Some Quick Facts About Nevada
Population: About 2.4 million as estimated in 2005.
Size: At around 110,000 square miles, 7th largest state in the U.S.
Largest City: Las Vegas of course. In fact, about two-thirds of the Nevada population live in the Las Vegas area.
Time Zone: Pacific except for the Wendover area which is Mountain.
Highest Point: Boundary Peak at 13,140 feet. By the way, there are 314 mountain ranges in Nevada, which is the most mountainous state in the country.
State Capital: Carson City, selected in 1864.
State Colors: Silver and Blue.
State Motto: "All For Our Country"
State Song: "Home Means Nevada" by Mrs. Bertha Raffetto of Reno, adopted February 6, 1933.
State Animal: The Desert Bighorn Sheep, also known as the Nelson Sheep.
State Artifact: The Tule Duck, formed of tule (bullrush) stems, bound together and shaped to look like a canvasback duck. These decoys were discovered in the Lovelock Cave in 1924 and were created almost 2,000 years ago by early Nevadans.
State Bird: The Mountain Bluebird, a member of the thrush family that lives in the Nevada high country.
State Fish: The Lahontan Cutthroat Trout, found in most of Nevada's counties.
State Flag: A sliver star on a cobalt blue background with "Battle Born" in black letters above the star and "Nevada" in gold below the star. Enclosing "Nevada" are two sprays of sagebrush crossed at the bottom to form a half-wreath.
State Flower: The Sagebrush, which grows all over the deserts of the west. It has a pleasant aroma and can grow to as high as 12 feet. A member of the wormwood family, sagebrush is an important winter food for sheep and cattle.
State Fossil: Ichthyosaur, an extinct marine reptile that grew to as long as 55 feet. Nevada is the only state with a complete skeleton.
State Grass: Indian Ricegrass, now a valuable feed for range livestock and wildlife it was once a food staple for Nevada Indians.
State Metal: Silver, what else!
State Precious Gemstone: Virgin Valley Black Fire Opal, found in North America primarily in northern Nevada in the Virgin Valley.
State Reptile: The Desert Tortoise, which is the largest reptile in the Soutwest, is found in the south of Nevada.
State Rock: Sandstone, found throughout the state, provides some of Nevada's most spectacular scenery in Red Rock Canyon and the Valley of Fire state park. Should you ever visit our state, don't miss these two beautiful places!
State Seal: The seal of Nevada is a composite picture of Nevada with the state motto beneath the picture and around the outer edge the words, "The Great Seal of the State of Nevada."
State Semi-precious Gemstone: Nevada Turquoise, also called the "Jewel of the Desert" and found in many parts of the state.
State Trees: The Single-Leaf Pinon, which normally grows to a height of around 15 feet, is an aromatic pine tree with gnarled branches and short, stiff needles. The Bristlecone Pine is the oldest living thing on the Earth, with some trees more than 4,000 years old.