Texas (State of Texas)

: Lone Star State
: Friendship.
Before Statehood Known as
The

No official language
See
Largest
- Total | 261,797
(678,051 )
Width | 773,244 )
Length | 790,270 km)
water | 2.5
Latitude | 25°?50? N to 36°?30? N
Longitude | 93°?31? W to 106°?39? W
- Total | 20,851,820
79.6/sq
30.75/kmІ (28th in the US)
Highest point
| 8,749 (2,667 m)
Mean | 1,700 (520 m)
Lowest point | coast
0 (0 m)
, (28th)
(R)
(R)
(R)
most of state | : -6/
tip of | : -7/
Abbreviations |
Web site
Map of Texas, showing major cities and roads
Texas (: /'t?ks?s/) is a geographically located in the . With an area of 261,797miles (678,050І) and a rapidly growing population of 23.5 million spread among 254 counties, Texas is the second largest U.S. state in both area and population. and are the centers of the state's two largest . Other major cities include the state capital of , the state's oldest major city of , and the western city of .
Topographically, the easternmost section of the state is covered by the same that cover much of the . Moving westward, the state gradually becomes more arid, turning into and eventually in the region surrounding . Also, the wide open spaces of the Texan prairie have lent currency to the phrase that "everything is bigger in Texas." Due to its long history as a center of the American cattle industry, Texas is associated throughout much of the world with the image of the .
Because of its large size and unique history, the regional affiliation of Texas is often debated. Historically and culturally, it has very strong ties to the . However, due to Texas's history as a Spanish colony, its border with , and its large population, Texas can also be considered a . Nevertheless, while most residents acknowledge the state belonging to the and/or , many claim an independent "Texan" identity superceding regional labels.
was the first European country to claim Texas. Starting in the 1820s, American and European immigrants began arriving in the area. Texas declared its independence from Mexico in 1836 and existed as the independent for nearly a decade. In 1845, it joined the United States as the 28th state. Texas is one of only four independent states to enter the US federation.[] Annexation of Texas led the United States with Mexico leading to the and helping plant seeds for the . Texas was the 7th state to join the . Near the turn of the 19th century, led to an economic boom in the state and greatly increased . Texas grew rapidly, becoming the second largest state in population 1994, and became economically diversified, with a growing base in high technology.
Contents
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Etymology
The state's name derives from tбysha?, a word in the of the , which means "friends" or "allies".
The word Texas has found its way into the English vernacular in ways not directly related to the actual state. Due to the state's large geographic size, the term "Texas sized" is often used to describe large things. The state's name has been used as part of several brands such as the restaurant chain, , the horror movie franchise , and the multinational semiconductor corporation .
A shortened form of Texas, , has been used as a for someone having been born and/or raised in the state. Some people nicknamed "Tex" include basketball coach and original owner . Tex also has been used as a prefix for several words related to Texas including the food style or the city .
The common nickname for the state, The Lone Star State comes from the single star of the former . The star is still found on the state seal and flag, symbolizing Texas's fight for independence and that Texas was an independent republic.
See also:
History
Main article:
Prior to European colonization, Texas was inhabited by nations such as the , and . was the first European country to claim the territory of Texas. Starting in the 1820s, American and European immigrants began arriving in the area. declared its independence from Spain, and Texas declared its independence from Mexico in 1836. Following this date, Texas existed as the independent for nearly a decade. In 1845, it joined the as the 28th state. Texas is one of only four independent states to enter the US federation.[] Annexation of Texas led the United States with Mexico leading to the . In the , Texas was the 7th state to join the . Near the turn of the 19th century, led to an economic boom in the state. Texas grew rapidly, becoming the second largest state in population 1994, diversifying its economy, with a growing base in .
The display of the "" in includes the flags of (left to right) , , , the , the , and the .
State of Texas
Texas boasts that "" have flown over its soil: the national flags of , the of , , the , the , and the .
tribes who once lived inside the boundaries of present-day Texas include , , , , , , , , , Hueco and the of . Currently, there are three federally recognized Native American tribes which reside in Texas: the Tribe of Texas, the Traditional Tribe of Texas, and the of Texas.
Colonization
Main articles: and
, creator of the first map of the northern , made the first documented European citing of Texas in 1519. On , shipwrecked Spanish became the first known European in Texas. Texas was immediately claimed by Spain as part of . but was not settled immediately. In 1685 established the first community in Texas, the French colony of . The colony, located along , lasted only fourbefore succumbing to harsh conditions and hostile natives.
Due to the perceived French encroachment, Spain established its first presence in Texas in 1691 constructing of several missions in . The missions failed quickly, and Spain did not resettle Texas until twohad passed. Spain returned to East Texas in 1716, establishing several missions and a to maintain a buffer between Mexico and the French territory of . Twolater, the first civilian settlement in Texas, , was established as a way station between the missions and the nearest existing Spanish settlement. San Antonio quickly became a target for raids by the . In 1749, the Spanish signed a peace treaty with the Apache, which angered the enemies of the Apache and resulted in raids by the , , and tribes. Fear of Indian attacks and remoteness from the rest of the kingdom discouraged settlers from moving to Texas, and it remained one of the least populated provinces of New Spain.
