{Further|List of wilderness areas in Nevada}}
There are 68 designated [[wilderness areas]] in Nevada, protecting some {{convert|6579014|acre}} under the jurisdiction of the [[National Park Service]], [[U.S. Forest Service]], and [[Bureau of Land Management]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wilderness.net |title=Wilderness.net |publisher=Wilderness.net |access-date=July 31, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100722032946/http://www.wilderness.net/ |archive-date=July 22, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===State parks===
{{Further|List of Nevada state parks}}
The Nevada state parks comprise [[protected area]]s managed by the state of Nevada, including [[state park]]s, state [[historic site]]s, and state [[recreation area]]s. There are 24 state park units, including [[Van Sickle Bi-State Park]] which opened in July 2011 and is operated in partnership with the adjacent state of [[California]].<ref>{{cite web |last=O'Daly |first=Lisa |url=http://www.sierranevadageotourism.org/content/van-sickle-bi-state-park/sie5698279F0D880465D |title=Van Sickle Bi-State Park – Sierra Nevada Geotourism MapGuide |publisher=Sierranevadageotourism.org |access-date=September 25, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926014223/https://www.sierranevadageotourism.org/content/van-sickle-bi-state-park/sie5698279F0D880465D |archive-date=September 26, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Demographics==
===Population===
{{See also|Hispanics and Latinos in Nevada|Basque Americans in Nevada}}
[[File:Nevada population density 2020.png|thumb|left|Population density map of Nevada]]
{{US Census population
|1860= 6857
|1870= 42941
|1880= 62266
|1890= 47355
|1900= 42335
|1910= 81875
|1920= 77407
|1930= 91058
|1940= 110247
|1950= 160083
|1960= 285278
|1970= 488738
|1980= 800493
|1990= 1201833
|2000= 1998257
|2010= 2700551
|2020= 3104614
|estyear= 2024
|estimate= 3267467
|align-fn=center
|footnote=Source: 1910–2020<ref>{{cite web |title=Historical Population Change Data (1910–2020) |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/dec/popchange-data-text.html |website=Census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=May 1, 2021 |archive-date=April 29, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210429012609/https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/dec/popchange-data-text.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
}}
[[File:Ethnic Origins in Nevada.png|thumb|Ethnic origins in Nevada|330x330px]]
The [[United States Census Bureau]] determined Nevada had a population of 3,104,614 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 U.S. census]]. In 2022, the estimated population of Nevada was 3,177,772, an increase of 73,158 residents (2.36%) since the 2020 [[United States census|census]].<ref name="PopEstUS">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/NV|title=QuickFacts Nevada; United States|website=2022 Population Estimates|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]], Population Division|date=July 1, 2022|access-date=January 2, 2023|archive-date=April 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220406001634/https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/NV|url-status=live}}</ref> Nevada had the highest percentage growth in population from 2017 to 2018. At the 2020 census, 6.0% of the state's population were reported as under 5, 22.5% were under 18, and 16.1% were 65 or older. Females made up about 49.8% of the population. 19.1% of the population was reported as foreign-born.

Since the 2020 census, the population of Nevada had a natural increase of 2,374 (the net difference between 42,076 births and 39,702 deaths); and an increase due to net migration of 36,605 (of which 34,280 was due to domestic and 2,325 was due to international migration).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/tables/2020-2021/state/totals/NST-EST2021-COMP.xlsx|format=xlsx|title=Cumulative Estimates of the Components of Resident Population Change for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2021|date=December 21, 2021|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 12, 2022|archive-date=March 24, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220324170051/https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/tables/2020-2021/state/totals/NST-EST2021-COMP.xlsx|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[center of population]] of Nevada is in southern [[Nye County, Nevada|Nye County]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/cenpop2020/CenPop2020_Mean_ST.txt |format=txt |title=Download the Centers of Population by State: 2020 |publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]] |access-date=April 12, 2022 |archive-date=April 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220401024320/https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/cenpop2020/CenPop2020_Mean_ST.txt |url-status=live }}</ref> In this county, the unincorporated town of [[Pahrump, Nevada|Pahrump]], {{convert|60|mi}} west of Las Vegas on the California state line, has grown very rapidly from 1980 to 2020. At the 2020 census, the town had 44,738 residents.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/pahrumpcdpnevada/PST045221 |title=Pahrump CDP QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau |publisher=Quickfacts.census.gov |access-date=April 12, 2022 |archive-date=May 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220509200242/https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/pahrumpcdpnevada/PST045221 |url-status=live }}</ref> Las Vegas grew from a gulch of 100 people in 1900 to 10,000 by 1950 to 100,000 by 1970, and was America's fastest-growing city and metropolitan area from 1960 to 2000.

From about the 1940s until 2003, Nevada was the fastest-growing state in the U.S. percentage-wise. Between 1990 and 2000, Nevada's population increased by 66%, while the nation's population increased by 13%. More than two-thirds of the population live in Clark County, which is coextensive with the [[Las Vegas–Paradise, NV MSA|Las Vegas metropolitan area]]. Thus, in terms of population, Nevada is one of the most centralized states in the nation.

[[Henderson, Nevada|Henderson]] and [[North Las Vegas, Nevada|North Las Vegas]] are among the top 20 fastest-growing U.S. cities with populations over 100,000. The rural community of [[Mesquite, Nevada|Mesquite]] {{convert|65|mi|km}} northeast of Las Vegas was an example of micropolitan growth in the 1990s and 2000s. Other desert towns like [[Indian Springs, Nevada|Indian Springs]] and [[Searchlight, Nevada|Searchlight]] on the outskirts of Las Vegas have seen some growth as well.

Since 1950, the rate of population born in Nevada has never peaked above 27 percent, the lowest rate of all states. In 2012, only 25% of Nevadans were born in Nevada.<ref>{{Cite news|url = https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/08/13/upshot/where-people-in-each-state-were-born.html|title = Where We Came from and Where We Went, State by State|newspaper = The New York Times|date = August 14, 2014|last1 = Aisch|first1 = Gregor|last2 = Gebeloff|first2 = Robert|last3 = Quealy|first3 = Kevin|access-date = March 16, 2019|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190331153147/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/08/13/upshot/where-people-in-each-state-were-born.html|archive-date = March 31, 2019|url-status = live}}</ref>

According to [[United States Department of Housing and Urban Development|HUD]]'s 2022 [[Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress|Annual Homeless Assessment Report]], there were an estimated 7,618 [[Homelessness|homeless]] people in Nevada.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2007-2022 PIT Counts by State |url=https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.huduser.gov%2Fportal%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fxls%2F2007-2022-PIT-Counts-by-State.xlsx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The 2022 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress |url=https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/2022-AHAR-Part-1.pdf}}</ref>

====Race and ethnicity====
{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Nevada – Racial and Ethnic Composition'''<br> (''NH = Non-Hispanic'')<br><small>{{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P004HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE [73] - Nevada|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=p004&g=040XX00US32|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Nevada|url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALPL2010.P2?q=p2&g=040XX00US32|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!Pop 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Nevada|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=p2&g=040XX00US32|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!% 2020
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|1,303,001
|1,462,081
|1,425,952
|{{percentage|1303001|1998257|2}}
|{{percentage|1462081|2700551|2}}
|{{percentage|1425952|3104614|2}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|131,509
|208,058
|291,960
|{{percentage|131509|1998257|2}}
|7.70%
|9.40%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|21,397
|23,536
|23,392
|{{percentage|21397|1998257|2}}
|{{percentage|23536|2700551|2}}
|{{percentage|23392|3104614|2}}
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|88,593
|191,047
|265,991
|{{percentage|88593|1998257|2}}
|{{percentage|191047|2700551|2}}
|{{percentage|265991|3104614|2}}
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|7,769
|15,456
|22,970
|{{percentage|7769|1998257|2}}
|{{percentage|15456|2700551|2}}
|{{percentage|22970|3104614|2}}
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Some Other Race]] alone (NH)
|2,787
|4,740
|17,171
|{{percentage|2787|1998257|2}}
|{{percentage|4740|2700551|2}}
|{{percentage|17171|3104614|2}}
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed Race/Multi-Racial]] (NH)
|49,231
|79,132
|166,921
|{{percentage|49231|1998257|2}}
|{{percentage|79132|2700551|2}}
|{{percentage|166921|3104614|2}}
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|393,970
|716,501
|890,257
|{{percentage|393970|1998257|2}}
|{{percentage|716501|2700551|2}}
|{{percentage|890257|3104614|2}}
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''1,998,257'''
|'''2,700,551'''
|'''3,104,614'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible"; text-align:right; font-size:80%;"
|+ style="font-size:90%" |Ethnic composition as of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]]
|-
! Race and Ethnicity<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/race-and-ethnicity-in-the-united-state-2010-and-2020-census.html |title=Race and Ethnicity in the United States: 2010 Census and 2020 Census |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=August 12, 2021 |website=census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-date=August 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210815165418/https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/race-and-ethnicity-in-the-united-state-2010-and-2020-census.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
! colspan="2" data-sort-type=number |Alone
! colspan="2" data-sort-type=number |Total
|-
| [[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White (non-Hispanic)]]
|align=right| {{bartable|45.9|%|2||background:gray}}
|align=right| {{bartable|50.6|%|2||background:gray}}
|-
| [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]]{{efn|Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin are not distinguished between total and partial ancestry. }}
|align=right| {{bartable}}
|align=right| {{bartable|28.7|%|2||background:green}}
|-
| [[Multiracial Americans|Multiracial]]
|align=right| {{bartable}}
|align=right| {{bartable|14.0|%|2||background:red}}
|-
| [[African Americans|African American (non-Hispanic)]]
|align=right| {{bartable|9.4|%|2||background:mediumblue}}
|align=right| {{bartable|11.1|%|2||background:mediumblue}}
|-
| [[Asian Americans|Asian]]
|align=right| {{bartable|8.6|%|2||background:purple}}
|align=right| {{bartable|10.7|%|2||background:purple}}
|-
| [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]]
|align=right| {{bartable|0.8|%|2||background:gold}}
|align=right| {{bartable|2.1|%|2||background:gold}}
|-
| [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]]
|align=right| {{bartable|0.7|%|2||background:pink}}
|align=right| {{bartable|1.5|%|2||background:pink}}
|-
| Other
|align=right| {{bartable|0.6|%|2||background:brown}}
|align=right| {{bartable|1.4|%|2||background:brown}}
|}

According to the 2022 [[American Community Survey]], 30.3% of Nevada's population were of [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] origin (of any race): [[Mexican Americans|Mexican]] (22%),  [[Cuban Americans|Cuban]] (1.5%), [[Salvadoran Americans|Salvadoran]] (1.5%), [[Stateside Puerto Ricans|Puerto Rican]] (1%), and other Hispanic or Latino origin (4.3%).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Grid View: Table B03001 - Census Reporter |url=https://censusreporter.org/data/table/?table=B03001&geo_ids=04000US32&primary_geo_id=04000US32 |access-date=2024-06-28 |website=censusreporter.org}}</ref> The largest European ancestry groups were: [[German Americans|German]] (8.9%),  [[English Americans|English]] (8.1%), [[Irish Americans|Irish]] (7.2%), and [[Italian Americans|Italian]] (4.8%).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Grid View: Table B04006 - Census Reporter |url=https://censusreporter.org/data/table/?table=B04006&geo_ids=04000US32&primary_geo_id=04000US32 |access-date=2024-06-28 |website=censusreporter.org}}</ref> The largest Asian ancestry groups in the state were [[Filipino Americans|Filipino]] (6.4%) and [[Chinese Americans|Chinese]] (1.9%).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Grid View: Table B02018 - Census Reporter |url=https://censusreporter.org/data/table/?table=B02018&geo_ids=04000US32&primary_geo_id=04000US32#valueType%7Cestimate |access-date=2024-06-28 |website=censusreporter.org}}</ref>
[[File:Nevada counties by race.svg|thumb|297x297px|Map of counties in Nevada by racial plurality, per the 2020 census{{Collapsible list
| title = Legend|{{col-begin}}{{col-2}}

'''Non-Hispanic White'''

{{legend|#e6b8af|30–40%}}

{{legend|#cc4125|50–60%}}

{{legend|#a61c00|60–70%}}

{{legend|#85200c|70–80%}}

{{legend|#5b0f00|80–90%}}

{{col-end}}
}}]]
In 1980, non-Hispanic whites made up 83.2% of the state's population.<ref name="census"/>

