Southern Nevada


Southern Nevada is a region and the southern portion of the U.S. state of Nevada which includes the Las Vegas Valley. It also includes the areas in and around Pahrump and Pioche. Tonopah and Hawthorne are sometimes also referred to as part of Southern Nevada, but all organizations based in the Las Vegas area, such as the Southern Nevada Health District, effectively limit the term to Clark County.
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.

Economy

A major part of Southern Nevada's economy is based primarily 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, Caesars Entertainment Corporation and MGM Resorts International.
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.

Topography

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.