The Comanche signed a treaty with Spain in 1785 and later assisted in defeating the Lipan Apache and tribes which had continued to cause difficulties for settlers. An increase in the number of missions in the province allowed for a peaceful conversion of other tribes, and by the end of the 1700s only a few of the hunting and gathering tribes had not been .
Although Spain also held Louisiana for several years, in 1799 it ceded the neighboring territory back to France. to the the following year, led to a border dispute of Texas. U.S. President insisted that the purchase included all land to the east of the and to the north of the . The dispute was resolved in 1819, with the signing of the recognizing the as Texas's eastern boundary. Two years later, the state became a province of after the .
was the first Anglo American to receive permission to settle in Texas, but died before he could bring settlers to Texas. His son, , continued his father's work. In 1821, Texas became part of the newly independent Republic of and, in 1824, became the northern section of . Spain's policy of allowing only full-blooded Spaniards to settle Texas also ended with Mexico's independence. On , Stephen F. Austin began a colony of 297 Anglo-American families known as the "" along the , after Austin was authorized to do so by Governor Antonio Marнa Martнnez and then successive Mexican officials as Mexico went through tumultuous political regime changes. Austin soon organized even more groups of immigrants, with authorization from the Mexican government. By 1830, the 30,000 Anglo settlers in Texas outnumbered two to one.
Independence
Main articles: and
The and the were responses to rising unrest at policies of the government, which included ending duty free imports from the United States and the threat of losing a special allowance for slavery in the state. Slavery was abolished in Mexico after its independence. In 1835, , President of Mexico, proclaimed a unified constitution for all Mexican territories, including Texas. The new Constitution ended the republic and the federation, imposed a central style of government with power concentrated in the President, and turned states into provinces with governors appointed from Mexico City. Some states around Mexico rebelled against this imposition, including , and . were also irritated by other policies including the forcible disarmament of Texan settlers, and the expulsion of immigrants and legal landowners originally from the United States. Centralista forces' suppression of dissidents in also inspired fear of the Mexican government.
Republic of Texas. The present-day outlines of the U.S. states are superimposed on the boundaries of 1836–1845
On , the signed a . On , the Texans—led by General —won their independence at the . Santa Anna's capture led to the , which gave Texas firm boundaries; Mexico repudiated the treaties, considered Texas a breakaway province, and vowed to reconquer it. Later in 1836, the Texans adopted a constitution that formally legalized . The included the area of the present state of Texas, and additional unoccupied territory to the west and northwest.
Statehood
Main article:
Most Texans wanted their Republic to be into the because of the Republic's defensive and financial difficulties. Events such as the and two recaptures of Bйxar in Texas of 1842 added momentum to the desire for statehood. However, strong Northern opposition to adding another slave state blocked Texas's admission until pro-annexation won the election of 1844. On , Texas was admitted to the U.S. as a constituent of the Union. Texas was the only state to enter the United States by treaty instead of territorial annexation.[] The followed, with decisive victories by the U.S. Post war Texas grew rapidly as migrants poured into the cotton lands of the state.
Confederate States of America
Main article:
Just before the , elected delegates met in convention and authorized secession from the U.S. on . Texas voters later approved the measure in referendum, and the state was accepted as a charter member by the provisional government of the on . Partly due to its distance from the front lines of the war, a major role for Texas was to supply men, especially cavalry, for Confederate forces, many veterans of the Mexican–American War. Texan regiments fought in every major battle throughout the war. Texas was a "supply state" for the Confederate forces until mid-1863, when the Union capture of the made large movements of men or cattle impossible. The last battle of the Civil War was fought in Texas, at , on , well after Lee's surrender on at in Virginia.
Texas descended into near-anarchy during the two months between the surrender of the and the assumption of authority by Union General , as Confederate forces demobilized or disbanded and government property passed into private hands through distribution or plunder. commemorates the announcement of the on in Galveston by General Gordon Granger; nearly 1-1/2 years after the original announcement of . President Johnson, on , declared that civilian government had been restored to Texas. On , despite not meeting all requirements for readmission, the readmitted Texas into the .
Modern Texas
The first major oil well in Texas was , a little hill south of , on the morning of . Other oil fields were later discovered nearby in , , and under the . The resulting “Oil Boom” permanently transformed the economy of Texas. Oil production eventually averaged three million barrels of oil per day at its peak in 1972. The economy, which had shown significant progress since the , was dealt a double blow by and the .
From 1950 through the 1960s, Texas modernized and dramatically expanded its system of higher education. Under the leadership of Governor , the state created a long-range plan for higher education, a more rational distribution of resources, and a central state apparatus designed to manage state institutions more efficiently. These changes, helped Texas universities receive federal research funds during the and administrations.
Geography
Main article:
The geography of Texas spans a wide range of features and timelines. Texas is the southernmost part of the , which ends in the south against the folded of Mexico. It is in the south-central part of the United States of America. It is considered to form part of the and also part of the .