{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible nowrap" style="font-size: 90%;"
|+ '''Nevada historical racial composition'''
|-
! Racial composition !! 1970<ref name="census">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0056/twps0056.html |title=Historical Census Statistics on Population Totals By Race, 1790 to 1990, and By Hispanic Origin, 1970 to 1990, For The United States, Regions, Divisions, and States |publisher=Census.gov |access-date=July 27, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725044857/http://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0056/twps0056.html |archive-date=July 25, 2008 }}<br />"[http://mapmaker.rutgers.edu/REFERENCE/Hist_Pop_stats.pdf Table 43. Nevada Race and Hispanic Origin: 1860 to 1990] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150514005030/http://mapmaker.rutgers.edu/REFERENCE/Hist_Pop_stats.pdf |date=May 14, 2015 }}". (PDF)</ref> 
!1980!! 1990<ref name="census"/> !! 2000<ref>"[https://www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/c2kprof00-nv.pdf Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170724070045/https://www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/c2kprof00-nv.pdf |date=July 24, 2017 }}" (PDF). [[United States Census Bureau]]</ref>!! 2010<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.2010.html |title=2010 Census Data |publisher=Census.gov |access-date=July 27, 2014 |archive-date=May 22, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170522200920/https://census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.2010.html |url-status=live }}</ref>!! 2020<ref name="2020DP1">{{Cite web |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDP2020.DP1?g=040XX00US32 |title=Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2020 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Nevada |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=April 16, 2024}}</ref>
|-
| [[White American|White]] || 91.7% 
|87.5%|| 84.3% || 75.2% || 66.2% || 51.2% 
|-
| [[African American|Black]] || 5.7% 
|6.4%|| 6.6% || 6.8% || 8.1% || 9.8% 
|-
| [[Asian American|Asian]] || 0.7% 
|1.8%|| 3.2% || 4.5% || 7.2% || 8.8% 
|-
| [[Native Americans in the United States|Native]] || 1.6% 
|1.7%|| 1.6% || 1.3% || 1.2% || 1.4% 
|-
| [[Native Hawaiian]] and<br />[[Pacific Islander|other Pacific Islander]] || – 
|–|| – || 0.4% || 0.6% || 0.8% 
|-
| [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census|Other race]] || 0.3% 
|2.7%|| 4.4% || 8.0% || 12.0% || 14.0% 
|-
| [[Multiracial American|Two or more races]] || – 
|–|| – || 3.8% || 4.7% || 14.0% 
|-
| ''[[Hispanic or Latino American|Hispanic or Latino]]'' (of any race) || 5.6% 
|6.7%|| 10.4% || 19.7% || 26.5% || 28.7%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic whites|''Non-Hispanic white'']]
|86.7%
|83.2%
|78.7%
|65.2%
|54.1%
|45.9%
|}

As of 2011, 63.6% of Nevada's population younger than age{{spaces}}1 were minorities.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Exner|first=Rich
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160715004500/http://www.cleveland.com/datacentral/index.ssf/2012/06/americas_under_age_1_populatio.html
|date=3 June 2012|title=Americans under {{nowrap|age 1}} now mostly minorities, but not in Ohio: Statistical Snapshot|url=https://www.cleveland.com/datacentral/2012/06/americas_under_age_1_populatio.html|access-date=2023-03-17|website=cleveland.com
|publisher=Advance Digital
|archive-date=15 July 2016
|language=en}}</ref> Las Vegas is a [[majority-minority]] city. According to the United States Census Bureau estimates, as of July 1, 2018, non-Hispanic Whites made up 48.7% of Nevada's population.<ref>{{cite web |title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Nevada |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/nv/PST045217 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=November 29, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130071736/https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/nv/PST045217 |archive-date=November 30, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In [[Douglas County, Nevada|Douglas]], [[Mineral County, Nevada|Mineral]], and [[Pershing County, Nevada|Pershing]] counties, a plurality of residents are of Mexican ancestry. In [[Nye County, Nevada|Nye County]] and [[Humboldt County, Nevada|Humboldt County]], residents are mostly of German ancestry; [[Washoe County, Nevada|Washoe County]] has many Irish Americans. Americans of English descent form pluralities in [[Lincoln County, Nevada|Lincoln County]], [[Churchill County, Nevada|Churchill County]], [[Lyon County, Nevada|Lyon County]], [[White Pine County, Nevada|White Pine County]], and [[Eureka County, Nevada|Eureka County]].

Asian Americans have lived in the state since at least the 1850s, when the [[California gold rush]] brought thousands of Chinese miners to Washoe County. They were followed by a few hundred [[Japanese American|Japanese]] farmworkers in the late 19th century. By the late 20th century, many immigrants from China, Japan, Korea, the [[Philippines]], [[Bangladesh]], India, and [[Vietnam]] came to the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The city now has a significant Asian American community, with a mostly Chinese and [[Taiwanese American|Taiwanese]] area known as "[[Chinatown, Las Vegas|Chinatown]]" west of I-15 on Spring Mountain Road. [[Filipino Americans]] form the largest Asian American group in the state, with a population of more than 202,000. They comprise 59.8% of the Asian American population in Nevada and constitute about 6.4% of the entire state's population.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Grid View: Table B02018 - Census Reporter |url=https://censusreporter.org/data/table/?table=B02018&geo_ids=04000US32&primary_geo_id=04000US32 |access-date=2024-06-28 |website=censusreporter.org}}</ref>

Mining booms drew many Greek and Eastern European immigrants to Nevada.<ref>{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=snJuRDQTnesC&q=nevada+ethnic+groups+mexican&pg=PA63|title = Nevada|isbn = 9780761447283|last1 = Stefoff|first1 = Rebecca|year = 2010| publisher=Marshall Cavendish |access-date = October 19, 2020|archive-date = February 20, 2021|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210220154024/https://books.google.com/books?id=snJuRDQTnesC&q=nevada+ethnic+groups+mexican&pg=PA63|url-status = live}}</ref> In the early twentieth century, [[Greeks]], [[Slavs]], [[Danes]], [[Japanese people|Japanese]], [[Italians]], and [[Basque Americans in Nevada|Basques]] poured into Nevada.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://epubs.nsla.nv.gov/statepubs/epubs/210777-1970-3Fall.pdf |title=The Immigrant in Nevada's Short Stories and Biographical Essays |last=Shepperson |first=Wilbur |journal=Nevada Historical Society Quarterly |volume=13 |number=3 |date=1970 |page=3 |access-date=July 26, 2021 |archive-date=July 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210726052406/http://epubs.nsla.nv.gov/statepubs/epubs/210777-1970-3Fall.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Chilean Americans|Chileans]] were found in the state as early as 1870.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cdclv.unlv.edu/healthnv/immigration.html|title=Immigration and Ethnic Diversity in Nevada* Introduction}}</ref> During the mid-1800s, a significant number of European immigrants, mainly from [[Ireland]], [[England]] and [[Germany]], arrived in the state with the intention of capitalizing on the thriving mining sector in the region.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bestimmigrationlawyer.com/immigration-blog/amp/historical-overview-of-immigration-in-nevada/|title=A HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF IMMIGRATION IN NEVADA}}</ref>

Native American tribes in Nevada are the [[Northern Paiute|Northern]] and [[Southern Paiute]], [[Western Shoshone]], [[Goshute]], [[Hualapai]], [[Washoe people|Washoe]], and [[Ute people|Ute]] tribes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://m.warpaths2peacepipes.com/history-of-native-americans/history-of-nevada-indians.htm|title=History of Nevada Indians **|access-date=February 17, 2020|archive-date=February 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200217023948/https://m.warpaths2peacepipes.com/history-of-native-americans/history-of-nevada-indians.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

Whites remain the largest racial or ethnic group in Nevada.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nevadacurrent.com/2021/08/16/census-data-shows-communities-of-color-are-the-new-nevada/|title=Census data shows communities of color are the new Nevada|date=August 16, 2021 }}</ref> Hispanics are the fastest growing ethnic group in Nevada.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/politics-and-government/census-nevada-ranks-high-in-diversity-hispanics-fuel-growth-2418885/|title=Census: Nevada ranks high in diversity, Hispanics fuel growth|date=August 12, 2021|author-first1=Michael Scott|author-last1=Davidson|website=Las Vegas Review-Journal}}</ref> There is a growing Mexican and Central American population in Nevada. Many of Nevada's Latino immigrants are from Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/brookings_pubs/22|title=Immigration and the Contours of Nevada's Latino Population|first1=John|last1=Tuman|first2=David|last2=Damore|first3=Maria|last3=Agreda|date=June 1, 2013|journal=Brookings Mountain West Publications|pages=1–18}}</ref> Nevada also has a growing multiracial population.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://guinncenter.org/first-cut-on-census-data-nevada-is-diversifying-but-its-complicated/|title=First cut on census data: Nevada is diversifying, but it's complicated|date=August 25, 2021|website=Guinn Center For Policy Priorities}}</ref>

The top countries of origin for immigrants in Nevada were [[Mexico]] (39.5 percent of immigrants), the [[Philippines]] (14.3 percent), [[El Salvador]] (5.2 percent), [[China]] (3.1 percent), and [[Cuba]] (3 percent).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/immigrants-in-nevada|title=Immigrants in Nevada|date=June 2015|access-date=March 15, 2020|archive-date=February 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224094155/https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/immigrants-in-nevada|url-status=live}}</ref>

The majority of people in Nevada are of white (European) ancestry. A small portion trace their ancestry to Basque people recruited as sheepherders. Hispanics in Nevada are mainly of Mexican and Cuban heritage. Latinos comprise about one-fourth of Nevada's residents and are concentrated in the southeast in Nevada. African Americans live mainly in the Las Vegas and Reno area and constitute less than one-tenth of the population. Native Americans of the Paiute, Shoshone, and Washoe tribes live on several reservations in the state and make up a small fraction of Nevada's population.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia| title=Desert, Wildlife, Flora |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia Britannica | date=26 July 1999 | url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Nevada-state/Plant-and-animal-life#ref79122}}</ref>

The most common ancestries in Nevada include Mexican, German, Irish, English, Italian and Asian.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.info-america-usa.com/nevada/|title=Nevada|website=info-america-usa.com}}</ref>

Nevada is the third most diverse state in the country, behind only Hawaii and California.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/567625-hawaii-california-and-nevada-are-most-diverse-states-in-the-us-census/amp/|title=Hawaii is most diverse state in the US, census shows|website=The Hill|date=August 12, 2021|author-last1=Schnell|author-first1=Mychael}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/2021/aug/12/census-nevada-population-grew-15-over-last-decade/|title=Census: Nevada becomes more populous and diverse, but growth slows|date=August 12, 2021 }}</ref>
;Birth data
''Note: Births within the table do not add up, due to Hispanics being counted both by their ethnicity and by their race, giving a higher overall number.''

