Geography

Covering approximately 110,000 square miles, Nevada is the seventh largest of the 50 U.S. states. Nevada is bordered on the west and south by California, on the east by Utah and Arizona, and on the north by Oregon and Idaho. Nevada’s natural beauty encompasses arid deserts, rugged mountains, spectacular lakes, and grassy valleys.

Southern Nevada’s Clark County covers 8,091 square miles and is roughly the size of New Jersey. Clark County is the fourteenth largest county in the United States and provides extensive regional services to more than 2 million people and more than 40 million visitors per year. Almost three quarters of the state’s population reside in Clark County making it Nevada’s most populous county.

Las Vegas is the largest city in Nevada and has served as Clark County’s seat of government since the county was created in 1909. The city averages 300 sunny days per year with an average 4.2 inches of rain per year. It has mostly dry, hot summers; long springs; and mild winters.

The Las Vegas Valley is a 600-square-mile basin that includes both Las Vegas and another major population center, the unincorporated community of Paradise, which includes the famous four miles of the Las Vegas Strip. The valley is rimmed by mountains including the Spring Mountains to the west. The surrounding mountain ranges include Mount Charleston, about 40 miles northwest of Las Vegas, which reaches 11,918 feet above sea level.

There are five major cities in Clark County−Boulder City, Henderson, Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and Mesquite. In addition, there are 20 other U.S. Census designated areas and 13 smaller communities in Clark County.