Texas

Texas (/ˈtɛksəs/, also locally /ˈtɛksɪz/ American Spanish: [tejaz]), officially the State of Texas, is a state in the South Central Region of the United States. It is the second largest US state by total area (after Alaska) with 268,596 sq mi (695,662 km²) and population (after California) with nearly 29 million people as of 2019. Its largest cities are Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, El Paso, and Austin, the capital city.

State
State of Texas
Flag Seal
Anthem: "Texas, Our Texas"
Map of the United States with Texas highlighted
Country	United States
Before statehood	Republic of Texas
Admitted to the Union	December 29, 1845 (28th)
Capital	Austin
Largest city	Houston
Largest metro	Dallas–Fort Worth
Government
• Governor	Greg Abbott (R)
• Lieutenant Governor	Dan Patrick (R)
Legislature	Texas Legislature
• Upper house	Senate
• Lower house	House of Representatives
U.S. senators	John Cornyn (R) Ted Cruz (R)
U.S. House delegation	23 Republicans 13 Democrats (list)
Area
• Total	268,596 sq mi (695,662 km2)
• Land	261,232 sq mi (676,587 km2)
• Water	7,365 sq mi (19,075 km2)  2.7%
• Rank	2nd
Elevation	1,700 ft (520 m)
Highest elevation (Guadalupe Peak)	8,751 ft (2,667.4 m)
Lowest elevation (Gulf of Mexico)	0 ft (0 m)
Population  (2022)
• Total	29,183,290
• Rank	2nd
• Density	176/sq mi (67.9/km2)
• Rank	23rd
• Median household income	$64,034
• Income rank	23rd
Language
• Official language	No official language (see Languages spoken in Texas)
• Spoken language	Predominantly English; Spanish is spoken by a sizable minority
Time zones
Majority of state	UTC−06:00 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−05:00 (CDT)
El Paso, Hudspeth, and northwestern Culberson counties	UTC−07:00 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−06:00 (MDT)
USPS abbreviation	TX
ISO 3166 code	US-TX
Trad. abbreviation	Tex.
Latitude	25°50′ N to 36°30′ N
Longitude	93°31′ W to 106°39′ W
Website	texas.gov

Texas state symbols
Flag of Texas
Living insignia
Bird	Northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
Fish	Guadalupe bass (Micropterus treculii)
Flower	Bluebonnet (Lupinus spp., namely Texas bluebonnet, L. texensis)
Insect	Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus)
Mammal	Texas longhorn, nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus)
Reptile	Texas horned lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum)
Tree	Pecan (Carya illinoinensis)
Inanimate insignia
Food	Chili
Instrument	Guitar
Shell	Lightning whelk (Busycon perversum pulleyi)
Ship	USS Texas
Slogan	The Friendly State
Soil	Houston Black
Sport	Rodeo
Other	Molecule: Buckyball (For more, see article)
State route marker
State quarter
Released in 2004
Lists of United States state symbols

Texas became the 28th state in the United States in 1845. Texas has been controlled by Spain, France, the Confederate States of America, and Mexico. It declared its independence from Mexico in 1836. It was its own country, the Republic of Texas, for almost ten years. It is called the "Lone Star State" and its flag has one star.

There are many tourist attractions in Texas. Fort Worth is known for its stockyards. Amarillo is known for the cattle business and stockyards. In Dallas, industrial technology companies including Texas Instruments and EDS have their home offices. San Antonio has The Alamo. Houston has the Johnson Space Center. Austin has the University of Texas at Austin. Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Baylor University in Waco and the University of North Texas in Denton are other important universities in the state.

Name

The state's name derives from táyshay, a word in the Caddoan language of the Hasinai (a Native American tribe), which means "allies" or "friends."

History

Texas was first explored in 1528 by Spanish explorers on accident (they were shipwrecked on the coast). It did not become a colony until 1685, when France claimed it. In response, Spain started a rival colony in 1691 by setting up a religious outpost in the eastern part of Texas. Spain did not come back to Texas until 1716 to protect its colonies in the west from French forces. Two years later, San Antonio was founded.

The pressure between the Spaniards and Native Americans in East Texas stopped many settlers from coming to Texas. To stop the violence and the increasing Native American raids, Spain called a truce between many tribes in 1745 and 1789.

Tensions rose in Texas after the United States bought a large amount of nearby land from France in 1803. This was the Louisiana Purchase. People began wondering whether Spain or the United States could claim Texas.

Mexico won the Mexican War of Independence in 1821. Mexico, including Texas, was free from the Spanish Empire. Americans and other settlers came into Texas when Mexico allowed non-Spanish settlers to settle here. After many settlers came to Texas, Mexico started taxing non-citizens. This outraged many settlers. Many were already angry because Mexico banned slavery.

