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Las Vegas is a city in southern Nevada. The seat of Clark County, Las Vegas is located in the Las Vegas Valley, a desert surrounded by the Spring Mountains and the Sierra Nevada. Las Vegas serves as the center of one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States. Its population has multiplied by a factor of 30 since the 1940s-more than that of any other major American city. Las Vegas is renowned for tourism, gaming, a dry and vigorous climate, and an assortment of indoor and outdoor recreational activities. The city is also booming in manufacturing and industrial employment, in the construction of new houses, and in the creation of new service jobs.
Las Vegas and Its Metropolitan Area
The city of Las Vegas covers a land area of 215.2 sq km (83.1 sq mi). In addition to Las Vegas, the city's metropolitan region includes North Las Vegas, Boulder City, Henderson, Mesquite, and a large number of unincorporated communities.
The downtown area of Las Vegas, known as Glitter Gulch, is characterized by long-established casinos. It is the site of the Fremont Street Experience, a renovation project completed in 1995, designed to revitalize the downtown area and attract more people to the street's casinos. Covering a five-block stretch of Fremont Street, this section is a covered pedestrian mall where thousands of lights play out animated scenes overhead. In addition to the casinos and attractions downtown, more are located on The Strip, a 6-km (4-mi) neon-lined portion of Las Vegas Boulevard, located slightly south of downtown. Some of the extravagant casinos on The Strip play on epic Hollywood themes, such as the Treasure Island Casino, while others advertise attractions, such as an Egyptian pyramid, a medieval castle, or an erupting volcano. Ever-grander casinos open each year, attracting patrons with such draws as replicas of New York City landmarks or roller-coasters atop tall towers. Outside the city lies Hoover Dam, a massive concrete dam that was completed in 1936.
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