Southern Nevada

Southern Nevada (often abbreviated as SNV) is the region of Nevada which includes the Las Vegas Valley. Southern Nevada also includes the areas in and around Tonopah, Hawthorne, Pahrump, and Pioche, though some organizations based in the Las Vegas area (e.g., the Southern Nevada Health District) effectively use the term to refer to Clark County only.

Geographically, Southern Nevada is partly, and in some cases, fully within the Mojave Desert. The population of the region, as measured by the 2000 U.S. Census, is 1,432,004, though the Las Vegas Valley has now increased to over 2,000,000 itself.

A major part of Southern Nevada's economy is based on tourism, including gambling. The primary drivers of the Las Vegas economy have been the confluence of tourism, gaming, and conventions which in turn feed the retail and dining industries. The city serves as world headquarters for the world's two largest Fortune 500 gaming companies, Harrah's Entertainment and MGM Mirage.

Tourism also benefits the areas around Pahrump, which as served as a bedroom community of Las Vegas. Prostitution is also legal in areas of Southern Nevada, outside of Clark County.

The Mojave Desert and Great Basin Desert cover all or most of Southern Nevada. Man made lakes, seasonal, and dry lakes periodically dot the landscape. Examples of these are Lake Mead, Lake Las Vegas and the Ivanpah Dry Lake.

...
Wikipedia