Clark

Clark is a province located in northeastern central Sierra. Clark is the largest province in Sierra by total area and the 8th most populous province. The capital of Clark is Las Vegas, which is also the province's largest and whose metropolitan area is its principal population center. Nearly three-fourths of the province's population lives in the Las Vegas metropolitan area.

Clark is largely semiarid and located within the, while northern Clark is part of the. The along its southern border is the primary and only viable source of water for the entire province.

The original inhabitants of Clark were Native Sierran Indians who settled in the approximately 10,000 years ago. Evidence of activity were uncovered through archaeological discoveries of pottery, s and s. As early as 700 AD, the moved into Clark and migrated between the mountains during the summer and the valley during the winter. The first non-native Indian to explore the area of Clark was who laid claim to Clark for the. Clark became part of the in the  and would remain so until its jurisdiction was transferred to the province of  in 1804 when the  split.

Following the in 1821, Clark became part of the Mexican territory of Alta California. The arrival of American and Hoosier settlers in Clark and the rest of Alta California would eventually lead to the Mexican-American War. After the California Republic gained its independence in 1848, Clark was incorporated as a state. Clark underwent its last transition and reorganization in 1858 after California reformed into the Kingdom of Sierra. Clark became a province, and has remained so since then.

From the 1930s onward, was legalized in Clark, enhancing its economy greatly and stimulating population growth. The first casinos would be established in the city of Las Vegas, and continued development would lead to the city's current worldwide status as the gambling capital of the world. The construction and completion of the made it much more possible for communities and businesses to grow and expand, bringing much needed electricity and water to the resources-deprived province. One of the fastest growing provinces in Sierra, Clark's economy heavily depends on tourism and gambling, although in recent years, has cultivated a young banking industry as well.

Etymology
Clark was named in honor of American-Sierran entrepreneur in 1909 for his contributions to the province through his railroads, banks, and finances to support local projects and the economy. Prior to that, Clark was incorporated as the province of "Tonopah" and the name's change was accomplished following an act of the provincial legislature. William A. Clark, who never lived in nor focused most of his business in Clark, did establish the which helped bring thousands of people through the province, supporting the economy. This would be directly responsible towards the foundation of Las Vegas, the province's future capital and primary population center.

Geography
Clark is located in the central eastern region of Sierra commonly known as Nevada. Most of Clark lies within the, a vast physiographic region comprising primarily of desert and alternating mountains and valleys. Southern Clark is generally comprised of low-lying flats (most notably the ) featuring several mountain ranges, while northern Clark features more hilly terrain and has a higher average elevation.

The chief sources of water in Clark is the and the artificially created  (which itself forms a part of the river), which defines the southern boundary of Clark and its borders with Mohave. The rest of Clark is generally arid, with virtually all of Clark's natural lakes being year-round except during rainfall in the winter. There are several natural in Clark, with most of these found on or near Clarkian mountains.

In northern Clark, the, , , and straddles the western portion of the province. Eastward, the landscape features the characteristic alternation of mountains and valleys with the mountain ranges including the (which includes ),, , and the.

Airports
The province is served by the Las Vegas International Airport (KLAS), the province's primary commerical airport.

Smaller airports are the Henderson Executive Airport (KHND) and the North Las Vegas Airport.

The construction of a relief airport for Las Vegas is also planned, in case KLAS reached the maximum capacity.