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
|+ Live Births by Single Race/Ethnicity of Mother
|-
! [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census|Race]]
! 2013<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr67/nvsr64_01.pdf |title=data |website=www.cdc.gov |access-date=September 25, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180925215939/https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr67/nvsr64_01.pdf |archive-date=September 25, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>
! 2014<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr67/nvsr64_12.pdf |title=data |website=www.cdc.gov |access-date=September 25, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926014027/https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr67/nvsr64_12.pdf |archive-date=September 26, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>
! 2015<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr67/nvsr66_01.pdf |title=data |website=www.cdc.gov |access-date=September 25, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926014144/https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr67/nvsr66_01.pdf |archive-date=September 26, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>
! 2016<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr67/nvsr67_01.pdf |title=data |website=www.cdc.gov |access-date=May 5, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180603002249/https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr67/nvsr67_01.pdf |archive-date=June 3, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>
! 2017<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr67/nvsr67_08-508.pdf |title=Births: Final Data for 2017 |access-date=February 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190201210916/https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr67/nvsr67_08-508.pdf |archive-date=February 1, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>
! 2018<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr68/nvsr68_13-508.pdf |title=Data |website=www.cdc.gov |access-date=December 21, 2019 |archive-date=November 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191128161211/https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr68/nvsr68_13-508.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
! 2019<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr70/nvsr70-02-508.pdf |title=Data |website=www.cdc.gov |access-date=March 30, 2021 |archive-date=June 23, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210623200707/https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr70/nvsr70-02-508.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
! 2020<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr70/nvsr70-17.pdf |title=Data |website=www.cdc.gov |access-date=2022-02-20 |archive-date=February 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220210175206/https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr70/NVSR70-17.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
! 2021<ref>
{{cite web|url=https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr72/nvsr72-01.pdf |title=Data |website=www.cdc.gov |access-date=2022-02-03}}</ref>
! 2022<ref>
{{cite web|url=https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr73/nvsr73-02.pdf |title=Data |website=www.cdc.gov |access-date=2024-04-05}}</ref>
! 2023<ref>
{{cite web|url=https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr74/nvsr74-1.pdf |title=Data |website=www.cdc.gov |access-date=2025-04-12}}</ref>
|-
| [[Non-Hispanic Whites|White]]
| 14,951 (42.7%)
| 15,151 (42.2%)
| 14,937 (41.2%)
| 13,918 (38.4%)
| 13,171 (36.8%)
| 13,021 (36.5%)
| 12,479 (35.6%)
| 11,602 (34.5%)
| 11,800 (35.0%)
| 10,961 (33.0%)
| 10,448 (32.9%)
|-
| [[African Americans|Black]]
| 4,215 (12.0%)
| 4,603 (12.8%)
| 4,803 (13.2%)
| 4,205 (11.6%)
| 4,471 (12.5%)
| 4,564 (12.8%)
| 4,514 (12.9%)
| 4,533 (13.5%)
| 4,457 (13.2%)
| 4,334 (13.1%)
| 4,093 (12.9%)
|-
| [[Asian Americans|Asian]]
| 3,097 (8.8%)
| 3,145 (8.8%)
| 3,337 (9.2%)
| 2,666 (7.3%)
| 2,685 (7.5%)
| 2,613 (7.3%)
| 2,587 (7.4%)
| 2,467 (7.3%)
| 2,372 (7.0%)
| 2,548 (7.7%)
| 2,461 (7.7%)
|-
| [[Pacific Islands Americans|Pacific Islander]]
| ...
| ...
| ...
| 308 (0.8%)
| 322 (0.9%)
| 340 (1.0%)
| 372 (1.1%)
| 358 (1.1%)
| 331 (1.0%)
| 358 (1.1%)
| 325 (1.0%)
|-
| [[Native Americans in the United States|American Indian]]
| 425 (1.2%)
| 475 (1.3%)
| 510 (1.4%)
| 303 (0.8%)
| 305 (0.9%)
| 280 (0.8%)
| 277 (0.8%)
| 234 (0.7%)
| 239 (0.7%)
| 218 (0.7%)
| 208 (0.6%)
|-
| ''[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic]]'' (any race)
| ''12,718'' (36.3%)
| ''13,006'' (36.3%)
| ''13,225'' (36.4%)
| ''13,391'' (36.9%)
| ''13,176'' (36.8%)
| ''13,307'' (37.3%)
| ''13,238'' (37.7%)
| ''12,763'' (37.9%)
| ''12,842'' (38.1%)
| ''13,019'' (39.2%)
| ''12,631'' (39.7%)
|-
| '''Total'''
| '''35,030''' (100%)
| '''35,861''' (100%)
| '''36,298''' (100%)
| '''36,260''' (100%)
| '''35,756''' (100%)
| '''35,682''' (100%)
| '''35,072''' (100%)
| '''33,653''' (100%)
| '''33,686''' (100%)
| '''33,193''' (100%)
| '''31,794''' (100%)
|}

* Since 2016, data for births of [[White Hispanic and Latino Americans|White Hispanic]] origin are not collected, but included in one ''Hispanic'' group; persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.

[[File:2012-10-14 14 Winnemucca Sand Dunes, north of Winnemucca in Nevada.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Winnemucca Sand Dunes]], north of Winnemucca]]
[[File:Downtown Reno, Nevada (17573535294).jpg|thumb|Downtown Reno]]
[[File:Las Vegas From Stratosphere 5 2013-06-25.jpg|thumb|East Las Vegas suburbs]]

A small percentage of Nevada's population lives in rural areas. The culture of these places differs significantly from major metropolitan areas. People in these rural counties tend to be native Nevada residents, unlike in the Las Vegas and Reno areas, where the vast majority of the population was born in another state. The rural population is also less diverse in terms of race and ethnicity. Mining plays an important role in the economies of the rural counties, with tourism being less prominent.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nevadabusiness.com/2012/10/1-3-billion-for-288-jobs-the-failure-of-government-subsidized-renewable-energy-another-reason-why-government-shouldnt-pick-winners-and-losers-in-the-economy/2419/ |title=$1.3 billion for 288 jobs: The failure of government-subsidized renewable energy |publisher=Nevadabusiness.com |date=October 1, 2012 |access-date=January 17, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117095113/http://www.nevadabusiness.com/2012/10/1-3-billion-for-288-jobs-the-failure-of-government-subsidized-renewable-energy-another-reason-why-government-shouldnt-pick-winners-and-losers-in-the-economy/2419/ |archive-date=January 17, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> Ranching also has a long tradition in rural Nevada.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.reviewjournal.com/nevada-150/mining-and-gambling-ranching-shaped-nevada-s-culture|title=Before mining and gambling, ranching shaped Nevada's culture|first=Jennifer|last=Robison|journal=Las Vegas Review-Journal|date=May 3, 2014|access-date=November 7, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141107052112/http://www.reviewjournal.com/nevada-150/mining-and-gambling-ranching-shaped-nevada-s-culture|archive-date=November 7, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Locations by per capita income===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right; margin-left:60px"
|+Ranked by per capita income in 2020
|-
! Rank !! style="text-align:center;"|Place !!Per capita income
! County
|-
|1 ||align=left | [[Crystal Bay, Nevada|Crystal Bay]] ||align=right | $180,334 ||align=right | [[Washoe County, Nevada|Washoe]]
|-
|2 ||align=left | [[Glenbrook, Nevada|Glenbrook]] ||align=right | $102,963 ||align=right | [[Douglas County, Nevada|Douglas]]
|-
|3 ||align=left | [[Zephyr Cove, Nevada|Zephyr Cove]] ||align=right | $94,920 ||align=right | Douglas
|-
|4 ||align=left | [[Genoa, Nevada|Genoa]] ||align=right | $86,185 ||align=right | Douglas
|-
|5 ||align=left | [[Incline Village, Nevada|Incline Village]] ||align=right | $74,294 ||align=right | Washoe
|-
|6 ||align=left | [[Kingsbury, Nevada|Kingsbury]] ||align=right | $68,215 ||align=right | Douglas
|-
|7 ||align=left | [[Round Hill Village, Nevada|Round Hill Village]] ||align=right | $67,659 ||align=right | Douglas
|-
|8 ||align=left | [[East Valley, Nevada|East Valley]] ||align=right | $67,169 ||align=right | Douglas
|-
|9 ||align=left | [[Summerlin South, Nevada|Summerlin South]] ||align=right | $65,633 ||align=right | [[Clark County, Nevada|Clark]]
|-
|10 ||align=left | [[Mount Charleston, Nevada|Mount Charleston]] ||align=right | $57,583 ||align=right | Clark
|-
|colspan=5 |{{further|Nevada locations by per capita income}}
|}

===Religion===
{{Pie chart
| thumb = right
| caption = Religious self-identification, per [[Public Religion Research Institute]]'s 2022 ''American Values Survey''<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 24, 2023 |title=2022 American Values Atlas: Religious Tradition |url=https://ava.prri.org/#religious/2022/States/religion/m/US-NV |access-date=March 30, 2023 |website=[[Public Religion Research Institute]]}}</ref>
| label1 = [[Irreligion in the United States|Unaffiliated]] 
| value1 = 40
| color1 = White
| label2 = [[Protestantism in the United States|Protestantism]]
| value2 = 25
| color2 = Blue
| label3 = [[Catholicism in the United States|Catholicism]]
| value3 = 21
| color3 = Purple
| label4 = [[Mormonism]]
| value4 = 5
| color4 = Pink
| label5 = [[New Age]]
| value5 = 4
| color5 = Red
| label6 = [[Jehovah's Witnesses]]
| value6 = 2
| color6 = Green
| label7 = [[American Jews|Judaism]]
| value7 = 2
| color7 = Black
| label8 = [[Hinduism in the United States|Hinduism]]
| value8 = 1
| color8 = Orange
}}

[[Church attendance]] in Nevada is among the lowest of all U.S. states. In a 2009 [[Gallup (company)|Gallup]] poll only 30% of Nevadans said they attended church weekly or almost weekly, compared to 42% of all Americans (only four states were found to have a lower attendance rate than Nevada's).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gallup.com/poll/125999/mississippians-go-church-most-vermonters-least.aspx |title=Mississippians Go to Church the Most; Vermonters, Least |publisher=Gallup.com |date=February 17, 2010 |access-date=July 27, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927040257/http://www.gallup.com/poll/125999/mississippians-go-church-most-vermonters-least.aspx |archive-date=September 27, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2020, the Public Religion Research Institute determined 67% of the population were Christian,<ref>{{Cite web |title=PRRI – American Values Atlas |url=https://ava.prri.org/#religious/2020/States/religion/m/US-NV |access-date=2022-09-17 |website=ava.prri.org}}</ref> reflecting a 1% increase in religiosity from 2014's separate Pew study.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Religious Landscape Study |url=https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/religious-landscape-study/ |access-date=2022-09-17 |website=Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project |language=en-US}}</ref>

Major religious affiliations of the people of Nevada were, according to the Pew Research Center in 2014: [[Protestantism|Protestant]] 35%, [[Irreligion|Irreligious]] 28%, [[Catholic Church in the United States|Roman Catholic]] 25%, [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Nevada|Latter-day Saints]] 4%, [[Judaism|Jewish]] 2%, [[Hinduism|Hindu]] less than 1%, [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] 0.5% and [[Islam|Muslim]] around 0.2%. Parts of Nevada (in the eastern parts of the state) are situated in the [[Mormon Corridor]].

The largest denominations by number of adherents in 2010 were the [[Catholic Church in the United States|Roman Catholic Church]] with 451,070; [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Nevada|The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] with 175,149; and the [[Southern Baptist Convention]] with 45,535; [[Buddhism|Buddhist congregations]] 14,727; [[Baháʼí Faith]] 1,723; and [[Islam|Muslim]] 1,700.<ref name="www.thearda.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.thearda.com/rcms2010/r/s/32/rcms2010_32_state_family_2010.asp |title=The Association of Religion Data Archives &#124; State Membership Report |publisher=www.thearda.com |access-date=November 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202225528/http://www.thearda.com/rcms2010/r/s/32/rcms2010_32_state_family_2010.asp |archive-date=December 2, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Languages===
{{See also|Native American languages of Nevada}}
The most common non-English languages spoken in Nevada are [[Spanish language|Spanish]], [[Tagalog language|Tagalog]] and [[Chinese language|Chinese]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://datausa.io/profile/geo/nevada | title=Nevada &#124; Data USA }}</ref> [[Native American languages of Nevada|Indigenous languages of Nevada]] include Northern Paiute, the Southern Paiute, Shoshone, and Washo.<ref>{{cite web |last=Summers |first=Keyonna |date=October 15, 2021 |title=Preserve Nevada: Indigenous Languages, Cultural Landmarks Among State's 'Most Endangered' |url=https://www.unlv.edu/news/release/preserve-nevada-indigenous-languages-cultural-landmarks-among-states-most-endangered |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220424090411/https://www.unlv.edu/news/release/preserve-nevada-indigenous-languages-cultural-landmarks-among-states-most-endangered |archive-date=April 24, 2022 |website=UNLV News Center |publisher=[[University of Nevada, Las Vegas]]}}</ref>

The top seven languages spoken in Nevada according to the U.S. Census data are [[Spanish language|Spanish]], [[Tagalog language|Tagalog]], [[Chinese language|Chinese]], [[Vietnamese language|Vietnamese]], [[Korean language|Korean]], [[Amharic language|Amharic]], [[Arabic language|Arabic]], and [[Thai language|Thai]].<ref>''[https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/82nd2023/ExhibitDocument/OpenExhibitDocument?exhibitId=65477&fileDownloadName=0328_AB246_Torres.S_Pres.pdf AB 246 Ballots for All: Improving Language Access for Nevada Voters]'' (March 28, 2023). Presented by [[Selena Torres]], Assemblywoman (D, NV-3) as an [https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/82nd2023/Bill/10004/Exhibits exhibit during debate on Assembly Bill 248]. Presentation [https://web.archive.org/web/20230330154418/https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/82nd2023/ExhibitDocument/OpenExhibitDocument?exhibitId=65477&fileDownloadName=0328_AB246_Torres.S_Pres.pdf archived] from the original March 30, 2023. (Note: AB 246 passed was passed by the legislature but vetoed by Governor [[Joe Lombardo]].)</ref>

=== Native American tribes ===
Historically what is now Nevada has been inhabited mainly by the Paiute, Shoshone, and Washoe.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nevada Indian Tribes and Languages |url=https://www.native-languages.org/nevada.htm |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=www.native-languages.org}}</ref>