The , and all provide natural state lines where Texas borders on the north, and on the east, on the west, and the states of , , , and to the south.
Some residents divide Texas into five regions: , , , , and . Texas Almanac divides Texas into four physical regions: , , , and . This is the difference between and .
Some regions of Texas are more associated with the South than the Southwest (primarily , , and ), while others share more similarities with the latter (primarily far and ). The upper and the parts of West Texas do not easily fit into either category. The former has much in common with the , while the latter, originally settled primarily by anglo Southerners, yet with a notable Hispanic population, is somewhat of a blend of South and Southwest.
The size of Texas prohibits easy categorization of the entire state wholly in any recognized region of the United States; geographic, economic, and even cultural diversity between regions of the state preclude treating Texas as a region in its own right.
See also:
Geology
Main article:
Shaded Relief Map of the
Texas is the southernmost part of the , which ends in the south against the folded of Mexico. The here is a stable which changes across a broad continental margin and transitional crust into true of the . The oldest rocks in Texas date from the Mesoproterozoic and are about 1,600 million years old. These and rocks underly most of the state, and are exposed in three places: uplift, , and the , near . This is overlain by mostly . The oldest sediments were deposited on the flanks of a rifted continental margin, or that developed during time. This margin existed until Laurasia and Godwana collided in time to form . This is the buried crest of the —— zone of . This crest is today buried beneath the ——— trend. During this time E. Texas was a region of high mountains and shallow seas covered W. Texas.
The late mountains collapsed as in time began to open the Gulf of Mexico. Pangea began to break up in the but to form the occurred only in the mid and late . The shoreline shifted again to the eastern margin of the state and the Gulf of Mexico began to form. Today there are 9(14 km) to 12(19of sediments buried beneath the Texas continental shelf and a large proportion of remaining US reserves are to be found here. At the start of its formation, the incipient Gulf of Mexico basin was restricted and seawater often evaporated completely to form thick deposits of age. These salt deposits have buoyantly risen up through the passive margin sediments to form , commonly found in East Texas, along the Gulf coast.
East Texas outcrops consist of and sediments with contain important deposits of . is found in the Mississippian ad Pennsylvanian sediments in the north, Permian sediments in the west, Cretaceous sediments in the east, and along the Gulf coast and out on the Texas . rocks are found in far west Texas, in the area. A blanket of sediments known as the Ogallala formation in the western high plains region is an important . Texas has no active or dormant volcanoes and few earthquakes, being situated far from an active boundary.
Climate
Main article:
2004 Christmas Eve snowstorm in South Texas
The large size of Texas and its location at the intersection of several gives the state highly variable weather. In general, though, there are three main climate zones: the ( Cfa) of the eastern half of Texas, the temperate (Koppen BSk) steppe climate of the northwestern part, including the Panhandle, and the subtropical steppe climate (nearly an desert climate, Koppen BSh) of the southern parts of West Texas, particularly around El Paso.
The Panhandle of the state is colder in winter than North Texas, while the Gulf Coast has mild winters. Texas has wide variations in precipitation patterns. El Paso, on the western end of the state, averages as little as 8(200 mm) of annual rainfall while Houston, on the southeast Texas averages as much as 54(1,400per year. Dallas in the North Central region averages a more moderate 37(940 mm) per year. Snowfall often falls in the winter months in the north. Maximum temperatures in the summer months average from the 80s ° (26 °) in the mountains of West Texas and on to around 100 (38 ) in the . Nighttime summer temperatures range from the upper 50s °F (14 °C) in the West Texas mountains to 80 °F (27 °C) in Galveston.
are very common in Texas, especially the eastern and northern portion of the state. Texas also experiences the highest number of out of every state in the Union, with an average of around 139 a year. Although these tend to strike most frequently in North Texas and the Panhandle, every part of the state is subject to these violent storms. Tornadoes occur mostly between the months of April-July but may strike at any time of the year.
Texas emits the most out of any state. The state's annual carbon dioxide emissions are nearly 1.5 trillion pounds (680 billion kg). Texas would be the world's seventh-largest producer of greenhouse gases if it were its own country. Much of the greenhouse gas emissions come from the state's refining and manufacturing industries which provide the bulk of the United States's petroleum and plastics.
See also:
Demographics
Main article:
Texas Population Density Map
As of 2006, the state has an estimated population of 23,507,783, an increase of 579,275 (2.5%) from the prior year and an increase of 2,655,993 (12.7%) since the year 2000. Texas has seen an increase in population in all three subcategories—natural (births less deaths), net , and net migration. The natural increase since the last census was 1,389,275 people (2,351,909 births minus 962,634 deaths), from outside the resulted in a net increase of 801,576 people, and migration within the country produced a net increase of 451,910 people. The state passed New York in the 1990s to become the second-largest U.S. state in population.
As of 2004, the state has 3.5 million foreign-born residents (15.6 percent of the state population), of which an estimated 1.2 million are (illegal immigrants account for more than one-third of the foreign-born population in Texas and 5.4 percent of the total state population).
