Nevada. Nevada is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is represented in art through its vast, rugged landscapes, arid deserts, and striking natural features like the Sierra Nevada mountains and the expansive Great Basin. Artists often capture the state’s dramatic terrain, with its vast skies, red rock canyons, and remote stretches of desert, emphasizing the sense of isolation and natural beauty. Nevada's association with the American West is also a frequent theme, with depictions of pioneer history, mining towns, and cowboy culture, highlighting its frontier spirit. Additionally, modern art often portrays Las Vegas, focusing on its vibrant lights, architecture, and casino culture, contrasting the state's natural solitude with the energy of urban life. These elements combined create a diverse artistic portrayal of Nevada, balancing nature, history, and modernity. Nevada 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 7th-most extensive, the 32nd-most populous, and the 9th-least densely populated of the U.S. states. Nearly three-quarters of Nevada's people live in Clark County, which contains the Las Vegas–Paradise metropolitan area, including three of the state's four largest incorporated cities. Nevada's capital is 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 Civil War; due to the 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. It is also known as the Sagebrush State, for the native plant of the same name; and as the Sage-hen State. The state's name means snowy in Spanish, referring to Nevada's small overlap with the Sierra Nevada mountain range; however, the rest of Nevada is largely desert and semi-arid, much of it within the Great Basin. Areas south of the Great Basin are within the Mojave Desert, while Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada lie on the western edge. In 2020, 80.1% of the state's land was managed by various jurisdictions of the U.S. federal government, both civilian and military. Native Americans of the Paiute, Shoshone, and Washoe tribes inhabit what is now Nevada. The first Europeans to explore the region were Spanish. They called the region Nevada because of the snow which covered the mountains in winter, similar to the Sierra Nevada in Spain. The area formed from mostly Alta California and part of Nuevo México's territory within the Viceroyalty of New Spain, which gained independence as Mexico in 1821.
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