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{{US state
| Name = Texas
| Fullname = State of Texas
| Former = Republic of Texas
| Former_flag = Previous flag of Texas.svg
| Flag = Flag of Texas.svg
| Flaglink = ]
| Seal = Texas state seal.png
| Map = Map_of_USA_TX.svg
| Nickname = Lone Star State
| Motto = Friendship.
|Demonym = Texan
| Capital = ]
| demonym = Texan
| LargestCity = ]
| LargestMetro = ]<ref>http://www.census.gov/population/www/estimates/CBSA-est2006-pop-chg.html</ref>
| Governor = ] (R)
| Lieutenant Governor = ] (R)
| Senators = ] (R)<br> ] (R)
| PostalAbbreviation = TX
| TradAbbreviation = Tex.
| OfficialLang = No official language<br/>''See ]''
| AreaRank = 2<sup>nd</sup>
| TotalAreaUS = 268,820 <!--www.texasalmanac.com/facts/ Texas Almanac 2008-2009 Edition-->
| TotalArea = 696,241
| LandAreaUS = 261,797 <!--www.texasalmanac.com/facts/ Texas Almanac 2008-2009 Edition-->
| LandArea = 678,051
| WaterAreaUS = 6,784 <!--www.texasalmanac.com/facts/ Texas Almanac 2008-2009 Edition-->
| WaterArea = 17,574
| PCWater = 2.5
| PopRank = 2<sup>nd</sup>
| 2000Pop = 20,851,820
| 2006Pop (est) = 23,507,783
| DensityRank = 28th
| 2000DensityUS = 79.6 <!--quickfacts.census.gov -->
| 2000Density = 30.75
| Total GDP = $1,065,891,000
| Total GDP Rank = 2<sup>nd</sup>
| Per capita GDP = $43,283
| Per Capita GDP Rank = 16<sup>th</sup>
| AdmittanceOrder = 28<sup>th</sup>
| AdmittanceDate = ], ]
| TimeZone = ]: ]-6/]
| TZ1Where = most of state
| TimeZone2 =]: ]-7/]
| TZ2Where = tip of ]
| Latitude = 25°&#8202;50′ N to 36°&#8202;30′ N
| Longitude = 93°&#8202;31′ W to 106°&#8202;39′ W
| WidthUS = 773 <!-- http://www.texasalmanac.com/environment/ -->
| Width = 1,244
| LengthUS = 790
| Length = 1,270
| HighestPoint = ]<ref name=usgs>{{cite web| year =] ] | url =http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html#Highest| title =Elevations and Distances in the United States| publisher =U.S Geological Survey| accessmonthday = November 8 | accessyear = 2006}}</ref>
| HighestElevUS = 8,749
| HighestElev = 2,667
| MeanElevUS = 1,700
| MeanElev = 520
| LowestPoint = ] coast<ref name=usgs/>
| LowestElevUS = 0
| LowestElev = 0
| ISOCode = US-TX
| Website = www.texas.gov
}}
]
'''Texas''' ({{IPAEng|ˈtɛksəs}}) is a ] geographically located in the ] part of the ], which the ] places in a sub-region of the ] designated ]. It is also known as the Lone Star State.

With an area of {{convert|268820|sqmi|sqkm}} and a rapidly growing population of 23.5 million, as estimated in 2006, 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 ]s. Other major cities include the state capital of ], the state's oldest major city of ], and the western city of ].<ref></ref> 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 ].

Topographically, the easternmost section of the state is covered by the same ] that cover much of the ]. Moving westward, this evolves into semi-forests of oak and ] then, as the climate gradually becomes more arid, turns into rolling plains and ] and, eventually, ] in the ] region surrounding ]. It is these wide open spaces of the Texas prairie that have lent currency to the phrase that "everything is bigger in Texas."{{Fact|date=February 2008}}

Because of its large size and unique history, the regional affiliation of Texas is often debated. Historically and culturally, it has very close 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 these categories, many claim an independent "Texan" identity superseding regional labels.

] was the first European country to claim Texas. Starting in the 1820s, North American and European immigrants began arriving in the area, and in 1836 Texas declared its independence from Mexico, and continued to exist 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 ].{{Fact|date=January 2008}} Annexation of Texas led the United States ] with Mexico leading to the ] and helping to plant seeds for the ]. Texas was the 7th state to join the ]. Shortly after the start of the 20th century, ] led to an economic boom in the state and greatly increased ]. Texas grew rapidly, becoming the second largest state in population by 1994, and became economically diversified, with a growing base in high technology.