The largest Native American tribes in Nevada according to the 2010 census are listed in the table below:<ref>{{Cite web |title=American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes in the United States and Puerto Rico: 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/dec/cph-series/cph-t/cph-t-6.html}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+'''Tribal groupings with over 500 members in Nevada in 2010 census'''
!Tribal grouping
!American Indian and 
Alaska Native alone
!AIAN in combination with 
one or more other races
!Total AIAN alone or 
in any combination
|-
|Total AIAN population
|32062
|23883
|55945
|-
|[[Cherokee]]
|1824
|4376
|6200
|-
|[[Paiute]]
|4182
|677
|4859
|-
|[[Navajo]]
|1926
|671
|2597
|-
|[[Paiute-Shoshone Tribe of the Fallon Reservation and Colony|Paiute-Shoshone]]
|2118
|170
|2288
|-
|Mexican American Indian
|1222
|708
|1930
|-
|[[Shoshone]]
|1388
|400
|1788
|-
|[[Choctaw]]
|597
|872
|1469
|-
|[[Apache]]
|719
|690
|1409
|-
|[[Sioux]]
|702
|626
|1328
|-
|[[Blackfoot Confederacy|Blackfeet]]
|284
|877
|1161
|-
|[[Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone Indians of Nevada|Te-Moak Tribes of Western Shoshone]]
|1011
|118
|1129
|-
|[[Washoe people|Washoe]]
|815
|130
|945
|-
|[[Ojibwe]]
|494
|338
|832
|-
|[[Reno-Sparks Indian Colony]]
|579
|13
|592
|-
|[[Iroquois]]
|228
|283
|511
|-
|Tribe not specified
|9413
|10117
|19530
|}

==Economy==

{{See also|Nevada locations by per capita income}}
[[File:Nevada quarter, reverse side, 2006.jpg|thumb|upright|Nevada quarter]]
[[File:20080404-Vegas-MGMGrand-Day.jpg|thumb|right|[[MGM Grand Las Vegas|MGM Grand]], with sign promoting it as The City of Entertainment]]
[[File:Tahoe.JPG|thumb|Lake Tahoe on the Nevada–California border]]
[[File:Goldstrike pit.jpg|thumb|Goldstrike (Post-Betze) Mine in the [[Carlin Trend]], the largest [[Carlin-type deposit]] in the world, containing more than {{convert|35000000|ozt|t}} gold<ref>{{cite web|url=http://minerals.usgs.gov/west/projects/nngd.htm|title=Western Region Gold Deposits (completed project)|first=Dave|last=Frank|access-date=August 17, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130607112301/http://minerals.usgs.gov/west/projects/nngd.htm|archive-date=June 7, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>]]
[[File:2013-06-28 15 48 26 Cattle along Deeth-Charleston Road (Elko County Route 747) at the Bruneau River, about 38.6 miles north of Deeth in Elko County, Nevada.jpg|thumb|[[Cattle]] near the [[Bruneau River]] in [[Elko County, Nevada|Elko County]]]]
[[File:Washoe County.jpg|thumb|Ranching in [[Washoe County, Nevada|Washoe County]]]]

The economy of Nevada is tied to tourism (especially entertainment and gambling related), mining, and cattle ranching. Nevada's industrial outputs are tourism, entertainment, mining, machinery, printing and publishing, food processing, and electric equipment. The Bureau of Economic Analysis<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bea.gov/ |title=Bureau of Economic Analysis |publisher=Bea.gov |access-date=January 17, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116151306/http://www.bea.gov/ |archive-date=January 16, 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=GDP by State|url=http://greyhill.com/gross-state-product|publisher=Greyhill Advisors |access-date=September 23, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130113090433/http://greyhill.com/gross-state-product/|archive-date=January 13, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> estimates Nevada's total state product in 2018 was $170{{spaces}}billion.<ref>{{Cite web |title=GDP and Personal Income |website=Regional Data |publisher=Bureau of Economic Analysis |url=https://apps.bea.gov/iTable/iTable.cfm?0=1200&isuri=1&reqid=70&step=10&1=1&2=200&3=sic&4=1&5=xx&6=-1&7=-1&8=-1&9=70&10=levels#reqid=70&step=10&isuri=1&7003=200&7035=-1&7004=naics&7005=1&7006=xx&7036=-1&7001=1200&7002=1&7090=70&7007=-1&7093=levels |access-date=April 25, 2019 |url-status=live |archive-date=March 29, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329234329/https://apps.bea.gov/iTable/iTable.cfm?0=1200&isuri=1&reqid=70&step=10&1=1&2=200&3=sic&4=1&5=xx&6=-1&7=-1&8=-1&9=70&10=levels#reqid=70&step=10&isuri=1&7003=200&7035=-1&7004=naics&7005=1&7006=xx&7036=-1&7001=1200&7002=1&7090=70&7007=-1&7093=levels}}</ref> The state's [[List of U.S. states by GDP per capita (nominal)|per capita personal income]] in 2020 was $53,635, ranking 31st in the nation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Per Capita Personal Income by State, Annual |url=https://fred.stlouisfed.org/release/tables?rid=110&eid=257197 |website=FRED |publisher=Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis |access-date=July 13, 2021 |location=St. Louis, MO |archive-date=July 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210713163153/https://fred.stlouisfed.org/release/tables?rid=110&eid=257197 |url-status=live }}</ref> Nevada's state debt in 2012 was calculated to be $7.5{{spaces}}billion, or $3,100 per taxpayer.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.statedatalab.org/library/doclib/NV-2012-1.pdf |website=statedatalab.org |title="The 34th worst state" Truth in Accounting |access-date=July 27, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-date=August 10, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810170050/http://www.statedatalab.org/library/doclib/NV-2012-1.pdf}}</ref> As of May 2021, the state's unemployment rate was 7.8%.<ref>{{cite web |title=Nevada Economy at a Glance |url=https://www.bls.gov/eag/eag.nv.htm |website=U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |publisher=United States Department of Labor |access-date=July 13, 2021 |archive-date=July 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210713163202/https://www.bls.gov/eag/eag.nv.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
{{Further|Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance}}

===Mining===
{{Main|Gold mining in Nevada|Silver mining in Nevada}}
In portions of the state outside of the Las Vegas and Reno metropolitan areas mining plays a major economic role. By value, gold is by far the most important mineral mined. In 2022, {{convert|4040000|ozt|MT}} of gold worth $7.3{{spaces}}billion were mined in Nevada, and the state accounted for 4% of world gold production. Other minerals mined in Nevada include construction aggregates, copper, gypsum, diatomite and lithium.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Harding |first1=Adella |date=17 August 2023 |title=Gold Production in Nevada slips in 2022 |url=https://elkodaily.com/news/local/business/mining/gold-production-in-nevada-slips-in-2022/article_f355ac2c-3d3d-11ee-a6ed-3b77f41a100e.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231126063035/http://elkodaily.com/news/local/business/mining/gold-production-in-nevada-slips-in-2022/article_f355ac2c-3d3d-11ee-a6ed-3b77f41a100e.html |archive-date=26 November 2023 |access-date=26 November 2023 |work=Elko Daily Free Press}}</ref><ref name="usgs 2023">{{cite book |first=Kristin N. |last=Sheaffer |title=Mineral Commodity Summaries 2023 |date=31 January 2023 |publisher=U.S. Geological Survey |location=Reston, Virginia |isbn=978-1-4113-4504-1 |pages=80–81 |url=https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2023/mcs2023.pdf |access-date=26 November 2023}}</ref> Despite its rich deposits, the cost of mining in Nevada is generally high, and output is very sensitive to world commodity prices.

===Cattle ranching===
Cattle ranching is a major economic activity in rural Nevada.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Robison |first=Jennifer |date=May 3, 2014 |title=Before mining and gambling, ranching shaped Nevada's culture |url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/before-mining-and-gambling-ranching-shaped-nevadas-culture/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241229090350/https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/before-mining-and-gambling-ranching-shaped-nevadas-culture/ |archive-date=December 29, 2024 |work=[[Las Vegas Review-Journal]]}}</ref> Nevada's agricultural outputs are cattle, hay, alfalfa, dairy products, onions, and potatoes. In 2020, there were an estimated 438,511 head of cattle and 71,699 head of sheep in Nevada.<ref name=":0">{{Cite report |url=https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2022/Online_Resources/County_Profiles/Nevada/cp99032.pdf |title=Census of Agriculture State Profile: Nevada |last=National Agricultural Statistics Service |date=2022 |publisher=[[United States Department of Agriculture]] |location=Washington, D.C. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240404225404/https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2022/Online_Resources/County_Profiles/Nevada/cp99032.pdf |archive-date=2024-04-04 |url-status=live}}</ref> Most of these animals forage on [[rangeland]] in the summer, with supplemental feed in the winter. Calves are generally shipped to out-of-state [[feedlot]]s in the fall to be fattened for the market. Over 90% of Nevada's {{convert|653,891|acre}} of cropland is used to grow [[hay]], mostly alfalfa, for livestock feed.<ref name=":0" />

===Largest employers===
The largest employers in the state, as of the first fiscal quarter of 2011, are the following, according to the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation:<ref>"[http://www.nevadaworkforce.com/admin/uploadedPublications/2545_State_of_Nevada.xls Nevada's Largest Employers{{snd}}Statewide] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425071124/http://www.nevadaworkforce.com/admin/uploadedPublications/2545_State_of_Nevada.xls |date=April 25, 2012 }}." Nevada Workforce Informer. Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation.</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Rank
! Employer
|-
| 1
| [[Clark County School District]]
|-
| 2
| [[Washoe County School District]]
|-
| 3
| [[Clark County, Nevada|Clark County]]
|-
| 4
| [[Wynn Las Vegas]]
|-
| 5
| [[Bellagio LLC]]
|-
| 6
| [[MGM Grand Las Vegas|MGM Grand Hotel/Casino]]
|-
| 7
| [[Aria Resort & Casino LLC]]
|-
| 8
| [[Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino]]
|-
| 9
| [[Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department]]
|-
| 10
| [[Caesars Palace]]
|-
| 11
| [[University of Nevada, Las Vegas]]
|-
| 12
| [[The Venetian Casino Resort]]
|-
| 13
| [[The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas]]
|-
| 14
| [[The Mirage Casino-Hotel]]
|-
| 15
| [[University of Nevada, Reno]]
|-
| 16
| [[University Medical Center of Southern Nevada]]
|-
| 17
| [[The Palazzo Casino Resort]]
|-
| 18
| [[Flamingo Las Vegas Operating Company LLC]]
|-
| 19
| [[Encore Las Vegas]]
|-
| 20
| [[Luxor Las Vegas]]
|}

==Infrastructure==
===Transportation===
[[File:Nevada 28.svg|thumb|upright|State route shield]]
[[File:U.S. Route 50 - Loneliest Road.jpg|thumb|upright|[[U.S. Route 50 in Nevada|U.S. Route{{spaces}}50]], also known as "The Loneliest Road in America"]]
[[Amtrak]]'s ''[[California Zephyr]]'' train uses the Union Pacific's original [[transcontinental railroad]] line in daily service from Chicago to [[Emeryville, California]], serving [[Elko, Nevada|Elko]], [[Winnemucca, Nevada|Winnemucca]], and Reno. Las Vegas has had no passenger train service since Amtrak's [[Desert Wind]] was discontinued in 1997. [[Amtrak Thruway]] buses provide connecting service from Las Vegas to trains at [[Needles, California]], Los Angeles, and [[Bakersfield, California]]; and from [[Stateline, Nevada]], to [[Sacramento, California]]. There have been a number of proposals to re-introduce service to either [[Los Angeles]] or [[Southern California]] with the privately run [[Brightline West]] having begun construction in 2024.

The [[Union Pacific Railroad]] has some railroads in the north and south of Nevada. [[Greyhound Lines]] provide some bus service to the state.

[[Interstate 15 in Nevada|Interstate 15]] (I-15) passes through the southern tip of the state, serving Las Vegas and other communities. [[Interstate 215 (Nevada)|I-215]] and [[Interstate 515|I-515]] also serve the Las Vegas metropolitan area. [[Interstate 80 in Nevada|I-80]] crosses through the northern part of Nevada, roughly following the path of the Humboldt River from Utah in the east and the Truckee River westward through Reno into California. It has a spur route, [[Interstate 580 (Nevada)|I-580]]. Nevada also is served by several U.S. highways: [[U.S. Route 6 in Nevada|US{{spaces}}6]], [[U.S. Route 50 in Nevada|US{{spaces}}50]], [[U.S. Route 93 in Nevada|US{{spaces}}93]], [[U.S. Route 95 in Nevada|US{{spaces}}95]] and [[U.S. Route 395 in Nevada|US{{spaces}}395]]. There are also 189 [[List of state routes in Nevada|Nevada state routes]]. Many of Nevada's counties have a system of county routes as well, though many are not signed or paved in rural areas. Nevada is one of a few states in the U.S. that do not have a continuous [[interstate highway]] linking its two major population centers{{snd}}the road connection between the Las Vegas and Reno areas is a combination of several different Interstate and U.S. highways. The [[Interstate&nbsp;11]] proposed routing may eventually remedy this.<ref>{{cite book|title=Pictures of Highway Shields: Nevada!| isbn=9781411663183 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dK4sFmxUJasC&q=Nevada+interstate+15 | last1=Rogers | first1=Carl | date=September 2005 | publisher=Lulu.com }}</ref>

The state is one of just a few in the country to allow [[semi-trailer truck]]s with three trailers{{snd}}what might be called a "[[road train]]" in Australia. But American versions are usually smaller, in part because they must ascend and descend some fairly steep mountain passes.

