161 years ago today, on October 31, 1864 (October 2, 1864 in the lunar calendar), Nevada became the 36th state of the United States. Nevada, a state in the United States, is famous for its developed gambling industry. On October 31, 1864, it became the 36th state of the United States. Located in the western United States. It borders Oregon and Idaho to the north, Utah to the east, Arizona to the southeast, and California to the southwest. It covers an area of 286,297 square kilometers, ranking seventh among 50 states. Population 2,495,529 (2006). The capital is Carson City. The name Nevada comes from Spanish, meaning "snowy mountains" or "covered with snow" and was originally used to describe the coldness of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the western part of the state. Many U.S. Navy warships are also known as the USS Nevada. Nevada was originally home to Indian tribes such as Mohave, Paiute, Shoshone, and Washoe. In the mid-18th century, Spanish missionaries and fur traders first came here. In the 1840s, American pioneers traveled through the area to California through the Harbor Trail. Mineral deposits were discovered in Kamstok in 1859. Nevada Territory was established in 1861. Joined the Union in 1864 and became a state in the United States. The vast majority of the state's residents are of European descent, with about 95% of them born in the United States. Blacks make up less than 6% of the state's population. There are also some descendants of Indian tribes such as Paiute, Shoshone, and Showa living on the reservation. Seventy-three percent of the state's population lives in the two major cities of Las Vegas and Reno. Nevada has an average population density of 3 people per square kilometer, second only to Alaska and is the state with the lowest population distribution in the United States. Most of the state belongs to the "Great Basin" natural area of the United States, with rugged mountains, flat canyons and deserts. More than 30 mountain ranges run through the north and south, with the highest point being the border peak near the California border, with an altitude of 4005 meters. The southern part of the state belongs to the Mohave Desert. The lowest point is in the Colorado River Canyon, at an altitude of 143 meters. The Humboldt River is the largest river in the state and the only river running across the east and west. Compared with the entire state, the water area is very small. Nevada is the driest state in the country. The driest is in the southeast, with an annual precipitation of less than 100 mm, an average of 200 - 230 mm in the northeast, and often as high as 600 mm in the northwest mountainous areas. The temperature difference is very large. The average temperature in July is 21¡æ in the north and 30¡æ in the south; The average temperature in January is-4¡æ in the north and 4¡æ in the south. Winters in the north and central regions are long and severe, and summers in the south are extremely hot. Mining and agriculture in Nevada are traditional pillars of the economy and still hold an important position. Since the 1970s, manufacturing and tourism have surpassed mining and agriculture. Minerals account for 1/3 of the total commodity production. Copper output ranks fifth in the country. Mercury production ranks second in the country, after California. Silver production ranks 7th in the country. Gold, manganese, tungsten, antimony, iron and petroleum are also produced. Agriculture depends mainly on irrigation and groundwater irrigation. Animal products are the main source of agricultural income. The manufacturing industry, ranked by output value, is: metals, building materials, food, metal products and machinery, publishing and printing, and wood and wood products. The copper smelter is the largest in the industry. Since the 1950s, the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission has established a nuclear test site in the state, and has also established many aerospace, civil defense, environmental protection, electronics and other enterprises. Tourism revenue is 30% more than the combined income of mining, agriculture and manufacturing. Las Vegas and Reno are two major entertainment centers. Las Vegas is known as the "gambling city" and has casinos that open day and night. Gambling taxes have become one of the state's main sources of tax revenue. In order to attract divorced tourists, the state government stipulates that anyone who lives in the state for a short period of time can go through divorce procedures. Famous tourist attractions include Fire Valley State Park, famous for its colorful rock formations, Death Valley and Liman Cave Park on the border with California. Nevada has a vast territory and mainly relies on air transportation. There are 7 airlines and about 100 airports. Reno and Las Vegas both have international airports. The total length of the highway line is more than 70,000 kilometers, of which 20,000 kilometers are paved. The railway line is about 2000 kilometers long. The University of Nevada was founded in 1874 with a campus in Reno and a branch in Las Vegas in 1957. Today, the two universities each have nearly 10,000 students. Nevada is also known as the "Silver State" or "Sagebrush State". The state flower is sagebrush. The state bird is the Mountain Bluebird. The state trees are single-leafpinon and bristlecone pine. The motto is "All forourtry".