Race and ethnic origins
The annual Houston International Festival spotlights a different culture each year
As of the 2005 US Census estimates, the racial distribution in Texas are as follows: 84.14% ; 12.09% or ; 3.62% ; 0.17% or ; and 1.1% or Alaskan Native. Persons of origin accounted for 35.31 percent of the population and may be of any race. Texas is one of four .
The largest reported ancestry groups in Texas include: (25.3%), (10.9%), (10.5%), (7.2%), and (7.2%). Descendants from some of these ancestry groups are underreported.
Much of east, central, and north Texas is inhabited by heritage, primarily descended from ancestors from and . Much of central and southeast-central Texas is inhabited by whites of German descent. African Americans, who historically made up one-third of the state population, are concentrated in those parts of East Texas where the cotton plantation culture was most prominent prior to the , as well as in Dallas and Houston.
Other population groups in Texas also exhibit great diversity. Frontier Texas saw settlements of , particularly in and . After the , German, , , , and immigration grew, and continued until . The influence of the diverse from Europe survives in the names of towns, styles of architecture, genres of music, and varieties of cuisine. Lavaca County is predominantly .
More than one-third of Texas residents are of origin and may be of any racial group. Some are recent arrivals from Latin America, while others, known as in English, have ancestors who have lived in Texas for several generations. Hispanics dominate south, south-central, and west Texas and are a significant part of the residents in San Antonio, Houston, and Dallas.—
primarily from far southern Mexico and Central America— who look for work in Texas also contribute to the state's growth. The influx of illegal immigration is partially responsible for Texas having a population younger than the U.S. average.
Recently, the population in Texas has grown—primarily in Houston and Dallas. People with ancestry from , , , , , , , and make up the largest Asian-American groups in Texas.
Religion
Texas a part of the strong socially conservative , . is home to three major evangelical seminaries, , and . The city has several of America's largest including the Potter's House pastored by T.D Jakes. Houston is home to the largest church in the nation, , which is pastored by . has the most churches per capita in the nation.
The religious demographics of Texas are:
– 92%
– 66%
– 32%
– 9%
– 3%
– 2%
– 2%
– 2%
– 2%
Other Protestant – 14%
– 23%
– 1%
Other Christian – 2%
– 1%
Other Religions – 2%
Non-Religious – 5%
Major cities
See also: , ,
The largest cities figure prominently in the economy, culture, and heritage of Texas, the American and . As of 2000, six incorporated places in Texas had populations greater than 500,000, of which two are : Houston and Dallas. Texas has a total of , with four having populations over 1 million and two over 5 million.
Texas is the only state in the U.S. to have three cities with populations exceeding 1 million: Houston, Sanand Dallas; which are also among the 10 largest cities of the . and Fortare in the top 20 largest U.S. cities.
Houston
San Antonio
Dallas
Texas
rank | U.S.
rank | City | Population
within
city limits | Metro
Population | Land Area
square miles (kmІ) | Texas
Region | U.S.
Region
1 | 4 | 2,144,491 | 5,539,949 | 601.7
(1,558І)
2 | 7 | 1,296,682 | 1,942,217 | 412.1
(1,067І)
3 | 9 | 1,232,940 | 6,003,967 | 385.0
(997І)
4 | 16 | 709,893 | 1,513,565 | 258.4
(669І)
5 | 18 | 653,320 | 6,003,967 | 298.9
(774І)
6 | 21 | 609,415 | 415,810 | 250.5
(649І)
7 | 49 | 362,805 | 6,003,967 | 99.0
(257І)
8 | 63 | 283,474 | 736,310 | 460.2
(1,192І)
9 | 69 | 250,096 | 6,003,967 | 71.6
(186І)
10 | 86 | 216,346 | 6,003,967 | 57.1
(148І)
Government and politics
Main articles: and
The —adopted in 1876—is the second-oldest state constitution still in effect. As with many , it explicitly provides for the separation of powers and incorporates its bill of rights directly into the text of the constitution (as Article I). The bill of rights is considerably lengthier and more detailed than the federal , and includes provisions unique to Texas.
Political system
The executive branch consists of the Governor, , Comptroller of Public Accounts, Land Commissioner, Attorney General, Agriculture Commissioner, the three-member , the State Board of Education, and the Secretary of State. All of these positions are elected by the populace, with the exception of the Secretary of State, who is appointed by the Governor. The Comptroller decides if expected state income is sufficient to cover proposed state budgets. The executive branch also consists of state agencies, and boards and commissions. The Governor commands the state militia and can veto bills passed by the Legislature and call special sessions of the Legislature (this power is exclusive to the Governor and can be exercised as often as desired). The Governor also appoints members of various executive boards and fills judicial vacancies between elections.
The is bicameral with The House of Representatives having 150 members and the Senate 31. The speaker, currently Tom Craddick (R–Midland) leads the House, and the Lieutenant Governor (currently Republican ) leads the Senate. The Legislature meets in regular session only once every two years. Only the Governor may call a special session, and may do so as often as desired.