Politics in Mexico became violent. Antonio López de Santa Anna became President and several Mexican States declared independence. On March 2, 1836, Texas declared independence from Mexico and soon they were at war. Texas won, but Mexico refused to recognize Texas as an independent sovereign Republic. Texas requested entry to the United States. Years later, in 1845, the US added Texas as a state, and Mexico broke off diplomatic relations. Mexico resisted offers by the U.S. to buy land extending from Texas to the Pacific Ocean. In 1846, a dispute over the border between Texas and Mexico resulted in armed conflict, and the Mexican-American War began. The United States won the war, and by the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, in 1848 won lands that later formed the states of California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, southwestern Colorado, and southwestern Wyoming. Mexico received 15 million dollars and gave up its claims to Texas.

After Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the United States, Texas joined the newly formed Confederate States of America in 1861 and fought in the American Civil War in an attempt to become independent from the United States. The Confederates lost to the Union (the United States) in 1865. Texas was restored to full representation in Congress on March 30, 1870.

On January 10, 1901, oil was found in Texas, leading to the founding of a richer economy. During a time when the economy was poor, many people left Texas. Texas did not regain the population it had lost until the 1950s and 60s. In recent years, Texas has become a hub for technology and computers.

Geography

Texas is the second biggest state in the Union (after Alaska) and is bigger than every European country except Russia. It has mountains, forests, deserts, plains, and coasts. The largest river in Texas is the Rio Grande, which forms the border between Mexico and the United States throughout south Texas. The highest mountain in Texas is Guadalupe Peak. Texas borders Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the west, Arkansas to the northeast, and Louisiana to the east. It also borders the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas. Texas has a lot of counties, divided into 254.

Most of Texas is in Central Time, but El Paso in Western Texas is in Mountain Time.

Economy

Texas has the second largest economy in the United States after the economy of California. It had a gross state product of US$1.887 trillion in 2019. Texas was home to six of the top 50 companies on the Fortune 500 list in 2015 (third most after New York and California). In 2017, Texas grossed more than US$264.5 billion a year in exports—more than the exports of California (US$172 billion) and New York (US$77.9 billion) combined. As a sovereign country, in 2016, Texas would be the 10th largest economy in the world by gross domestic product (GDP), ahead of South Korea and Canada and behind Brazil.