[[RTC Transit]] is the public transit system in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The agency is the largest transit agency in the state and operates a network of bus service across the [[Las Vegas Valley]], including the use of [[The Deuce (transit bus service)|The Deuce]], [[double-decker bus]]es, on the [[Las Vegas Strip]] and several outlying routes. RTC RIDE operates a system of local transit bus service throughout the Reno-Sparks metropolitan area. Other transit systems in the state include Carson City's JAC. Most other counties in the state do not have public transportation at all.

Additionally, a {{convert|4|mi|km|adj=on}} [[monorail]] system provides public transportation in the Las Vegas area. The [[Las Vegas Monorail]] line services several casino properties and the [[Las Vegas Convention Center]] on the east side of the Las Vegas Strip, running near Paradise Road, with a possible future extension to [[Harry Reid International Airport]]. Several hotels also run their own monorail lines between each other, which are typically several blocks in length.

Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas is the busiest airport serving Nevada. The [[Reno-Tahoe International Airport]] (formerly known as the Reno Cannon International Airport) is the other major airport in the state.

===Energy===
{{See also|List of power stations in Nevada}}
{{external media| image1 =[https://www.nvenergy.com/publish/content/dam/nvenergy/brochures_arch/about-nvenergy/our-company/power-supply/GeneratingStations.pdf Map of Nevada electricity grid] <!--via https://www.nvenergy.com/about-nvenergy/our-company/power-supply -->}}

Nevada has had a thriving [[Solar power in Nevada|solar energy sector]]. An independent study in 2013 concluded that solar users created a $36{{spaces}}million net benefit. However, in December 2015, the Public Utility Commission let the state's only power company, [[NV Energy]], charge higher rates and fees to solar panel users, leading to an immediate collapse of rooftop solar panel use.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Hernandez|first=Dan|date=2016-01-13|title=Nevada solar industry collapses after state lets power company raise fees|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jan/13/solar-panel-energy-power-company-nevada|access-date=2023-03-17|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

In December 1987, Congress amended the Nuclear Waste Policy Act to designate [[Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository]] as the only site to be characterized as a permanent repository for all of the nation's [[highly radioactive waste]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Congress works to revive long-delayed plan to store nuclear waste in Yucca Mountain |url=https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/06/03/yucca-mountain-congress-works-revive-dormant-nuclear-waste-dump/664153002/ |work=USA Today |date=June 3, 2018 |access-date=November 14, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190801201959/https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/06/03/yucca-mountain-congress-works-revive-dormant-nuclear-waste-dump/664153002/ |archive-date=August 1, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Affordable housing ===
In 2018, the [[National Low Income Housing Coalition]] calculated the discrepancy between available affordable housing units and renters who earn below the poverty line. In Nevada, only 15 affordable rental homes are available per 100 extremely low income (ELI) households.<ref>{{Cite web|first=Sarah|last=Holder|date=March 13, 2018|title=For Low-Income Renters, the Affordable Housing Gap Persists|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-13/low-income-renters-find-stubborn-affordable-housing-gap|access-date=2021-12-06|website=Bloomberg |archive-date=January 31, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220131061635/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-13/low-income-renters-find-stubborn-affordable-housing-gap|url-status=live}}</ref> The shortage extended to a deficit in supply of 71,358 affordable rental homes. This was the largest discrepancy of any state. The most notable catalyst for this shortage was the [[Great Recession]] and housing crisis of 2007 and 2008. Since then, housing prices have increased while demand has increased, and supply has struggled to match the increase in demand. In addition, low-income service workers were slowly being pushed out by an influx of tech professionals. In Nevada there is essentially a standard of six-figure income to affordably rent a [[Single-family detached home|single-family home]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Can Nevadans afford Nevada? A look at the state's housing, rental markets|url=https://www.fox5vegas.com/news/can-nevadans-afford-nevada-a-look-at-the-states-housing-rental-markets/article_d61dde1e-e5e6-11eb-862f-d7fbc7e268b7.html|access-date=2021-12-06|website=FOX5 Las Vegas|language=en|archive-date=December 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211206040343/https://www.fox5vegas.com/news/can-nevadans-afford-nevada-a-look-at-the-states-housing-rental-markets/article_d61dde1e-e5e6-11eb-862f-d7fbc7e268b7.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Considering the [[List of U.S. states and territories by median wage and mean wage|average salary]] in Nevada, $54,842 per year, this standard is on average, unaffordable.<ref>{{Cite web|title=American Community Survey (ACS)|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs|access-date=2021-12-06|website=Census.gov|archive-date=December 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211205011314/https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs|url-status=live}}</ref> The disproportionate cost of housing compared to average salary has led to 112,872 renters to be paying more than half of their yearly income towards housing.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Affordable Housing - Nevada HAND {{!}} Affordable Housing {{!}} Las Vegas|url=https://nevadahand.org/our-mission-affordable-housing/affordable-housing/|access-date=2021-12-06|website=Nevada HAND|language=en-US|archive-date=December 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211206040348/https://nevadahand.org/our-mission-affordable-housing/affordable-housing/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The definition of an affordable home is "one that a household can obtain for [[Affordable housing|30 percent or less of its annual income]]". So, there is clearly a long way to go in order to close the gap between housing prices and relative income in the state. Renters are looking for solutions to still be able to live in the state in a way that their income can support. As a result, single adults are being forced to split rent with other renters or move residences to farther outside metro areas. One solution being offered is to increase the supply of higher income positions within the state to make things more affordable. However, this would require Nevadans to retrain in new jobs or careers.

==Education==
{{See also|List of high schools in Nevada|List of school districts in Nevada}}
Education in Nevada is achieved through public and private [[elementary school|elementary]], [[middle school|middle]], and [[High school (North America)|high schools]], as well as colleges and universities.

A May 2015 educational reform law expanded school choice options to 450,000 Nevada students who are at up to 185% of the [[federal poverty level]]. Education savings accounts (ESAs) are enabled by the new law to help pay the tuition for private schools. Alternatively, families "can use funds in these accounts to also pay for textbooks and tutoring".<ref name=ibd20150601>{{cite news |title=School Choice: Full Education Competition Comes To Nevada |url=http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials/060115-755174-nevada-leads-nation-in-educational-choice-students-benefit.htm |access-date=June 2, 2015 |work=Investors Business Daily |date=June 1, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150715002536/http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials/060115-755174-nevada-leads-nation-in-educational-choice-students-benefit.htm |archive-date=July 15, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Nevada – Education Savings Accounts|newspaper=Edchoice |url=http://www.edchoice.org/School-Choice/Programs/Nevada---Education-Savings-Accounts.aspx|access-date=June 5, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150707125934/http://www.edchoice.org/School-Choice/Programs/Nevada---Education-Savings-Accounts.aspx|archive-date=July 7, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

Approximately 86.9% of Nevada residents have attained at least a high school degree or equivalent, which is below the national average of 88.6%.<ref>{{cite web |title=Nevada |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?q=Nevada&g=0400000US32 |website=U.S. Census Bureau – Nevada |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=July 28, 2021 |archive-date=June 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200615123524/https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?q=Nevada&g=0400000US32 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Public school districts===

Public school districts in Nevada include:
{{div col|colwidth=24em}}
* [[Carson City School District]]
* [[Churchill County School District]]
* [[Clark County School District]], the [[List of the largest school districts in the United States by enrollment|fifth largest]] school district in the United States
* Douglas County School District
* Elko County School District
* [[Esmeralda County School District]]
* Eureka County School District
* [[Humboldt County School District]]
* Lander County School District
* Lincoln County School District
* [[Lyon County School District]]
* Mineral County School District
* [[Nye County School District]]
* [[Pershing County School District]]
* Storey County School District
* [[Washoe County School District]]
* [[White Pine County School District]]
{{div col end}}

===Colleges and universities===

{{div col|colwidth=24em}}
* [[Nevada System of Higher Education]]
** [[University of Nevada, Las Vegas]] (UNLV)
** [[University of Nevada, Reno]] (UNR)
** [[Nevada State University]] (NSU)
** [[Truckee Meadows Community College]] (TMCC)
** [[Great Basin College]]
** [[College of Southern Nevada]] (CSN)
** [[Western Nevada College]] (WNC)
* [[Sierra Nevada College]]
* [[Touro University Nevada]]
* [[Roseman University of Health Sciences]]

{{div col end}}

===Research institutes===

* [[Desert Research Institute]]

The Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame provides educational resources and promotes the aerospace and aviation history of the state.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nvahof.org/ |title=Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame |publisher=Nvahof.org |access-date=January 17, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117094938/http://nvahof.org/ |archive-date=January 17, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Law and government==
===Government===

{{Main|Government of Nevada}}
[[File:Rotary-clock.jpg|thumb|upright|The [[Nevada State Legislative Building]] in Carson City]]

Under the [[Constitution of the State of Nevada]], the powers of the [[Nevada government]] are divided among three [[separation of powers|separate departments]]: the [[executive branch|executive]] consisting of the [[governor of Nevada]] and their cabinet along with the other elected constitutional officers; the [[List of U.S. state legislatures|legislative]] consisting of the [[Nevada Legislature]], which includes the [[Nevada Assembly|Assembly]] and the [[Nevada Senate|Senate]]; and the [[judicial branch|judicial]] consisting of the [[Supreme Court of Nevada]] and lower courts.

The governor is the [[chief magistrate]] of Nevada,<ref name="nvc-5-1">NV Const. art. V, § 1.</ref> the head of the executive department of the state's government,<ref name="nvc-5-1" /> and the commander-in-chief of the [[U.S. state|state]]'s [[Nevada National Guard|military forces]].<ref>NV Const. art. V, § 5.</ref> The current governor is [[Joe Lombardo]], a Republican. The executive branch also consists of an independently elected [[Lieutenant Governor of Nevada|lieutenant governor]], [[Secretary of State of Nevada|secretary of state]], [[Nevada State Treasurer|state treasurer]], [[Nevada State Controller|state controller]], and [[Nevada Attorney General|attorney general]] who function as a check and balance on the power of the governor.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Division/Research/LegInfo/Orientation/2010-11/Handouts/Jan19-24/1-19/02StructureOfGovt_ExecBranch.pdf|title=The Structure of Government: Executive Branch|publisher=Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau|first=Michael J. |last=Stewart|access-date=September 12, 2023}}</ref>

The Nevada Legislature is a [[bicameral]] body divided into an Assembly and Senate. Members of the Assembly serve two years, and members of the Senate serve four years. Both houses of the Nevada Legislature enacted term limits starting in 2010, with senators and assemblymen/women who are limited to a maximum of twelve years in each body (by appointment or election which is a lifetime limit){{snd}}a provision of the constitution which was upheld by the Supreme Court of Nevada in a unanimous decision. Each session of the legislature meets for a constitutionally mandated 120 days in every odd-numbered year, or longer if the governor calls a special session.

On December 18, 2018, Nevada became the first in the United States with a female majority in its legislature. Women hold nine of the 21 seats in the Nevada Senate, and 23 of the 42 seats in the Nevada Assembly.<ref>{{cite news |last=Price |first=Michelle L. |url=https://www.apnews.com/8bebc3041f564d449365feff713bf7a4 |title=Nevada becomes 1st US state with female-majority Legislature |work=[[Associated Press]] |date=December 18, 2018 |access-date=December 20, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181220145235/https://apnews.com/8bebc3041f564d449365feff713bf7a4 |archive-date=December 20, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Supreme Court of Nevada is the [[state supreme court]] and the head of the [[Nevada Judiciary]]. Original jurisdiction is divided between the [[Nevada District Courts|district courts]] (with general jurisdiction), and justice courts and municipal courts (both of limited jurisdiction). Appeals from District Courts are made directly to the Nevada Supreme Court, which under a deflective model of jurisdiction, has the discretion to send cases to the [[Nevada Court of Appeals|Court of Appeals]] for final resolution.<ref name="NevadaJudiciary_CourtOfAppeals">{{cite web |url=http://nvcourts.gov/Supreme/Court_Information/Court_of_Appeals/ |title=Court of Appeals |website=Nevada Judiciary |access-date=August 12, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170812211936/http://nvcourts.gov/Supreme/Court_Information/Court_of_Appeals/ |archive-date=August 12, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Incorporated town]]s in Nevada, known as cities, are given the authority to legislate anything not prohibited by law. A recent movement has begun to permit [[home rule]] to incorporate Nevada cities to give them more flexibility and fewer restrictions from the Legislature. Town Boards for [[Unincorporated towns in Nevada|unincorporated towns]] are limited local governments created by either the local county commission, or by referendum, and form a purely advisory role and in no way diminish the responsibilities of the county commission that creates them.

