Nevada, constituent state of the United States of America. It borders Oregon and Idaho to the north, Utah to the east, Arizona to the southeast, and California to the west. It ranks seventh among the 50 U.S. states in terms of total area. It also, however, is one of the most sparsely settled. Carson City, in the western part of the state, is the capital. Nevada became the 36th state of the union on October 31, 1864.