The has a reputation as one of the most complex in the United States, with many layers and many overlapping jurisdictions. Texas has two courts of last resort: the , for civil cases, and the . Except for some municipal benches, partisan elections selects judges at all levels of the judiciary; the Governor fills vacancies by appointment.
Governor Rick Perry
Protesters at the 6th Annual March to Stop Executions
Republican has served as since December 2000, when vacated the office to assume the . Two Republicans represent Texas in the U.S. Senate: (since 1993) and (since 2003). There are 32 , the second-most after California. 19 seats are held by Republicans and 13 by Democrats.
The held a monolithic political presence in Texas from the beginning of its statehood until the late 20th century. Texas harbored a deep resentment towards the for the after the . Conservative Democrats however, but endorsed many Republican presidential candidates because they perceived a liberal shift in the national Democratic Party. When President signed the , he reportedly said "We have lost the South." After that, the Democrats gradually lost influence in Texas. In 1978, the state elected its first post-reconstruction governor, and in 2003, Republicans gained control of the for the first time. Today, Republicans control most of Texas's delegation, and both U.S. Senators. Since 1994 no Democrat has been elected to a statewide office in Texas. The remains of the state's Democratic presence is primarily comprised of African-Americans, Hispanics, and urban voters, particularly in . Democrats and independents still hold many positions in city governments, including the mayors and most city council positions in Houston, Dallas and San Antonio.
The Texas political atmosphere leans towards and . Texas leads the country in executions performed. The state recently adopted a resolution defining marriage as between a man and a woman. , is considered the state's or "populist" bastion, though Austin's suburbs generally vote conservative. and are among the few urban areas that consistently vote Republican, but their metropolitan areas are very divided politically. These cities tend to favor a more socially tolerant, pro-business brand of Republicanism. In Houston, the election of conservative commentator to the in 2006 sparked an outcry from the city's moderate Republican establishment.
Justice system
Main article:
The justice system in Texas has a strict sentencing for criminals. Texas leads the nation in executions, with 400 executions from 1982 to 2007. Only is eligible for the death penalty. A bill making the rape of a child a capital crime in some instances is currently under consideration. Before 2005, the alternate sentence was with the possibility of after 40 calendar years; in 2005, the law was modified to make the alternate sentence without parole.
Known for their role in Texas law enforcement history, the of the continue to provide special law enforcement services to the state. Texas Game Wardens—law enforcement officers working for the —are given the same amount of authority as any other law enforcement officer. It is a common myth that they can enter private property without a search warrant and search people or vehicles with no probable cause.[]
Administrative divisions
Map outlining 254 counties of Texas
Texas has a total of 254 —the most of any state. Each county is run by a commissioners’ court consisting of four elected commissioners and a county judge elected from all the voters of the county. County government is similar to the "weak" system; the county judge has no veto authority, but votes along with the other commissioners. All county elections are .
Unlike other states, Texas does not allow for consolidated city-county governments, nor does it have a form of . Cities and counties are permitted to enter "interlocal agreements" to share services. Further, counties are not granted "home rule" status; their powers are strictly defined by state law and the Texas Constitution.
Texas does not have townships— areas within a county are either incorporated or unincorporated. Incorporated areas are part of a municipality either as a town or a city, though it may contract with the county for needed services. Unincorporated areas are not part of a municipality; in these areas, the county has authority for law enforcement and road maintenance. Municipalities are classified as either "general law" or "home rule". A municipality may elect home rule status (draft an independent charter) once it exceeds 5,000 population and the voters agree to home rule. Otherwise, it is classified as general law and has very limited powers. All municipal elections in Texas are . Once a municipality elects home rule status, it keeps that status even if the population later falls below 5,000.
See also: , ,
Economy
Main article:
Texas's economy is known for its energy and industries, and for the ship channel at the —the largest in the U.S. in international commerce and the sixth-largest port in the world. The state is home to the most companies and has the second-largest economy in the United States. The in Houston contains the world's largest concentration of research and institutions.
In 2006, Texas had a of $1.09 trillion, the highest in the U.S. per capita as of 2005 was $42,975. Texas leads the nation in number of cattle, which usually exceed 16 million head. Cotton is the leading crop and the state's second-most-valuable farm product. Texas also leads nationally in production of grain sorghum, watermelons, cabbages, and spinach. Wheat, corn, and other grains are also important.
The "tails" side of the Texas quarter
Texas's growth can be attributed to the availability of jobs, the low cost of housing, the lack of a personal , high quality of education, low taxation and limited regulation of , a geographic location in the center of the country, limited government (the meets only once every two years), favorable climate in many areas of the state, and vast, plentiful supplies of oil and natural gas. The known petroleum deposits of Texas are about 8 billion barrels, which makes up approximately one-third of the known U. S. supply. Texas has 4.6 billion barrels of proven crude reserves. There are currently 33 billionaires residing in Texas today. Dallas has 11 billionaires, the most of any city in Texas.
Economic trends in Texas.
