Why NOBODY Lives in Nevada (It's NOT the Desert)

Why does almost nobody live in Nevada? It's bigger than the entire United Kingdom, yet only about 3 million people live there, and nearly 9 out of 10 are packed into just two cities: Las Vegas and Reno. Most people blame the desert. But the real reason is something you won't see on a normal map. In this geography documentary we explore why Nevada is one of the emptiest states in America: the Great Basin, where rivers never reach the ocean; the silver rush and the ghost towns it left behind; why the federal government owns about 80% of Nevada's land; the 928 nuclear tests at the Nevada Test Site; Area 51 and the secret military zones; and the Colorado River water deal that left Las Vegas with less than 2% of the river. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 0:00 Why Nobody Lives in Nevada 0:49 The Land Where Rivers Die (Great Basin & rain shadow) 2:49 A State Born in a Hurry (Comstock Lode, silver rush & ghost towns) 5:06 The Government's Backyard (80% federal land) 6:22 928 Explosions (Nevada Test Site & nuclear testing) 8:19 The Base That Didn't Exist (Area 51 & Yucca Mountain) 10:17 The Last Drop (Lake Mead, Hoover Dam & the Colorado River) 12:22 So Who Lives Here? (How Las Vegas and Reno happened) 13:47 The Loneliest Road (Highway 50, Esmeralda County & Burning Man) 15:08 Will Nevada Ever Fill Up? (Lithium boom & the future)