The state name is derived from a Spanish word that means snow-clad.Although more than half of Nevada is desert, the mountain ranges in Nevada near Reno and Elko receive snowfall.There are many nicknames of the state such as the Silver State, the Sagebrush State, The Battle Born State.There are 16 counties in the state. Nye County is the largest in the state and third-largest in the United States. Storey County, on the other hand, is the smallest county in the state.The state is a relatively large state. However, eighty- five percent of it is owned by the Federal government. This includes the world-famous Area 51 which is near the town of Rachel.Nevada has many mountain ranges, in fact, more than any other state in the entire country. So for those who love hiking and camping, Nevada is paradise.The state is the leading producer of gold in the United States. Nevada is only behind South Africa in the production of gold in the world.Cal Neva, near Lake Tahoe, is a building that allows you to stand in California and Nevada at the same time.The Nevada Gambling Museum is situated in Virginia City.Las Vegas has the most amount of hotel rooms in the world.