Nevada Facts For Kids
Nevada is a western state best known for its long stretch of desert and the casinos, live shows, and luxury resorts in its largest city, Las Vegas.
It borders Oregon, Idaho, California, Arizona, and Utah and is the 7th largest state in the U.S.
Related: Nevada State History
Quick Facts
Capital: Carson City
Population: 3 million
Nickname: The Silver State
Key Cities: Las Vegas, Reno, Henderson, Carson City
Major Industries: Tourism, logistics, manufacturing, mining, aerospace
History
How did Nevada get its name: Nevada’s name comes from the Sierra Nevada mountain range. It’s a Spanish word that means “snow-covered.”
Although the state is mostly desert, it’s also home to high mountain ranges that are covered in snow for at least half the year.
Date admitted to the Union: Monday, October 31, 1864
Geography
Size: 110,567 sq. miles
Lowest point: Colorado River at 479 ft.
Highest point: Boundary Peak at 13,140 ft.
Counties: 16
Famous locations: Hoover Dam, Death Valley National Park, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Bellagio Hotel and Casino, MGM Grand, Las Vegas Strip, Area 51
Famous Nevadans
Jena Malone- actress
Rutina Wesley- actress
Andre Agassi- tennis player
Kurt Busch- NASCAR driver
Matthew Gray Gubler- actor
DeMarco Murray- football player
Fun Facts
Nevada gets fewer than 10 inches of rain each year, making it the driest state in the United States.
In Nevada’s Death Valley, the Kangaroo Rat can live its entire life without drinking a single drop of water.
Nevada is the number one producer of gold in the United States. It’s second only to South Africa in the world.
Las Vegas has more hotel rooms than anywhere else in the world. Over 40 million people visit the city and its famous casino resorts every year.
In total, more than 60,000 pounds of shrimp is eaten daily in Las Vegas, Nevada. This is more than the rest of the country combined!
The Hoover Dam is the largest public works project in the history of the United States.
It’s made of 3.25 million cubic yards of concrete, enough to build a highway from San Francisco (on the west coast) to New York City (on the east coast)!
Hard hats were invented specifically for workers on the Hoover Dam.
You’ve probably heard this state’s name pronounced as “Nev-AH-dah,” but Nevada residents say “Nev-ADD-ah.”
Carson City, Nevada is one of only two U.S. capital cities that borders another state.
