The main industries of the Nevada economy are agriculture and mining. Nevada’s agriculture is mainly focused on cattle raising, dairy production, and vegetable growing.
The state keeps more than 500,000 head of cattle and 70,000 head of sheep. More than 90% of Nevada’s arable land is used for growing forage crops.
The state produces many minerals, primarily gold (about 9% of the world’s production) and silver. Nevada’s deposits are very rich, but mining them is also expensive.
In addition, Nevada is home to a number of machine-building enterprises, food products, and electrical equipment.
One of the largest employers in Nevada is the US federal government. Nevada is home to several military installations, the largest and most famous of which is Nellis Air Force Base.
Located in North Las Vegas, just thirteen kilometers north of Las Vegas, the air base trains American military pilots. Exercises, including international ones, are often held here.
The Thunderbirds, an aerobatic team of the United States Air Force, are based and train at Nellis Air Force Base.
The highly classified “Area 51” is believed to be located on the territory of Nellis Air Force Base.
There are several other military installations in Nevada, including a test site where nuclear weapons have been tested since 1951.