==Etymology==
]

The state's name derives from ''{{unicode|táyshaʔ}}'', a word in the ] of the ], which means "friends" or "allies".<ref name="Txfacts">{{cite web|url= http://www.texasalmanac.com/facts/
|title= Texas Almanac|accessdate= 11|accessmonthday= 07|accessyear= 2006|author=
|last=|first=|authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher= |pages=
|language= |archiveurl= |archivedate=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=Texas |title=Texas |accessdate=2007-02-25
|publisher=Online Etymology Dictionary}}</ref><ref>Wallace Chafe, p.c.</ref>

The word Texas has found its way into the American English ] 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.<ref name=TSize1>{{cite web | last = Farivar | first = Cyrus | title = Texas-Sized Supercomputer to Break Computing Power Record | work = ] | date = ]-] | url = http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2007/06/sun_supercomputer | format = HTML | accessdate = ]-]}}</ref><ref name=TSize2>{{cite web | last = Blumenthal | first = Ralph | title = Texas-sized noxious weed threatens
State's largest natural lake | publisher = ] | date = ], ] | url = http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/07/30/news/lake.php | format = HTML | accessdate =]-] }}</ref> The state's name has been used as part of several brands such as the ] restaurant chain, ], and the multinational semiconductor corporation, ]. ] is the most popular form of poker in the world.

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 ] president and general manager ]. Tex also has been used as a ] for several words related to Texas including ] 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.<ref name="nickname">{{cite web | title = Texas | publisher = NETSTATE.COM | date = ] | | url = http://www.netstate.com/states/intro/tx_intro.htm | format = HTML | accessdate = ]}}</ref>
{{see also|Texas (disambiguation)}}

==History==
{{main|History of Texas}}

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 on March 2, 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.{{Fact|date=January 2008}} 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 20th 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 ].

]" in ] includes the flags of (left to right) ] (]), the ] of ], ], the ], the ], and the ].]]
{{Texas History}}

Texas boasts that "]" have flown over its soil: the national flags of ], the ] of ], ], the ], the ], and the ].<ref>{{Handbook of Texas|id=FF/msf1|name=Flags of Texas}}</ref>

] 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.<ref>{{Handbook of Texas|id=II/bzi4|name=Native Americans}}</ref>

===Colonization===
{{main|Spanish Texas|Mexican Texas}}
], creator of the first map of the northern ], made the first documented European sighting of Texas in 1519.<ref name="chipman243">Chipman (1992), p. 243.</ref><ref name="weber34"> Weber (1992), p. 34.</ref> On ] ], shipwrecked Spanish ] ] became the first known European in Texas.<ref>{{Handbook of Texas|id=CC/fca6|name=Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca}}</ref> Texas was immediately claimed by Spain as part of ].<ref>{{Handbook of Texas|id=SS/nps1|name=Spanish Texas}}</ref> but was not settled immediately. In 1685 ] established the first ] community in Texas, the French colony of ].<ref name="weber149">Weber (1992), p. 149.</ref> The colony, located along ], lasted only four&nbsp;years before succumbing to harsh conditions and hostile natives.<ref name="chipman83">Chipman (1992), p. 83.</ref>

Due to the perceived French encroachment, Spain established its first presence in Texas in 1691 constructing of several missions in ].<ref name=chipman89>Chipman (1992), p. 89.</ref> The missions failed quickly, and Spain did not resettle Texas until two&nbsp;decades had passed.<ref name="weber155">Weber (1992), p. 155.</ref> Spain returned to East Texas in 1716, establishing several missions and a ] to maintain a buffer between Mexico and the French territory of ].<ref name=chipman111and2>Chipman (1992), pp. 111&ndash;112.</ref><ref name="weber160">Weber (1992), p. 160.</ref> Two&nbsp;years later, the first civilian settlement in Texas, ], was established as a way station between the missions and the nearest existing Spanish settlement.<ref name="weber163">Weber (1992), p. 163.</ref> San Antonio quickly became a target for raids by the ].<ref name="weber188">Weber (1992), p. 188.</ref> In 1749, the Spanish signed a peace treaty with the Apache,<ref name="weber193">Weber (1992), p. 193.</ref> which angered the enemies of the Apache and resulted in raids by the ], ], and ] tribes.<ref name="weber189">Weber (1992), p. 189.</ref> 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.<ref name=chipman205>Chipman (1992), p. 205.</ref>

