Reno is a city in the US state of Nevada near Lake Tahoe. Known as "The Biggest Little City in the World", Reno is famous for its casinos and as the birthplace of Caesars Entertainment Corporation. The city is situated in the northwestern part of the state and is the county seat of Washoe County. Reno is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area. With an estimated population of 233,294 in 2013, Reno is the third most populous city in the state after Las Vegas and Henderson. The city sits in a high desert at the foot of the Sierra Nevada and its downtown area (along with Sparks) occupies a valley informally known as the Truckee Meadows.Reno is part of the Reno–Sparks metropolitan area which consists of all of both Washoe and Storey counties and has a 2013 estimated population of 437,673. making it the second largest metropolitan area in Nevada.HistoryArchaeological finds place the eastern border for the prehistoric Martis people in the Reno area.