====State agencies====

{{div col|colwidth=24em}}
* [[Nevada Attorney General|Attorney General]]
* Department of Business & Industry
* [[Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources|Department of Conservation & Natural Resources]]
* Consumer Health Assistance
* Controller's Office
* [[Nevada Department of Corrections|Department of Corrections]]
* [[Nevada Department of Cultural Affairs]]
* Nevada Commission on Economic Development
* [[Nevada Department of Education|Department of Education]]
* Nevada Secretary of State, Election Division
* Department of Employment, Training & Rehabilitation
* [[Nevada Gaming Control Board|Gaming Control Board]]
* Governor's Office
* Nevada Film Office
* Department of Health and Human Services
* Department of Information Technology
* Department of Justice
* [[Nevada Lieutenant Governor|Lieutenant Governor]]
* [[Nevada National Guard|Nevada Military Department]]
* Division of Minerals, Commission on Mineral Resources
* [[Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles|Department of Motor Vehicles]]
* Department of Personnel
* Advisory Council for Prosecuting Attorneys
* Public Employees Benefit Program
* Public Employees Retirement System
* [[Nevada Department of Public Safety|Department of Public Safety]]
* [[Nevada Public Utilities Commission]]
* Department of Secretary of State
* Department of Taxation
* Commission on Tourism
* [[Nevada Department of Transportation|Department of Transportation]]
* [[Nevada State Treasurer]]
* Universities and Community Colleges of Nevada
* Nevada Office of Veterans' Services
* [[Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education]]
* [[Nevada Department of Wildlife]]
* Board of Museums and History
{{div col end}}

===Law===

[[File:Supreme Court of Nevada in Carson City.jpg|thumb|right|The courthouse of the [[Supreme Court of Nevada]]]]

In 1900, Nevada's population was the smallest of all states and was shrinking, as the difficulties of living in a "barren desert" began to outweigh the lure of silver for many early settlers. Historian [[Lawrence Friedman]] has explained what happened next:
{{blockquote|Nevada, in a burst of ingenuity, built an economy by exploiting its sovereignty. Its strategy was to legalize all sorts of things that were illegal in California{{spaces}}... after the easy divorce came easy marriage and [[casino]] gaming. Even prostitution is legal in Nevada, in any county that decides to allow it. Quite a few of them do.<ref>Lawrence M. Friedman, ''American Law in the Twentieth Century'' (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2002), pp. 596–597.</ref>}}

With the advent of [[air conditioning]] for summertime use and Southern Nevada's mild winters, the fortunes of the state began to turn around, as it did for [[Arizona]], making these two states the fastest growing in the Union.

====Prostitution====

{{See also|Prostitution in Nevada}}

Nevada is the only state where [[prostitution]] is legal{{snd}}in a licensed [[brothel]] in a county which has specifically voted to permit it. It is illegal in larger jurisdictions such as Clark County (which contains Las Vegas), [[Washoe County, Nevada|Washoe County]] (which contains Reno), and the independent city of [[Carson City, Nevada|Carson City]].

====Divorce====

Nevada's early reputation as a "divorce haven" arose from the fact that before the [[no-fault divorce]] revolution in the 1970s, divorces were difficult to obtain in the United States. Already having legalized gambling and prostitution, Nevada continued the trend of boosting its profile by adopting one of the most liberal divorce statutes in the nation. This resulted in ''[[Williams v. North Carolina (1942)]]'', {{ussc|317|287|1942}}, in which the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] ruled [[North Carolina]] had to give "[[Full Faith and Credit Clause|full faith and credit]]" to a Nevada divorce. The Court modified its decision in ''Williams v. North Carolina'' (1945), {{ussc|325|226|1945}}, by holding a state need not recognize a Nevada divorce unless one of the parties was domiciled there at the time the divorce was granted and the forum state was entitled to make its own determination.

As of 2009, Nevada's divorce rate was above the national average.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/nevada-and-west/nevadas-divorce-rate-exceeds-national-average |title=Nevada's divorce rate exceeds national average – News – ReviewJournal.com |publisher=Lvrj.com |date=August 25, 2011 |access-date=January 17, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130524184556/http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/nevada-and-west/nevadas-divorce-rate-exceeds-national-average |archive-date=May 24, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Taxes====

Nevada's tax laws are intended to draw new residents and businesses to the state. Nevada has no [[personal income tax]] or [[corporate income tax]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://taxfoundation.org/state-tax-climate/nevada|title=The Tax Foundation – Tax Research Areas > Nevada|website=Tax Foundation|access-date=September 15, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120622225631/http://taxfoundation.org/state-tax-climate/nevada|archive-date=June 22, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> Since Nevada does not collect income data it cannot share such information with the federal government, the [[Internal Revenue Service|IRS]].<ref>Nicholas Shaxson: ''Treasure Islands, Tax Havens and the Men Who Stole the World''; The Bodley Head, London, 2011</ref>

The state [[sales tax]] (similar to VAT or GST) in Nevada is variable depending upon the county. The statewide tax rate is 6.85%, with five counties (Elko, Esmeralda, Eureka, Humboldt, and Mineral) charging this amount. Counties may impose additional rates via voter approval or through approval of the state legislature; therefore, the applicable sales tax varies by county from 6.85% to 8.375% (Clark County). Clark County, which includes Las Vegas, imposes four separate county [[option tax]]es in addition to the statewide rate: 0.25% for flood control, 0.50% for mass transit, 0.25% for infrastructure, and 0.25% for more law enforcement. In Washoe County, which includes Reno, the sales tax rate is 7.725%, due to county option rates for flood control, the ReTRAC train trench project, and mass transit, and an additional county rate approved under the Local Government Tax Act of 1991.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tax.state.nv.us/documents/Sales_Tax_Map.pdf |title=Sales Tax Map |access-date=May 4, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130129083550/http://www.tax.state.nv.us/documents/Sales_Tax_Map.pdf |archive-date=January 29, 2013 }}</ref> The minimum Nevada sales tax rate changed on July 1, 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tax.state.nv.us/pubs.htm#Sales |title=Taxation Publications |publisher=Tax.state.nv.us |access-date=July 31, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100813171855/http://tax.state.nv.us/pubs.htm#Sales |archive-date=August 13, 2010 }}</ref>

The lodging tax rate in unincorporated Clark County, which includes the Las Vegas Strip, is 12%. Within the boundaries of the cities of Las Vegas and Henderson, the lodging tax rate is 13%.

Corporations such as [[Apple Inc.]] allegedly have set up investment companies and funds in Nevada to avoid paying taxes.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.thenation.com/article/164499/agony-and-ecstasy-and-disgrace-steve-jobs |title=The Agony and Ecstasy – and 'Disgrace' – of Steve Jobs |magazine=The Nation |date=November 9, 2011 |access-date=January 17, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130123114212/http://www.thenation.com/article/164499/agony-and-ecstasy-and-disgrace-steve-jobs |archive-date=January 23, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>

====LGBT rights====

{{Main|Same-sex marriage in Nevada|LGBT rights in Nevada}}

In 2009, the [[Nevada Legislature]] passed a bill creating a domestic partnership registry which enables same-sex couples to enjoy the same rights as married couples. Due to the landmark decision in the case of ''[[Obergefell v. Hodges]]'', 576 U.S. 644 (2015), same-sex marriage was outright legalized in the state.

====Incorporation====

Nevada provides a friendly environment for the formation of corporations, and many (especially California) businesses have incorporated in Nevada to take advantage of the benefits of the Nevada statute. [[Nevada corporation]]s offer great flexibility to the board of directors and simplify or avoid many of the rules that are cumbersome to business managers in some other states. In addition, Nevada has no [[franchise tax]], although it does require businesses to have a license for which the business has to pay the state.

====Financial institutions====

Similarly, many U.S. states have [[usury]] laws limiting the amount of [[interest]] a lender can charge, but federal law allows corporations to "import" these laws from their home state. Nevada has no cap on interest rates that may be agreed to in contracts.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.findlaw.com/state/nevada-law/nevada-interest-rates-laws.html |access-date=2021-12-31 |title=Nevada Interest Rates Laws |archive-date=December 31, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211231205657/https://www.findlaw.com/state/nevada-law/nevada-interest-rates-laws.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Alcohol and other drugs====

{{See also|Alcohol laws of Nevada|Cannabis in Nevada}}

Nevada has very liberal [[alcohol (drug)|alcohol]] laws. Bars are permitted to remain open 24{{spaces}}hours, with no "[[Last call (bar term)|last call]]". [[Liquor store]]s, [[convenience store]]s and supermarkets may also sell alcohol 24{{spaces}}hours per day and may sell beer, wine and spirits.

In 2016, Nevada voters approved [[Nevada Question 2 (2016)|Question{{spaces}}2]], which legalized the possession, transportation and cultivation of personal use amounts of [[marijuana]] for adults age 21 years and older, and authorized the creation of a regulated market for the sale of marijuana to adults age 21 years and older through state-licensed retail outlets.<ref>{{cite web |title=Initiative to Regulate and Tax Marijuana |publisher=Nevada Secretary of State |date=April 23, 2014 |url=http://nvsos.gov/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=3294 |access-date=May 23, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817223403/http://nvsos.gov/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=3294 |archive-date=August 17, 2016 }}</ref> Nevada voters had previously approved [[medical marijuana]] in 2000, but rejected marijuana legalization in a similar referendum in 2006. Marijuana in all forms remains illegal under federal law.

Aside from cannabis legalization, non-alcohol drug laws are a notable exception to Nevada's otherwise libertarian principles. It is notable for having the harshest penalties for drug offenders in the country. Nevada remains the only state to still use [[mandatory sentencing|mandatory minimum sentencing]] guidelines for possession of drugs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.shouselaw.com/nevada/drug-possession.html|title=Las Vegas, Nevada "Possession of a Controlled Substance (Drug)" Laws|website=www.shouselaw.com|access-date=November 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181127064613/https://www.shouselaw.com/nevada/drug-possession.html |archive-date=November 27, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[SAMHSA|Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration]] (SAMHSA) reported, in their Behavioral Health Barometer for Nevada, published in 2014, changes to substance abuse patterns and addiction across the southwestern state.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Addiction and Mental Health in Nevada|url=https://deserthopetreatment.com/las-vegas-program/insurance/using-bho/|access-date=January 28, 2021|website=Desert Hope|archive-date=January 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210111133356/https://deserthopetreatment.com/las-vegas-program/insurance/using-bho/|url-status=live}}</ref> Between 2012 and 2013, adolescents in Nevada abused illicit substances at a slightly higher percentage than nationally. 10.2 percent of Nevada's adolescents abused illicit drugs compared to 9.2 percent across the United States. Between 2009 and 2013, 11.7 percent of all adolescents in the state reported abusing illicit, intoxicating substances in the month prior to the survey; this represents 25,000 adolescents.