Texas remained largely rural until , with , oil, and as its main industries. The sprawling 320,000 deeded (1,200 kmІ) La Escalera Ranch, located 20(32south of , Texas, is one of the largest cattle in the Southwestern United States. was never Texas's chief industry – before the oil boom back to the period of the first Anglo settlers, the chief industry was farming. After , Texas became increasingly industrialized. Its economy today relies largely on information technology, oil and natural gas, fuel processing, electric power, , and manufacturing. Much economic activity in Texas is regional– for example, the is important in 's economy but a non-factor elsewhere, while , the state's largest urban economic enclave stands at the center of the , research trades, and aerospace (particularly ). Meanwhile, Dallas houses the state's predominant manufacturing interests and the expansive labor market.
.
Texas has the second highest number of company headquarters, fifty-six. This has been attributed to both the growth in population in Texas and the rise of oil prices in 2005, which resulted in the growth in revenues of many Texas oil drilling and processing companies.
In 2006, for the fifth year in a row, Texas led the nation in export revenues. Texas exports for 2006 totaled $150.8 billion, which is $22.1 billion more than 2005 and represents a 17.2 percent increase. In 2002, the was 6th among the top sea ports in the world in terms of total cargo volume; Air Cargo World rated as "the best air cargo airport in the world".
Texans pride their state's history, but they also seek new social and technological developments. Austin and its surrounding area is often nicknamed "Silicon Hills". headquarters is located in the city's suburb, . Dallas is the birthplace of the . North Dallas along with surrounding suburbs has been called the "Silicon Prairie" for the area's high concentration of companies such as and . In addition, , at one time one of the world's largest computer companies, was based in . currently employs more employees in Houston, than anywhere else in the world.
Houston is a global leader in the energy industry. Since 2003, Texas state officials have created various initiatives like the and the develop the . Texas is a leader in alternative energy sources, producing the most of any state, as well as small solar powered efforts and the experimental installation of wave-powered generators.
Texas has a large tourism industry. The state tourism slogan is "Texas: It's like a whole other country", a nod to Texas's diversity and history. Tourists might enjoy and 's hispanic culture, or western attractions. and are some of the popular Texas resort areas located on the .
Texas is a top filmmaking state. is now one of the leading filmmaking locations in the country. During 1995-2004, more than $2.75 billion has been spent in Texas for film and television production. The was founded for free services to filmmakers, from location research to traveling. Also many studios are relocating parts of their production divisions to the .
See also:
Culture
Main article:
has presided over every since 1952
Immigration has made the culture of Texas become a of different cultures around the world. Texas's diverse and international culture is partly due to its academic institutions and strong biomedical, energy, manufacturing and aerospace industries.
Many popular events are held in Texas celebrating cultures of Texans. The annual is held over 20 days from late February through early March and is the largest rodeo in the world. The event begins with trail rides that originate from several points throughout the state, all of which convene at for a barbecue cook-off. The rodeo includes typical rodeo events, as well as concert performances from major artists and carnival rides. The World’s first rodeo was held in on . The in lasts three weeks in late January and early February. It has many traditional rodeos, but also a cowboy rodeo, and a Mexican rodeo in recent years that each have a large fan base. The is held in each year at Fair Park.
Texas has a vibrant live in boasting more music venues per capita than any other U.S. city, befitting the city's official slogan as The. Austin's music revolves around the on and an annual , music, and festival known as . The longest-running concert music program on American television, , is videotaped on campus or in Zilker Park. and run the , an annual music and art festival held at .
Over the past couple of decades, evolved into the "Nashville of ." The have provided a forum to create greater awareness and appreciation for Tejano music and culture.
See also: , , ,
Arts and theatre
in Houston
Known for the vibrancy of its and , the —a 17-block area in the heart of —is ranked second in the country in the number of theatre seats in a concentrated downtown area with 12,948 seats for live performances and 1,480 movie seats.
is also one of only five American cities with permanent professional resident companies in all of the major performing arts disciplines (the , the , the , and ). is widely recognized as the nation's third most important city for contemporary .
Fort Worth and Dallas serve as epicenters of the North Texas region's art scene. (formerly the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth), founded in 1892, is the oldest art museum in Texas. The city is also home to the , the , the , the , and the downtown. The of is home to several arts venues. Notable venues in the district include the , the , , and the .
Also within Dallas is the notable district which originally became popular during the 1920s and 1930s as the prime and hotspot in the . The name is thought to have originally derived from local tongues saying "Deep Elm", but that came out as "Deep Ellum". Artists such as , , Huddie "" Ledbetter, and played in original Deep Ellum clubs like The Harlem and The Palace. Today, Deep Ellum is home to hundreds of artists who live in lofts and operate in studios throughout the district alongside bars, pubs, and concert venues. One major art infusion in the area is the city's stance on , thusly several public ways including tunnels, sides of buildings, sidewalks, and streets are covered in murals.
