Las Vegas

Las Vegas

Downtown Las Vegas skyline looking south, with the Las Vegas Valley in the background.

Flag

Seal

Nickname(s): Vegas, The Gambling Capital of the World, Sin City, The Entertainment Capital of the World, Capital of Second Chances, The Marriage Capital of the World, Lost Wages

Location of the city of Las Vegas within Clark County, Nevada

Location in the contiguous United States

Country

United States

State

Nevada

County

Clark

Founded May 15, 1905

Incorporated March 16, 1911

Government

• Type Council–manager

• Mayor Carolyn G. Goodman (I)

• City Manager

Betsy Fretwell

Area

• City

135.8 sq mi (352 km2)

• Land 135.8 sq mi (352 km2)

• Water .05 sq mi (0.1 km2)

Elevation 2,001 ft (610 m)

Population (2010)

• City

596,424

• Density 4,298.1/sq mi (1,659.5/km2)

• Urban

1,314,356

• Metro

1,951,269

(30th most in the U.S.)

Time zone

PST (UTC−8)

• Summer (DST)

PDT (UTC−7)

Area code(s)

702

FIPS code

32-40000

GNIS feature ID

0847388

Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city known primarily for gambling, shopping, fine dining, and nightlife and is the leading financial and cultural center for Southern Nevada. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous for its consolidated casino–hotels and associated entertainment. A growing retirement and family city, Las Vegas is the 31st-most populous city in the United States, with a population at the 2010 census of 583,756. The 2010 population of the Las Vegas metropolitan area was 1,951,269. Today, Las Vegas is one of the top tourist destinations in the world.

Established in 1905, Las Vegas was incorporated as a city in 1911. At the close of the 20th century, Las Vegas was the most populous American city founded in that century (a distinction held by Chicago in the 19th century). The city's tolerance for various forms of adult entertainment earned it the title of Sin City, and this image has made Las Vegas a popular setting for films and television programs. There are numerous outdoor lighting displays on Fremont Street, as well as elsewhere in the city.

Las Vegas often refers to the city plus some areas beyond the city limits, especially the resort areas on and near the Las Vegas

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