The Comanche signed a treaty with Spain in 1785<ref>Weddle (1995), p. 163.</ref> and later assisted in defeating the Lipan Apache and ] tribes which had continued to cause difficulties for ] settlers.<ref name="weddle164">Weddle (1995), p. 164.</ref><ref name=chipman200>Chipman (1992), p. 200.</ref> 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 ].<ref name=chipman202>Chipman (1992), p. 202.</ref>

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.<ref name="weber291">Weber (1992), p. 291.</ref> U.S. President ] insisted that the purchase included all land to the east of the ] and to the north of the ].<ref>Weber (1992), p. 292.</ref> The dispute was resolved in 1819, with the signing of the ] recognizing the ] as Texas's eastern boundary.<ref name="weber299">Weber (1992), p. 299.</ref> Two years later, the state became a province of ] after the ].<ref name="weber300">Weber (1992), p. 300.</ref>

]]]
] 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 María Martínez 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|Texas Revolution|Republic of Texas}}
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.<ref name="HBOT MEX">{{Handbook of Texas|id=MM/npm1|name=Mexican Texas}}</ref> In 1835, ], President of Mexico, proclaimed a unified constitution for all Mexican territories, including Texas.<ref name="HBOT MEX"/> 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 ]. ]s 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.<ref name="HBOT REV">{{Handbook of Texas|id=CC/qdc2|name=Texas Revolution}}</ref>

]
On ] ], the ] signed a ].<ref></ref><ref>{{Handbook of Texas|id=CC/mjc12|name=Convention of 1836}}</ref> On ] ], the Texans&mdash;led by General ]&mdash;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.<ref name="HBOT REV"/>

===Statehood===
{{main|Texas Annexation}}
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 Béxar in Texas of 1842 added momentum to the desire for statehood.<ref>{{Harvard reference | Surname1=Calvert | Given1=R. | Surname2=De Léon | Given2=A. | Surname3=Cantrell | Given3=G. | Title=The History of Texas | Publisher=Harlan Davidson | Place=Wheeling, Illinois | Year=2002 }}</ref> However, strong Northern opposition to adding another ] blocked Texas's admission until pro-annexation ] won the ]. On ] ], Texas was admitted to the U.S. as a constituent ] of the Union.<ref>{{Handbook of Texas|id=AA/mga2|name=Annexation}}</ref> Texas was the only state to enter the United States by treaty instead of territorial annexation.{{Fact|date=January 2008}} The ] followed, with decisive victories by the U.S.<ref>{{Handbook of Texas|id=MM/qdm2|name=Mexican War}}</ref> Post war Texas grew rapidly as migrants poured into the cotton lands of the state.<ref>{{Handbook of Texas|id=CC/afc3|name=Cotton Culture}}</ref>

===Confederate States of America===
{{main|Texas in the American Civil War}}
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 ] ].<ref>{{Handbook of Texas|id=SS/mjs1|name=Secession Convention}}</ref><ref name="Txfacts"/> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.texascivilwarmuseum.com/index.htm|title= Texas Civil War Museum|accessdate= 2006-09-03}}</ref> 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 ] ], at least a month after the surrender of the Confederate armies in the eastern theatres of war.<ref>{{Handbook of Texas|id=PP/qfp1|name=Battle of Palmito Ranch}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{Handbook of Texas|id=CC/qdc2|name=Civil War}}</ref> ] commemorates the announcement of the ] on ] ] in Galveston by General Gordon Granger; over 2-1/2 years after the original announcement of ] ].<ref>{{Handbook of Texas|id=JJ/lkj1|name=Juneteenth}}</ref> President Johnson, on ] ], declared that civilian government had been restored to Texas.<ref></ref> On ] ] the ] readmitted Texas into the ], despite not meeting all reconstruction requirements.<ref>{{Handbook of Texas|id=RR/mzr1|name=Restoration}}</ref>