List of counties in Texas

Further information: List of counties in Texas

A

Counties	Seat	Image	Map
A
Anderson	Palestine
Andrews	Andrews
Angelina	Lufkin
Aransas	Rockport
Archer	Archer City
Armstrong	Claude
Austin	Bellville
B
Bailey	Muleshoe
Bandera	Bandera
Bastrop	Bastrop
Baylor	Seymour
Bee	Beeville
Bell	Belton
Bexar	San Antonio
Blanco	Johnson City
Borden	Gail
Bosque	Meridian
Bowie	New Boston
Brazoria	Angleton
Brewster	Alpine
Briscoe	Silverton
Brooks	Falfurrias
Brown	Brownwood
Burleson	Caldwell
Burnet	Burnet
C
Caldwell	Lockhart
Calhoun	Port Lavaca
Callahan	Baird
Cameron	Brownsville
Camp	Pittsburg
Carson	Pandhandle
Cass	Linden
Castro	Dimmit
Chambers	Anahauc
Cherokee	Rusk
Childress	Childress
Clay	Henrietta
Cochran	Morton
Coke	Robert Lee
Coleman	Coleman
Collin	McKinney
Collingsworth	Wellington
Colorado	Columbus
Comal	New Braunfels
Comanche	Comanche
Concho	Paint Rock
Cooke	Gainesville
Coryell	Gatesville
Cottle	Paducah
Crance	Crane
Crockett	Ozona
Crosby	Crosbyton
Culberson	Van Horn
D
Dallam	Dalhart
Dallas	Dallas
Dawson	Lamesa
Deaf Smith	Hereford
Delta	Cooper
Denton	Denton
DeWitt	Cuero
Dickens	Dickens
Dimmit	Carrizo Springs
Donley	Clarendon
Duval	San Diego
E
Eastland	Eastland
Ector	Odessa
Edwards	Rocksprings
Ellis	Waxahachie
El Paso	El Paso
Erath	Stephenville
F
Falls	Marlin
Fannin	Bonham
Fayette	La Grange
Fisher	Roby
Floyd	Floydada
Foard	Crowell
Fort Bend	Richmond
Franklin	Mt. Vernon
Freestone	Fairfield
Frio	Pearsall
G
Gaines	Seminole
Galveston	Galveston
Garza	Post
Gillespie	Fredericksburg
Glasscock	Garden City
Goliad	Goliad
Gonzales	Gonzales
Gray	Pampa
Grayson	Sherman
Gregg	Longview
Grimes	Anderson
Guadalupe	Seguin
H
Hale	Plainview
Hall	Memphis
Hamilton	Hamilton
Hansford	Spearman
Hardeman	Quanah
Hardin	Kountze
Harris	Houston
Harrison	Marshall
Hartley	Channing
Haskell	Haskell
Hays	San Marcos
Hemphill	Canadian
Henderson	Athens
Hidalgo	Edinburg
Hill	Hillsboro
Hockley	Levelland
Hood	Granbury
Hopkins	Sulphur Springs
Houston	Crockett
Howard	Big Spring
Hudspeth	Sierra Blanca
Hunt	Greenville
Hutchinson	Stinnett
I
Irion	Mertzon
J
Jack	Jacksboro
Jackson	Edna
Jasper	Jasper
Jeff	Fort Davis
Jefferson	Beaumont
Jim Hogg	Hebbronville
Jim Wells	Alice
Johnson	Cleburne
Jones	Anson
K
Karnes	Karnes City
Kaufman	Kaufman
Kendall	Boerne
Kenedy	Sarita		190px
Kent	Jayton
Kerr	Kerrville
Kimble	Junction
King	Guthrie
Kinney	Brackettville
Kleberg	Kingsville
Knox	Benjamin
L
Lamar	Paris
Lamb	Littlefield
Lampasas	Lampasas
La Salle	Cotulla
Lavaca	Hallettsville
Lee	Giddings
Leon	Centerville
Liberty	Liberty
Limestone	Groesbeck
Lipscomb	Lipscomb
Live Oak	George West
Llano	Llano
Loving	Mentone
Lubbock	Lubbock
Lynn	Tahoka
M
McCulloch	Brady
McLennan	Waco
McMullen	Tilden
Madison	Madisonville
Marion	Jefferson
Martin	Stanton
Mason	Mason
Matagorda	Bay City
Maverick	Eagle Pass
Medina	Hondo
Menard	Menard
Midland	Midland
Milam	Cameroon
Mills	Goldthwaite
Mitchell	Colorado City
Montague	Montague
Montgomery	Conroe
Moore	Dumas
Morris	Daingerfield
Motley	Matador
N
Nacogdoches	Nacogdoches
Navarro	Corsicana
Newton	Newton
Nolan	Sweetwater
Nueces	Corpus Christi
O
Ochiltree	Perryton
Oldham	Vega
Orange	Orange
P
Palo Pinto	Palo Pinto
Panola	Carthage
Parker	Weatherford
Parmer	Farwell
Pecos	Fort Stockton
Polk	Livingston
Potter	Amarillo
Presidio	Marfa
R
Rains	Emory
Randall	Canyon
Reagan	Big Lake
Real	Leakey
Red	Clarksville
Reeves	Pecos
Refugio	Refugio
Roberts	Miami
Robertson	Franklin
Rockwall	Rockwall
Runnels	Ballinger
Rusk	Henderson
S
Sabine	Hemphill
San Augustine	San Augustine
San Jacinto	Coldspring
San Patricio	Sinton
San Saba	San Saba
Schleicher	Eldorado
Scurry	Snyder
Shackelford	Albany
Shelby	Center
Sherman	Stratford
Smith	Tyler
Sowervell	Glen Rose
Starr	Rio Grande
Stephens	Breckenridge
Sterling	Sterling City
Stonewall	Aspermont
Sutton	Sonora
Swisher	Tulia
T
Tarrant	Fort Worth
Taylor	Abilene
Terrell	Sanderson
Terry	Brownfield
Throckmorton	Throckmorton
Titus	Mt. Pleasant
Tom Green	San Angelo
Travis	Austin
Trinity	Groveton
Tyler	Woodville
U
Upshur	Gilmer
Upton	Rankin
Uvalde	Uvalde
V
Val Verde	Del Rio
Van Zandt	Canton
Victoria	Victoria
W
Walker	Huntsville
Waller	Hempstead
Ward	Monahans
Washington	Brenham
Webb	Laredo
Wharton	Wharton
Wheeler	Wheeler
Wichita	Wichita Falls
Wilbarger	Vernon
Willacy	Raymondville
Williamson	Georgestown
Wilson	Floresville
Winkler	Kermit
Wise	Decatur
Wood	Quitman
Y
Yoakum	Plains
Young	Graham
Z
Zapata	Zapata
Zavala	Crystal City

Texas Media

• 

  Early Native American tribal territories

• 

  Nicolas de La Fora's 1771 map of the northern frontier of New Spain

• 

  Stephen F. Austin was the first American empresario given permission to operate a colony within Mexican Texas.

• 

  Mexico in 1824. Coahuila y Tejas is the northeasternmost state.

• 

  Surrender of Santa Anna. Painting by William Henry Huddle, 1886.

• 

  The Republic of Texas with present-day borders superimposed

• 

  On March 2, 1936, the U.S. Post Office issued a commemorative stamp commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Texas Declaration of Independence, featuring Sam Houston (left), Stephen Austin and the Alamo.

• 

  Captain Charles A. May's squadron of the 2nd Dragoons slashes through the Mexican Army lines. Resaca de la Palma, Texas, May 1846.

• 

  Spindletop, the first major oil gusher

• 

  Sam Rayburn Reservoir

Related pages

• Colleges and universities in Texas
• List of cities in Texas
• List of towns in Texas