====Smoking====

Nevada voters enacted a smoking ban ("The Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act") in November 2006 which became effective on December 8, 2006. It outlaws smoking in most workplaces and public places. Smoking is permitted in bars, but only if the bar serves no food, or the bar is inside a larger casino. Smoking is also permitted in casinos, certain hotel rooms, tobacco shops, and brothels.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nevadaappeal.com/article/20071006/NEWS/110060112 |title=State smoking ban sparks zone-change request for Gardnerville parcel Nevada Appeal serving Carson City, Nevada |publisher=Nevadaappeal.com |date=October 6, 2007 |access-date=July 31, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111211081512/http://www.nevadaappeal.com/article/20071006/NEWS/110060112 |archive-date=December 11, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> However, some businesses do not obey this law and the government tends not to enforce it.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kvbc.com/Global/story.asp?S=6466938 |title=Have Nevada bars given up the smoking habit? |publisher=Kvbc.com |access-date=July 31, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929004116/http://www.kvbc.com/Global/story.asp?S=6466938 |archive-date=September 29, 2011 }}</ref> In 2011, smoking restrictions in Nevada were relaxed for certain places which allow only people 21 or older inside.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.blacklobellolaw.com/tag/smoking-ban-loosened/ |title=Black & LoBello smoking ban loosened Archives " Black & LoBello |publisher=Blacklobellolaw.com |date=June 17, 2011 |access-date=July 27, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129065835/http://blacklobellolaw.com/tag/smoking-ban-loosened/ |archive-date=November 29, 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Crime====
{{main|Crime in Nevada}}
In 2006, the [[crime rate]] in Nevada was about 24% higher than the national average rate, though crime has since decreased. [[Property crimes]] accounted for about 85% of the total crime rate in Nevada, which was 21% higher than the national rate. The remaining 20.3% were [[violent crime]]s.<ref name="NICIC">{{cite news|url=http://www.nicic.org/Features/StateStats/?State=NV |title=Overview of Nevada's CorrectionalSystem |date=January 4, 2009 |publisher=NICIC |access-date=January 4, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080216065149/http://www.nicic.org/Features/StateStats/?State=NV |archive-date=February 16, 2008 }}</ref> A complete listing of crime data in the state for 2013 can be found here:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nvrepository.state.nv.us/UCR/2013CrimeInNVannualReport.pdf |title=2013 Crime In Nevada Annual Report |publisher=NV Repository |date=2013 |access-date=November 21, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129070517/http://nvrepository.state.nv.us/UCR/2013CrimeInNVannualReport.pdf |archive-date=November 29, 2014 }}</ref>

==Politics==
{{See also||Political party strength in Nevada}}

{| class="wikitable floatleft"
|+ '''Party registration as of May 2025'''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nvsos.gov/sos/elections/voters/voter-registration-statistics/2025-statistics/-fsiteid-1|title=Voter Registration Statistics|access-date=June 5, 2025}}</ref>
|-
! colspan="2" | Party
! Total voters
! Percentage
|-
| {{party color cell|Democratic Party (United States)}}
| [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 614,996
| style="text-align:center;" | 28.82%
|-
| {{party color cell|Republican Party (United States)}}
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 614,586
| style="text-align:center;" | 28.80%
|-
| {{party color cell|Constitution Party (United States)}}
| [[Independent American Party of Nevada|Independent American]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 94,437
| style="text-align:center;" | 4.42%
|-
| {{party color cell|Libertarian Party (United States)}}
| [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 16,139
| style="text-align:center;" | 0.76%
|-
| {{party color cell|Other parties (US)}}
| [[List of political parties in the United States|Other parties]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 37,886
| style="text-align:center;" | 1.78%
|-
| {{party color cell|Independent Party (United States)}}
| [[Independent voter|Nonpartisan]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 756,198
| style="text-align:center;" | 35.43%
|-
! colspan="2" | Total
! style="text-align:center;" | 2,134,242
! style="text-align:center;" | 100.00%
|}

===State politics===

[[File:Party registration by county (February 2025).svg|thumb|Party Registration by County in Nevada (February 2025):
{{legend|#ffccd0|2=Republican ≥ 30%}}
{{legend|#f2b3be|2=Republican ≥ 40%}}
{{legend|#e27f90|2=Republican ≥ 50%}}
{{legend|#cc2f4a|2=Republican ≥ 60%}}
{{legend|#e9beff|2=Unaffiliated ≥ 30%}}]]

Due to heavy growth in the southern portion of the state, there is a noticeable divide between the politics of northern and southern Nevada. Historically, northern Nevada has been very [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]. The more rural counties of the north are among the most conservative regions of the state. Carson City, the state's capital, is a Republican-leaning swing city/county. Washoe County, home to Reno, has historically been strongly Republican, but now has become a fairly balanced swing county, like the state as a whole. Clark County, home to Las Vegas, has been a stronghold for the Democratic Party since it was founded in 1909, having voted Republican only six times and once for a third-party candidate, although in recent times becoming more competitive, most notably in the 2024 Presidential Election where the Democratic Party's margin of victory was only 2.63 percentage points to Republicans.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://silverstateelection.nv.gov/county-results/clark.shtml|title=Clark County 2024 General Election Results}}</ref> Clark and Washoe counties have long dominated the state's politics. Between them, they cast 87% of Nevada's vote, and elect a substantial majority of the state legislature. The last Republican to carry Clark County was [[George H. W. Bush]] in 1988, and the last Republican to carry Washoe County was [[George W. Bush]] in 2004. The great majority of the state's elected officials are from either Las Vegas or Reno.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Division/Research/Publications/PHoN/PHoN.pdf|title=Political History of Nevada}}</ref> Donald Trump was able to carry Nevada with a statewide majority in 2024, despite losing both Clark and Washoe.

In 2014, Republican [[Adam Laxalt]], despite losing both Clark and Washoe counties, was elected [[Nevada Attorney General|Attorney General]]. However, he had lost Clark County only by 5.6% and Washoe County by 1.4%, attributable to lower turnout in these counties.<ref>{{Cite web|title=2014 Attorney General General Election Results|url=https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?fips=32&year=2014&f=0&off=9&elect=0|website=[[Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections]]|access-date=July 6, 2021|archive-date=July 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709184754/https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?fips=32&year=2014&f=0&off=9&elect=0|url-status=live}}</ref>

===National politics===

{{See also|United States presidential elections in Nevada}}

[[File:Nevada Presidential Election Results 2024.svg|thumb|[[2024 United States presidential election in Nevada|2024 U.S. presidential election results]] by county in Nevada {{leftlegend|#4389E3|Democratic}}{{leftlegend|#AA0000|Republican}}]]

Nevada has been won by the winner of nearly every presidential election since its first in 1864, only being carried by the defeated candidate eight times since statehood, most of which were before 1900. Since 1912 Nevada has been carried by the presidential victor the most out of any state (27 of 29 elections), the only exceptions being [[1976 United States presidential election|1976]] when it voted for [[Gerald Ford]] over [[Jimmy Carter]] and [[2016 United States presidential election|2016]] when the state was carried by [[Hillary Clinton]] over [[Donald Trump]]. This gives the state status as a political [[bellwether]].  It was one of only three states won by [[John F. Kennedy]] in [[Western United States|the American West]] in the election of [[1960 United States presidential election|1960]], albeit narrowly.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/11/09/1159666/-2012-vs-1960 |title=2012 vs 1960 |publisher=Daily Kos |date=November 9, 2012 |access-date=January 17, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130309051908/http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/11/09/1159666/-2012-vs-1960 |archive-date=March 9, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>
The state's U.S. Senators are Democrats [[Catherine Cortez Masto]] and [[Jacky Rosen]]. The Governorship is held by [[Joe Lombardo]], a Republican.

===Elections===

{{Main|Elections in Nevada}}

Nevada is the only U.S. state to have a [[none of the above]] option available on its ballots. Officially called [[None of These Candidates]], the option was first added to the ballot in 1975 and is used in all statewide elections, including president, US Senate and all state constitutional positions. In the event "None of These Candidates" receives a [[Plurality (voting)|plurality]] of votes in the election, the candidate with the next-highest total is elected.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/not-fan-candidate-nevada-can-vote-none-candidates|title=Not a fan of any candidate? In Nevada, you can vote for 'None of These Candidates'|website=PBS NewsHour |access-date=September 12, 2018|date=October 18, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180912204726/https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/not-fan-candidate-nevada-can-vote-none-candidates|archive-date=September 12, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In a 2020 study, Nevada was ranked as the 23rd on the "Cost of Voting Index", which is a measure of "the ease of voting across the United States."<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Pomante II |first1=Michael J. |last2=Li |first2=Quan |title=Cost of Voting in the American States: 2020 |journal=Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy |date=15 Dec 2020 |volume=19 |issue=4 |pages=503–509 |doi=10.1089/elj.2020.0666 |s2cid=225139517 |doi-access=free | issn=1533-1296 }}</ref>

==Culture==
===Entertainment and tourism===

Resort areas like Las Vegas, Reno, Lake Tahoe, and [[Laughlin, Nevada|Laughlin]] attract visitors from around the nation and world. In fiscal year 2022 Nevada casinos (not counting those with annual revenue under a million dollars) brought in {{US$|10.7}}{{nbsp}}billion in gaming revenue and another {{US$|15.7}}{{nbsp}}billion in non-gaming revenue.<ref>{{Cite web |year=2022 |title=Nevada Gaming Abstract 2022 |url=https://gaming.nv.gov/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=19377 |access-date=January 17, 2024 |website=Nevada Gaming Control Board}}</ref>

Nevada has by far the most hotel rooms per capita in the United States. According to the American Hotel and Lodging Association, there were 187,301 rooms in 584 hotels (of 15 or more rooms). The state is ranked just below California, Texas, Florida, and New York in the total number of rooms, but those states have much larger populations. Nevada has one hotel room for every 14 residents, far above the national average of one hotel room per 67 residents.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ahla.com/content.aspx?id=27642 |title=State-by-State Fact Sheets on Lodging Industry |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100502124829/http://www.ahla.com/content.aspx?id=27642 |archive-date=May 2, 2010 }}</ref>

[[Prostitution in Nevada|Prostitution is legal in parts of Nevada]] in licensed brothels, but only counties with populations under 400,000 have the option to legalize it. Although prostitution is not a major part of the Nevada economy, employing roughly 300 women as independent contractors, it is a very visible endeavor. Of the 14 counties permitted to legalize prostitution under state law, eight have chosen to legalize brothels. State law prohibits prostitution in Clark County (which contains Las Vegas), and Washoe County (which contains Reno). However, prostitution is legal in Storey County, which is part of the [[Reno–Sparks metropolitan area]].

===Sports===

{{See also|Las Vegas#Sports|Sports in the Las Vegas metropolitan area|Reno, Nevada#Sports|Henderson, Nevada#Sports}}

The Las Vegas Valley is home to the [[Vegas Golden Knights]] of the [[National Hockey League]] who began to play in the [[2017–18 NHL season]] at [[T-Mobile Arena]] on the Las Vegas Strip in [[Paradise, Nevada|Paradise]], the [[Las Vegas Raiders]] of the [[National Football League]] who began play at [[Allegiant Stadium]] in Paradise in 2020 after [[Oakland Raiders relocation to Las Vegas|moving from Oakland, California]], and the [[Las Vegas Aces]] of the [[Women's National Basketball Association|WNBA]] who began playing in 2018 at [[Mandalay Bay Events Center]] after relocating from [[San Antonio]]. The [[Oakland Athletics]] of [[Major League Baseball]] plan to move to Las Vegas by 2027.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-04-20 |title=Oakland A's close in on move to Las Vegas after signing land deal for stadium |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/apr/20/oakland-athletics-las-vegas-relocation-stadium |access-date=2023-04-20 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dubow |first=Josh |date=2023-04-20 |title=Oakland A's purchase land for new stadium in Las Vegas |url=https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/oakland-a-s-purchase-land-for-new-stadium-in-las-17907772.php |access-date=2023-04-20 |website=SFGATE |language=en-US}}</ref>

Nevada takes pride in college sports, most notably its college football. College teams in the state include the [[Nevada Wolf Pack]] (representing the University of Nevada, Reno) and the [[UNLV Rebels]] (representing the University of Nevada, Las Vegas), both in the [[Mountain West Conference]] (MW).

UNLV is most remembered for [[UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball|its men's basketball program]], which experienced its height of supremacy in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Coached by [[Jerry Tarkanian]], the Runnin' Rebels became one of the most elite programs in the country. In 1990, [[1989–90 UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball team|UNLV]] won the Men's Division{{spaces}}I Championship by defeating [[1989–90 Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team|Duke]] 103–73, which set tournament records for most points scored by a team and largest margin of victory in the national title game.

In [[1990–91 UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball team|1991]], UNLV finished the regular season undefeated, a feat that would not be matched in Division{{spaces}}I men's basketball for [[2013–14 Wichita State Shockers men's basketball team|more than 20 years]]. Forward [[Larry Johnson (basketball, born 1969)|Larry Johnson]] won several awards, including the [[Naismith College Player of the Year|Naismith Award]]. UNLV reached the Final Four yet again, but lost their national semifinal against [[1990–91 Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team|Duke]] 79–77. The Runnin' Rebels were the [[AP Poll|Associated Press]] pre-season No.{{spaces}}1 back to back (1989–90, 1990–91). [[North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball|North Carolina]] is the only other team to accomplish that (2007–08, 2008–09).