===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.<ref>{{Handbook of Texas|id=SS/dos3|name=Spindletop Oilfield}}</ref> Oil production eventually averaged three million barrels of oil per day at its peak in 1972.<ref>{{Handbook of Texas|id=OO/doogz|name=Oil and Gas Industry}}</ref> 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.<ref>Blanton, Carlos Kevin. "The Campus and the Capitol: John B. Connally and the Struggle over Texas Higher Education Policy, 1950-1970" ''Southwestern Historical Quarterly'' 2005 108(4): 468-497. ISSN 0038-478X</ref>

==Geography==
{{main|Geography of Texas}}
]]]
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, & the ] states of ], ], ], and ] to the south. But to the west, the borders with the State of New Mexico & with the panhandle of Oklahoma are not based on natural features of terrain.

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|Texas Irrigation Canals}}

===Geology===
{{main|Geology of Texas}}
]]]
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 ]&mdash;]&mdash;] zone of ] ]. This ] crest is today buried beneath the ]&mdash;]&mdash;]&mdash;] 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 {{convert|9|mi|km|0}} to {{convert|12|mi|km|0|}} of 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 ] ]s, 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|Climate of 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 {{convert|8|in|mm}} of annual rainfall while Houston, on the southeast Texas averages as much as {{convert|54|in|mm}} per year.<ref>. Handbook of Texas Online.</ref> Dallas in the North Central region averages a more moderate {{convert|37|in|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 {{convert|100|°F|°C|0|lk=on}} in the ]. Nighttime summer temperatures range from the upper 50s °F (14 °C) in the West Texas mountains<ref> weather.com</ref> to {{convert|80|°F|°C|0}} in Galveston.<ref>. weather.com.</ref>

] are very common in Texas, especially the eastern and northern portion of the state. Texas also experiences the highest number of ]es 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.<ref name= "Annual average number of tornadoes"> NOAA National Climatic Data Center. Retrieved on ] ]. </ref> Tornadoes occur mostly between the months of April-July but may strike at any time of the year.

Texas emits the most ]es out of any state.<ref>{{cite news|title=Blame Coal: Texas Leads in Overall Emissions|author=Borenstein, Seth|publisher=USA Today|date=04-06-2007|url=http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2007-06-04-state-emissions_N.htm|accessdate=2007-06-06}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news|title=Five Cities that Need help Getting Green|author=MSN City Guides|url=http://cityguides.msn.com/citylife/greenslideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=4848635&imageindex=4}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Approaches, Challenges, Potentials: Renewable Energy and Climate Change Policies in U.S. States|author=Heinrich Boll Foundation North America|date=2003-12|url=http://www.cleanenergyfunds.org/international/downloads/RE_Publication_Online.pdf}}</ref> 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|Catastrophic Texas Hurricanes since 1900}}

==Demographics==
{{main|Demographics of Texas}}
]
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&mdash;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 ]s (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===
]
As of the 2006 US Census estimates, the racial distribution in Texas are as follows: 54.4% ], 11.9% ], 3.4% are ] or ], and 35.7% are ] or Latino (of any race).<ref>http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/48000.html</ref>

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.

Several of the smaller European settlements have left their marks on the state. 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. Many have recently arrived, while others, ], have ancestors who have multigenerational ties in Texas. Hispanics dominate south, south-central, and west Texas and are a significant part of the residents in San Antonio, Houston, and Dallas.

] (including ])&mdash;primarily from far southern Mexico and Central America also contribute to the state's growth. The influx of immigration is partially responsible for Texas having a population younger than the U.S. average.

Recently, the ] population in Texas has grown&mdash;primarily in Houston and Dallas.

===Religion===
]
Texas is a part of the strong socially conservative ] ], ], and has a higher percentage of people with religious affiliation than any other state<ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A19148-2003Jan20?language=printer</ref>. ] 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.<ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A19148-2003Jan20?language=printer</ref>

In 2000, The religious demographics of Texas were:<ref name="religion">{{cite web | url= http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/reports/state/48_2000.asp | title=State Membership Report - Texas| publisher=Association of Religion Data Archives| accessdate=2008-02-12}}</ref>

* ] ] - 24.4%
* ] - 8.1%
* ] - 0.1%
* ] - 21.0%
* Other - 2.0%
* Unclaimed - 44.5%

The largest single denominations by number of adherents in 2000 were the ] 4,368,969, the ] 3,519,459 and the ] 1,022,342<ref name="religion"/>.

