NEVADA

Nevada is a state in the western region of the US. The state is largely desert, though the Sierra Nevada Mountains and Lake Tahoe lie on its western border. Its capital is Carson City, but the largest city is Las Vegas. The area was annexed by the US in 1848 following victory in the Mexican-American War. In 1859, gold was discovered, leading to a population boom. Nevada was admitted as a state in 1864. Nevada is well-known for its legalized gambling and prostitution, as well as lenient marriage and divorce laws. The state was used for the testing of nuclear weapons in the 1950s and 1960s.