NEVADA FACTS & LINKS
Geography:
Highest Point: 13,143 feet above sea level - Boundary Peak, White Mountains
Lowest Point: 470 feet above sea level on the Colorado River
Mean State elevation: 5,499 feet above
The state has varied geography. The greatest portion of the northern part of the state is in the Great Basin Desert. Winters here tend to be colder than southern deserts. Snowfall is not rare in this area. This area also has the higher mountain ranges with some peaks as high as 12,000 feet. Major rivers that flow into the northern areas are the Walker,Truckee and Carson Rivers.
In the eastern portion of the state there is quite a bit of summer monsoon conditions with more green growth than other parts of the state. Sagebrush is abundant.
In the south, most areas are within the Mojave Desert. Las Vegas is included in this portion. There are no high mountain peaks in the south and mostly dry desert terrain. There is less precipitation than in other portions of the state though summer monsoons are experienced more frequently than further north.
Time Zone: Pacific Time Zone
West Wendover in northeastern Nevada is located in the Mountain Time Zone
Location:
Nevada has borders with Oregon and Idaho to the north; California to the
west; Arizona to the southeast; and Utah to the east. The border with Arizona
includes the Colorado River and Hoover Dam.
Size:
Total area - 110,567 square miles
Width - 322 miles
Length - 490 miles
Latitude - 35°N to 42°N
Longitude - 114°W to 120°W
Population:
1860 - 6,857
1870 - 42,941
1880 - 62,266
1890 - 47,355
1900 - 42,335
1910 - 81,875
1920 - 77,407
1930 - 91,058
1940 - 110,247
1950 - 160,083
1960 - 285,278
1970 - 488,738
1980 - 800,493
1990 - 1,201,833
2000 - 1,998,257
2005 - 2,414,807
Population Density:
2000 - 18.21 persons per square mile
Income:
Per capita - $21,989 (1999)
Median household - $45,249 (2003)
Nevada is also one of only a few states with no personal income tax
History:
Though the area was home to many Indian tribes, as the Mohave, Paiute, Shoshoni and Washoe, the harsh desert climate kept settlement to a minimum. A few explorers came through the area in the late 1700's and early 1800's. Captain John C. Fremont explored here from 1843 to 1845 for the possibility of westward expansion. His maps and notes on the area were actively read and encouraged many to come west also. Many of the new settlers were not thoroughly aware of the dangers of the area. The Donner Party, in 1846 learned first-hand of the bitter winters in the High Sierras.
After the Mexican War in 1848, the US was granted much of the Mexican land, including what is now Nevada. Not long after, Mormons founded the first permanent settlement called Mormon Station which is not called Genoa. They also established a mission in the Las Vegas area which eventually failed.
Until 1859 and the discovery of silver at Virginia City, Nevada was sparsely located. With the silver rush, the territory of Nevada was created in 1861. The state of Nevada was created by Abraham Lincoln on Oct 31, 1864, becoming the 36th state. By the 1870's, the silver rush was over and Nevada entered a 20 year depression. Around the turn of the century, more discoveries of ore were made to bolster the economy. Further discoveries aided the recovery. Nevada realized that diversification was an important item for the state. Irrigation was introduced to the dry valley ground which helped it blossom into good farmland for hay, wheat, cantaloupes and potatoes.
By 1900, with the end of the silver boom and the dry, hot desert climate outweighing the call of the silver riches, the population of Nevada began to shrink. Nevada was the least populated state in the country. Then, Nevada began to legalize many things that were not legal in other states, particularly in California, its neighboring state. With this liberalization came more visitors, new residents and businesses.
In 1931, Gambling was legalized bringing economic prosperity to the state. Along with the gambling, liberal marriage and divorce laws were instated bringing even more visitors to the state. The construction of Hoover Dam during the depression years also helped the area to attract workers, visitors and business. By the 1950's, gambling was the largest portion of the state's economy. Much of Nevada is owned by the federal government - over 85%, including Indian reservations, military testing sites, wildlife refuges, mining, national parkland, etc.
Nevada Tourism page
Nevada Commission on Tourism
401 N. Carson Street
Carson City, Nevada 89701
Toll-free: 800-Nevada8
Nevada chamber links and information
The Nevada Travel Guide to Nevada
Government Links page
for Nevada
Great links page for all levels of government in Nevada
State Of Nevada
Nevada Governor's website
Nevada
State Library and Archives
Form of Government: Bicameral legislature with a Senate and an Assembly.
Senators serve for four years and Assembly members for two years.
State Attorney General
100 North Carson Street
Carson City, NV 89701
Phone: 775-684-1100
Fax: 775-684-1108
Nevada Motor Vehicles
555 Wright Way
Carson City, NV 89711
Phone: (775) 684-4368 - Reno area
Phone: (702) 486-4368 - Las Vegas area
Phone: 1-877-368-7828 - Rural Nevada areas
Nevada Association Of Counties
201 S. Roop Street, Suite 101
Carson City, NV 89701
Phone: 775-883-7863
Ripleys Ghost Towns and Other Adventures - Ghost towns in California, Nevada, Utah
Nevada State
Museum
600 N Carson St
Carson City, NV 89701-4004
Phone: 775-687-4810
Historic Mining Towns
in Nevada
A Highway 50 Survival
Story
Find the weather for anyplace in the USA
This page was last updated 20 September 2006 at 10:15 am
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