Needles

City in San Bernardino County, southeastern California; population (1990) 5,200. It lies in the eastern part of the Mojave Desert, just northeast of the Sacramento Mountains, on Interstate 40 and the Colorado River (the Arizona state line), 151 km/94 mi south-southeast of Las Vegas, Nevada. The city is named after peaks that are visible to the east in Arizona.

Needles is situated a mining area, with deposits of gold and semi-precious stones. The city, founded by the Santa Fe Railroad in 1882, is a trade centre and railway junction. It is known for its very hot climate, and produces dates and other fruit and vegetables. The Fort Mohave (or Mojave) Indian Reservation lies to the east and north. Resort development along the river has brought an increase in the city's tourist trade in recent years.