The state's involvement in major-college sports is not limited to its local schools. In the 21st century, the Las Vegas area has become a significant regional center for college basketball conference tournaments. The MW, [[West Coast Conference]], and [[Western Athletic Conference]] all hold their men's and women's tournaments in the area, and the Pac-12 holds its men's tournament there as well. The [[Big Sky Conference]], after decades of holding its men's and women's conference tournaments at campus sites, began holding both tournaments in Reno in 2016.

Las Vegas has hosted several [[professional boxing]] matches, most recently at the [[MGM Grand Garden Arena]] with bouts such as [[Mike Tyson vs. Evander Holyfield]], [[Evander Holyfield vs. Mike Tyson II]], [[Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr.]] and [[Oscar De La Hoya vs. Manny Pacquiao]] and at the newer [[T-Mobile Arena]] with [[Canelo Álvarez vs. Amir Khan]].

Along with significant rises in popularity in [[mixed martial arts]] (MMA), a number of fight leagues such as the [[Ultimate Fighting Championship|UFC]] have taken interest in Las Vegas as a primary event location due to the number of suitable host venues. The [[Mandalay Bay Events Center]] and [[MGM Grand Garden Arena]] are among some of the more popular venues for fighting events such as MMA and have hosted several UFC and other MMA title fights. The city has held the most UFC events with 86 events.

The state is also home to the [[Las Vegas Motor Speedway]], which hosts [[NASCAR]]'s [[Pennzoil 400 (Las Vegas)|Pennzoil 400]] and [[South Point 400]]. Two venues in the immediate Las Vegas area host major annual events in [[rodeo]]. The [[Thomas & Mack Center]], built for UNLV men's basketball, hosts the [[National Finals Rodeo]]. The PBR World Finals, operated by the bull riding-only [[Professional Bull Riders]], was also held at the Thomas & Mack Center before moving to T-Mobile Arena in 2016.

The state is also home to famous tennis player, [[Andre Agassi]], and current baseball superstar [[Bryce Harper]].

====List of teams====
=====Major professional teams=====

{|class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;" |
|- style="text-align:center;"
!Team
!Sport
!League
!Venue (capacity)
!Established
!Titles
|- style="text-align:center;"
![[Las Vegas Raiders]]
|Football
|[[National Football League|NFL]]
|[[Allegiant Stadium]] (65,000)
|style="text-align:center;"|2020
|style=text-align:center;"|3{{efn|Two titles were won when the team was based in [[Oakland, California]] and one was won when they were based in [[Los Angeles, California]].}}
|- style="text-align:center;"
![[Vegas Golden Knights]]
|Ice hockey
|[[National Hockey League|NHL]]
|[[T-Mobile Arena]] (17,500)
|style="text-align:center;"|2017
|style="text-align:center;"|1
|- style="text-align:center;"
![[Las Vegas Aces]]
|Women's basketball
|[[Women's National Basketball Association|WNBA]]
|[[Michelob Ultra Arena]] (12,000)
|style="text-align:center;"|2018
|style="text-align:center;"|2
|}

=====Minor professional teams=====

{|class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;" |
|- style="text-align:center;"
!Team
!Sport
!League
!Venue (capacity)
!Established
!Titles
|- style="text-align:center;"
![[Las Vegas Aviators]]
| rowspan="2" |Baseball
| rowspan="2" |[[Minor League Baseball|MiLB]] ([[Triple-A (baseball)|AAA]]–[[Pacific Coast League|PCL]])
|[[Las Vegas Ballpark]] (10,000)
| style="text-align:center;"|1983
| style="text-align:center;"|2
|- style="text-align:center;"
![[Reno Aces]]
|[[Greater Nevada Field]] (9,013)
|style="text-align:center;"|2009
|style="text-align:center;"|2
|- style="text-align:center;"
! Vegas Royals
|Basketball
|[[American Basketball Association (2000–present)|ABA]]
|
| style="text-align:center;"|0
|- style="text-align:center;"
![[Henderson Silver Knights]]	
| rowspan="2"|Ice hockey
|[[American Hockey League|AHL]]
|[[Dollar Loan Center]] (5,567)
|style="text-align:center;"|2020
| style="text-align:center;"|0
|- style="text-align:center;"
![[Tahoe Knight Monsters]]	
|[[ECHL]]
|[[Tahoe Blue Event Center]] (5,000)
|style="text-align:center;"|2024
| style="text-align:center;"|0
|- style="text-align:center;"
![[Las Vegas Lights FC]]
| rowspan="1" |Soccer
| rowspan="1" |[[USL Championship|USLC]]
|[[Cashman Field]] (9,334)
|style="text-align:center;"|2018
|style="text-align:center;"|0
|- style="text-align:center;"
!Nevada Storm
| rowspan="2" |Women's football
| rowspan="2" |[[Women's Football Alliance|WFA]]
|[[Damonte Ranch High School]] (N/A)<br />[[Fernley High School]] (N/A)<br />[[Galena High School (Nevada)|Galena High School]] (N/A)
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|2008
| style="text-align:center;"|0
|- style="text-align:center;"
!Sin City Trojans
|[[Desert Pines High School]] (N/A)
|style="text-align:center;"|0
|- style="text-align:center;"
![[Vegas Knight Hawks]]
|Indoor football
|[[Indoor Football League|IFL]]
|[[Dollar Loan Center]] (6,019)
|style="text-align:center;" rowspan=2 |2021
|style="text-align:center;"|0
|- style="text-align:center;"
![[Las Vegas Desert Dogs]]
|Box lacrosse
|[[National Lacrosse League|NLL]]
|[[Michelob Ultra Arena]] (12,000)
|style="text-align:center;"|0
|}

=====Amateur teams=====

{|class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;" |
|- style="text-align:center;"
!Team
!Sport
!League
!Venue (capacity)
!Established
!Titles
|- style="text-align:center;"
!Reno Ice Raiders
|rowspan=3|Ice hockey
|rowspan=2|[[Mountain West Hockey League|MWHL]]
|Reno Ice
| style="text-align:center;"|2015
| style="text-align:center;"|0
|- style="text-align:center;"
!Vegas Jesters
|rowspan=2|[[City National Arena]] (600)
| style="text-align:center;"|2012
| style="text-align:center;"|0
|- style="text-align:center;"
![[Las Vegas Thunderbirds]]
|[[United States Premier Hockey League|USPHL]]
| style="text-align:center;"|2019
| style="text-align:center;"|0
|- style="text-align:center;"
![[Las Vegas Legends]]
|rowspan=2|Soccer
|[[National Premier Soccer League|NPSL]]
|Peter Johann Memorial Field (2,500)
|style="text-align:center;"|2021
|style="text-align:center;"|0
|- style="text-align:center;"
!Nevada Coyotes FC
|[[United Premier Soccer League|UPSL]]
|Rio Vista Sports Complex (N/A)
|style="text-align:center;"|2016
|style="text-align:center;"|0
|}

=====College teams=====

{|class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;" |
|- style="text-align:center;"
!School
!Team
!League
!Division
!Conference
|- style="text-align:center;"
|[[University of Nevada, Las Vegas]] (UNLV)
![[UNLV Rebels]]
| rowspan="2" |[[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]]
| rowspan="2" |[[NCAA Division I]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Mountain West Conference|Mountain West]]
|- style="text-align:center;"
|[[University of Nevada, Reno]] (UNR)
![[Nevada Wolf Pack]]
|- style="text-align:center;"
|[[College of Southern Nevada]] (CSN)
![[CSN Coyotes]]
| rowspan="2" |[[National Junior College Athletic Association|NJCAA]]
| rowspan="2" |[[List of NJCAA Division I schools|NJCAA Division I]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Scenic West Athletic Conference|Scenic West]]
|- style="text-align:center;"
|[[Western Nevada College]] (WNC)
!WNC Wildcats
|}

==Military==
[[File:Wfm area51 map en.png|thumb|upright=1.15|A map that details the [[Federal lands|federal land]] in southern Nevada, showing [[Nellis Air Force Base Complex]] and [[Nevada Test Site]]]]
Several [[United States Navy]] ships have been named [[USS Nevada|USS ''Nevada'']] in honor of the state. They include:
* [[Neshaminy (screw frigate)|''Nevada'' (1865 screw frigate)]] 
* [[USS Nevada (BM-8)|USS ''Nevada'' (BM-8)]]
* [[USS Nevada (BB-36)|USS ''Nevada'' (BB-36)]]
* [[USS Nevada (SSBN-733)|USS ''Nevada'' (SSBN-733)]]

[[Area 51]] is near [[Groom Lake]], a dry salt lake bed. The much smaller [[Creech Air Force Base]] is in [[Indian Springs, Nevada]]; [[Hawthorne Army Depot]] in [[Hawthorne, Nevada|Hawthorne]]; the [[Tonopah Test Range]] near [[Tonopah, Nevada|Tonopah]]; and [[Nellis AFB]] in the northeast part of the [[Las Vegas Valley]]. [[Naval Air Station Fallon]] in [[Fallon, Nevada|Fallon]]; NSAWC, (pronounced "EN-SOCK") in western Nevada. NSAWC consolidated three Command Centers into a single Command Structure under a flag officer on July 11, 1996. The Naval Strike Warfare Center based at NAS Fallon since 1984, was joined with the Navy Fighter Weapons School ([[TOPGUN]]) and the [[Carrier Airborne Early Warning Weapons School]], which both moved from NAS Miramar as a result of a Base Realignment and Closure decision in 1993 which transferred that installation back to the Marine Corps as MCAS Miramar. The Seahawk Weapon School was added in 1998 to provide tactical training for Navy helicopters.

These bases host a number of activities including the [[Joint Unmanned Aerial Systems Center of Excellence]], the [[Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center]], [[Nevada Test and Training Range]], [[Red Flag (USAF)|Red Flag]], the [[U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds]], the [[United States Air Force Warfare Center]], the [[United States Air Force Weapons School]], and the [[United States Navy Fighter Weapons School]].

==See also==
{{Portal|Nevada|United States}}
* [[Index of Nevada-related articles]]
* [[Outline of Nevada]]{{snd}}organized list of topics about Nevada
* [[List of people from Nevada]]

==Notes==

{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==

{{Sister project links|voy=Nevada}}
* {{cite web | url = http://nv.gov/ | title = Nevada | type = official state website }}
* {{cite web | url = https://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/states/nevada/ | title = Nevada State Guide | publisher = Library of Congress}}
* {{Cite web | url = http://wikis.ala.org/godort/index.php/Nevada | title = Nevada State Databases | publisher = ALA | access-date = May 11, 2008 | url-status = dead | archive-date = January 6, 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140106124251/http://wikis.ala.org/godort/index.php/Nevada }} Annotated list of searchable databases produced by Nevada state agencies and compiled by the Government Documents Roundtable of the American Library Association.
* [http://travelnevada.com/ State Tourism website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110313112352/http://nsla.nevadaculture.org/ Nevada State Library and Archives]
* [http://www.eia.gov/state/?sid=nv Energy Profile for Nevada]
* [http://www.usgs.gov/state/state.asp?State=NV USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Nevada]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140731162029/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/32000.html US Census Bureau]
* [http://collections.swco.ttu.edu/handle/10605/11464 1875 County Map at Texas Tech Southwest Collection]
* [http://www.countymapsofnevada.com/ County Maps of Nevada] Full color maps. List of cities, towns and county seats
* [http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/state-fact-sheets/state-data.aspx?StateFIPS=32&StateName=Nevada Nevada State Facts from USDA]
* [http://www.forgottennevada.org/sites/index.html Forgotten Nevada{{snd}}Ghost Towns and Mining Camps of Nevada]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130117095102/http://www.nevada-landmarks.com/ Nevada's Historical Markers]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140814082750/http://nv.gov/uploadedImages/NVgov/Content/About/nevada_seal..png Nevada State Seal]
* {{osmrelation-inline|165473}}
* [http://www.onlinenevada.org/ Online Nevada Encyclopedia, Nevada Humanities]
* [https://nchinc.com/ Nevada Corporation Headquarters]

{{s-start}}
{{s-bef|before=[[West Virginia]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of U.S. states by date of statehood]]|years=Admitted on October 31, 1864 (36th)}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Nebraska]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{Navboxes
|title = <span style="font-size:11pt;">Topics related to Nevada</span><br />''The Silver State''
|list =
{{Nevada}}
{{Protected areas of Nevada}}
{{Western United States}}
{{New Spain}}
{{United States political divisions}}
{{Nevada Sports}}
|state=expanded}}

{{Authority control}}
{{coord|39|-117|dim:300000_region:US-NV_type:adm1st|name=State of Nevada|display=title}}

[[Category:Nevada| ]]
[[Category:1864 establishments in Nevada]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1864]]
[[Category:States of the United States]]
[[Category:Western United States]]
[[Category:Contiguous United States]]
[[Category:Former Spanish colonies]]