Sports
, home of the Texas
Texans are known for their love of and are noted for their intense following of and teams—often the dominate social and leisure activity. Texas is home to two NFL teams, the and the , sometimes referred to as "America's Team".
has a strong presence in Texas, with teams the and . is also closely followed in Texas—especially in the smaller metropolitan areas. The are a team in Fort Worth, Texas that has won 3 straight championships, one in the and the last two in the .
is also popular, and Texas hosts three teams: the , the , and the . All three have reached the NBA Finals and the and have won championships. Additionally, Texas is home to two teams, the and the . The Comets were the winners of the first four Championships in league history, in the 1997–2000 seasons.
Many Texas universities have rich athletic traditions. Originally, most Texas universities were part of the until it dissolved in 1996. Four of the largest programs in Texas are now part of the : the , , , and . In addition to the four Big 12 schools, Texas is home to six other Division I (Bowl Sub-Division) teams: the of the ; the , the , the and the , all of ; and the of the . Texas has the most Division I-FBS schools in America, ten.
has been a growing participatory sport in the Dallas/Fort Worth area since the became the in 1993. Minor league professional hockey has become popular in the last few decades; such as the winners in 1948 with legendary coach . who won the IHL's in 1999 and the in 2003 and two in the . The also play in the . Texas is home to seven of the 's seventeen teams.
Other popular sports in Texas include (played year-round because of the mild climate), fishing, and . , originally played by some of the indigenous tribes, is a visible sport and growing. is a popular participatory sport, especially among children, but as a it does not yet have a large following despite two Texan teams in and the back to back 2006 and 2007 winners in .
Further information:
Architecture
In addition to Texas's traditional the state also has noteworthy contemporary buildings. Many world class architects and winners have left their enriching marks on Texan cities and landscapes. had four buildings in Texas, while 's and 's famous are permanent landmarks of the city of . Other super architects such as and have numerous works across the state. Among their famous works one can mention the , , , , and . In Austin, 's (also a winner) is particularly noteworthy, while , , , and are other architect legends who designed buildings that grace the and areas. 's is the latest addition to such architectural landmarks in Texas.
Some facilities even harbor the marks of multiple architects. Houston's for example, was designed by winner , landscape architect extraordinnaire , and the pioneering master of .
's is an excellent example of in Texas. |
The by is a work of from 1892. |
's landscaping masterpiece: the . |
's "Old Red" built in 1891, is on the campus of the in and is a registered Texas historic landmark.
Texas is also home to some of the in the United States.
The Houston skyline has been ranked fourth-most impressive in the United States when ranked by breadth and height, being the country's third-tallest skyline and one of the top 10 in the world; however, because it is spread over a few miles, most pictures of the city show only the main downtown area. Houston has a linking buildings in downtown. The tunnel system also includes shops, restaurants, and convenience stores.
Images shown below are the eight .
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Houston |
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Houston |
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Dallas |
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Houston
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Dallas |
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See also:
Transportation
Main article:
The (TxDOT, pronounced "tex-dot") is a agency that "provide[s] safe, effective, and efficient movement of people and goods" throughout the state. Though the public face of the agency is generally associated with maintenance of the state's immense system, the agency is also responsible for in the state and overseeing systems.
Highways
Main article:
I-10 and I-45 interchange in Houston
Texas have been heavily traveled since the 1948 opening of the in , and they are often under construction to meet the demands of continuing growth. As of 2005, there were 79,535(127,999 km) of public highway in Texas (up from 71,000 in 1984). Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) planners have sought ways to reduce congestion, primarily through (HOV) lanes for vans and carpools. The ""—an innovation originally introduced in Houston—is a ramp design that allows vehicles in the HOV lane, which is usually the center lane, to exit directly to transit centers or to enter the freeway directly into the HOV lane without crossing multiple lanes of traffic. Timed freeway entrances, which regulate the addition of cars to the freeway, are also common. Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, and El Paso have extensive networks of freeway cameras linked to transit control centers to monitor and study traffic.
One characteristic of Texas's freeways is the , found even in the most remote areas. Frontage roads provide access to the freeway from businesses alongside, such as gas stations and retail stores. Alongside most freeways, together with the frontage roads are two to four lanes in each direction parallel to the freeway permitting easy access to individual city streets. New landscaping projects and a longstanding ban on new billboards are ways has tried to control the potential side effects of this convenience road.
Another common characteristic found near Texas overpasses are the which is a lane allowing cars traveling on one side of a one-way frontage road to U-turn into the opposite frontage road (typically crossing over or under a freeway or expressway) without being stopped by traffic lights or crossing the highway traffic at-grade.
In the western part of the state, both and have a speed limit of 80 MPH, the highest in the nation.
Airports
The , located nearly equidistant from and downtown , is the largest airport in the state, the second largest in the United States, and fourth largest in the world. In terms of traffic, DFW is the busiest in the state, third busiest in the United States, and sixth busiest in the world.[] The airport serves 135 domestic destinations and 37 international. DFW is the largest and main for (900 daily departures), the world's largest in terms of total passengers-miles transported and passenger fleet size,.
