Las Vegas (US: /lɑːs ˈveɪɡəs/ lahss VAY-gəss; from Spanish las vegas 'the meadows'), often

known simply as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county
seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the
greater Mojave Desert, and second-largest in the Southwestern United States.[6][7] Las Vegas is
an internationally renowned major resort city, known primarily for its gambling, shopping, fine
dining, entertainment, and nightlife, with most venues centered on downtown Las Vegas and
more to the Las Vegas Strip just outside city limits. The Las Vegas Valley as a whole serves as
the leading financial, commercial, and cultural center for Nevada. According to the United States
Census Bureau, the city had 641,903 residents in 2020,[8] with a metropolitan population of
2,227,053,[9] making it the 25th-most populous city in the United States.
The city bills itself as the Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous for its luxurious and
extremely large casino-hotels. With over 2.9 million visitors as of 2019, Las Vegas is the sixth-
most visited city in the U.S., after New York City, Miami, Los Angeles, Orlando, and San
Francisco.[10] It is a top-three destination in the U.S. for business conventions and a global leader
in the hospitality industry, claiming more AAA Five Diamond hotels than any other city in the
world.[11][12][13] Las Vegas annually ranks as one of the world's most visited tourist destinations.[14]
[15]
The city's tolerance for numerous forms of adult entertainment had earned it the nickname "Sin
City",[16] and has made Las Vegas a popular setting for literature, films, television programs, and
music videos.
Las Vegas was settled in 1905 and officially incorporated in 1911. At the close of the 20th
century, it was the most populated North American city founded within that century (a similar
distinction was earned by Chicago in the 19th century). Population growth has accelerated since
the 1960s and into the 21st century, and between 1990 and 2000 the population nearly doubled,
increasing by 85.2%. As with most major metropolitan areas, the name of the primary city ("Las
Vegas" in this case) is often used to describe areas beyond official city limits. In the case of Las
Vegas, this especially applies to the areas on and near the Strip, which are actually in the
unincorporated communities of Paradise and Winchester.[17][18] Over time and influenced
by climate change, droughts in Southern Nevada, already one of the driest regions in the United
States, have been increasing in frequency and severity,[19] putting a further strain on Las
Vegas's water security.

Toponymy
The area was named Las Vegas, which is Spanish for "the meadows", as it featured abundant
wild grasses, as well as the desert spring waters needed by westward travelers.[20] The