Texas's second-largest air facility is Houston's (IAH), which is the ninth-busiest in the United States for total passengers, and nineteenth-busiest worldwide. is the headquarters of , and is the airline's largest hub, with over 750 daily departures (most operated by Continental). A long list of cities within Texas, as well as international destinations are served directly from this airport; with 30 destinations in , IAH offers service to more Mexican destinations than any other U.S. airport. IAH currently ranks second among U.S. airports with scheduled non-stop domestic and international service (221 destinations), trailing only Hartsfield with 250 destinations.
, the largest domestic carrier in the United States began its operations at . and is still headquartered in Dallas, Texas. It is the largest airline in the by number of passengers carried domestically per year and the by number of passengers carried.
See also:
Passenger rail transportation
METRORail in Houston
(DART), the Dallas area public transportation authority, began operating the first system in the in 1996 and continues to expand its coverage. The DART lightrail currently covers 48(77 km) of track. DART currently has three lines (Blue, Green, and Red) with 35 stations in multiple cities including Dallas, Richardson, Plano, and Garland. Current construction will add an additional 46.2 miles of rail with 28 new stations. The DART light rail system remained the only one in Texas until METRORail opened in Houston in 2004.
The (METRO) operates service in , which includes . 's light rail in Houston started on , . Currently the track runs about 8(13from to the and . METRO also operates bus service in Harris County and to two cities in . METRO is in the process of adding over 30 more miles of light rail, as well as 28(45of commuter rail by the year 2015.
Currently, intercity passenger rail service in Texas is limited from both network and frequency viewpoint, with just three trains serving the state: the daily (Chicago–San Antonio), the tri-weekly (New Orleans–Los Angeles), and the daily (Fort Worth–Oklahoma City).
Healthcare and medicine
Aerial of Texas Medical Center in Houston
Texas is home to three of the world's elite research medical centers: the renowned in Houston, in Dallas, and the in San—all hosting some of the world's most prestigious schools in the health sciences.
is home to the , the world's largest concentration of and institutions. There are 45 member institutions in the Texas Medical Center —all are , and are dedicated to the highest standards of patient and preventive care, , , and local, national, and international community well-being. These institutions include 13 renowned hospitals and two specialty institutions, two , four , and schools of , public health, , and virtually all health-related careers. It is where one of the first, and still the largest, air emergency services was created—a very successful inter-institutional transplant program was developed—and the most are performed there in the world.
's facilities rank sixth in clinical medicine research impact in the with the recognized as a "world leading research and educational institution". The hosts no less than 12 hospitals, 45 medical institutions, and 3 universities, housing the nation's top schools in and .
is home to the and the , "among the top academic medical centers in the world". The at the center employs the most working of any medical school in the world.
Texas has eight medical schools, three dental schools, and one school, all involved in research and clinical operations. These include the , , , , and . The M. D. Anderson Cancer Center is widely considered one of the world’s most productive and highly-regarded academic institutions devoted to cancer patient care, research, education and prevention.
Texas has two laboratories: one at The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston, and the other at the in San Antonio—the first privately owned BSL-4 lab in the United States.
In May 2006, Texas initiated the program "code red" in response to the report that Texas—at 25.1 percent—has the largest un-insured population of the nation.
See also:
Education
Main article:
Texas A&M University
Rice University
There are more than 100 colleges and universities and dozens of institutions engaged in research and development in Texas. Most public universities are members of five different systems: , , , , , and . , , and are Texas's four largest comprehensive doctoral degree-granting institutions with a combined enrollment of over 145,000.
The state also has many private universities. —one of the country’s leading teaching and research universities—ranked the 17th-best university overall in the nation by . Additionally, —the oldest university in the state—was chartered by the Republic of Texas.
The state's public school systems are administered by the (TEA). Texas has over 1,000 —all but one of the school districts in Texas are separate from any form of . School districts may (and often do) cross city and county boundaries—an exception to this rule is . School districts have the power to their residents and to use .
Texas also has numerous of all types. The TEA has no authority over private school operations; private schools may or may not be accredited, and achievement tests are not required for private school graduating seniors. Many private schools obtain accreditation and perform achievement tests to show parents the school's interest in educational performance.
The state has some of the least restrictions on . Neither TEA nor the local school district has authority to regulate home school activities. There is no minimum number of days in a year, or hours in a day, that must be met, and achievement tests are not required for home school graduating seniors. The validity of home schooling was challenged in Texas, but a landmark case, Leeper v. Arlington ISD, ruled that home schooling was legal and that the state had little authority to regulate the practice.
Further information: and .
See also





Footnotes

^ . U.S Geological Survey ( ). Retrieved on November 8, 2006.

^ . Retrieved on , . Retrieved on 07, 2006.
. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved on -.
Wallace Chafe, p.c.
Farivar, Cyrus (-). (HTML). . Retrieved on [[-]].
Blumenthal, Ralph ( ). [ Texas-sized noxious weed threatens State's largest natural lake] (HTML). . Retrieved on [[-]].
(HTML). NETSTATE.COM (). Retrieved on [[]].
from the Online
from the Online
Chipman (1992), p. 243.
Weber (1992), p. 34.
from the Online
from the Online
Weber (1992), p. 149.

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