===Cities and Towns===
{{see also|List of cities in Texas|Population of Texas cities in 2000|List of Texas metropolitan areas}}
As of 2000, six incorporated places in Texas had populations greater than 500,000, of which two are ]: Houston and Dallas.<ref>http://www.lboro.ac.uk/gawc/citylist.html</ref> Texas has a total of ], with four having populations over 1 million and two over 5 million.

Texas has the most cities in the US, three, with populations exceeding 1 million: Houston, San&nbsp;Antonio, and Dallas; which are also among the 10 largest cities of the ]. ] and Fort&nbsp;Worth are among the top 20 largest U.S. cities.<ref>]</ref>

]
]
]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right;"
|- style="background:#efefef;"
! Texas<br>rank !! U.S.<br>rank !! align=center |City !! Population<br><small> within<br>city limits</small> !! Metro <br> Population !! Land Area<br><small> square miles (km²)</small> !! Texas<br>Region
|-
| 1 || 4 ||align=left | ] || '''2,144,491''' || '''5,539,949''' || 601.7&nbsp;sq&nbsp;mi</br>(1,558&nbsp;km²) || ]
|-
| 2 || 7 ||align=left | ] || '''1,296,682''' || '''1,942,217''' || 412.1&nbsp;sq&nbsp;mi</br>(1,067&nbsp;km²) || ]
|-
| 3 || 9 ||align=left | ] || '''1,232,940''' || '''6,003,967''' || 385.0&nbsp;sq&nbsp;mi</br>(997&nbsp;km²) || ]
|-
| 4 || 16 ||align=left | ] || '''709,893''' || '''1,513,565''' || 258.4&nbsp;sq&nbsp;mi </br>(669&nbsp;km²) || ]
|-
| 5 || 18 ||align=left | ] || '''653,320''' || '''6,003,967''' || 298.9&nbsp;sq&nbsp;mi </br>(774&nbsp;km²) || ]
|-
| 6 || 21 ||align=left | ] || '''609,415''' || '''736,310''' || 250.5&nbsp;sq&nbsp;mi </br>(649&nbsp;km²) || ]
|-
| 7 || 49 ||align=left | ] || '''362,805''' || '''6,003,967''' || 99.0&nbsp;sq&nbsp;mi </br>(257&nbsp;km²) || ]
|-
| 8 || 63 ||align=left | ] || '''283,474''' || '''431,741''' || 460.2&nbsp;sq&nbsp;mi </br>(1,192&nbsp;km²) || ]
|-
| 9 || 69 ||align=left | ] || '''250,096''' || '''6,003,967''' || 71.6&nbsp;sq&nbsp;mi </br>(186&nbsp;km²) || ]
|-
| 10 || 86 ||align=left | ] || '''216,346''' || '''6,003,967''' || 57.1&nbsp;sq&nbsp;mi </br>(148&nbsp;km²) || ]
|}

==Government and politics==
{{main|Government of Texas|Politics of Texas}}
The ]&mdash;adopted in 1876&mdash;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 ], ], 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 governor, ], commands the state militia and can veto bills passed by the Legislature and call special sessions of the Legislature (an exclusive power for the Governor). The Governor also appoints members of various executive boards and fills judicial vacancies between elections. The Comptroller decides if expected state income is sufficient to cover proposed state budgets. The executive branch also consists of state agencies, boards and commissions. .

The ] ] consists of the ], with 150 members, and a ], with 31 members. The ], currently ] leads the House, and the Lieutenant Governor, currently ], leads the Senate. The Legislature meets in regular session only once every two years. The Governor can call a special sessions, as often as desired.

===Justice system===
{{main|Texas judicial system}}
The judicial system of Texas is 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 select judges at all levels of the judiciary; the Governor fills vacancies by appointment.

]
The justice system in Texas has a strict sentencing for criminals. Texas leads the nation in executions, with 400 executions from 1982 to 2007.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/22/AR2007082202542.html|title=Texas Executes 400th Inmate|publisher='']''|accessdate=2007-08-22|date=2007-08-22|author=Graczyk, Michael}}</ref> 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.<ref>http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/4626812.html</ref> 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.
{{see also|Capital punishment in Texas}}

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&mdash;law enforcement officers working for the ]&mdash;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.{{Fact|date=November 2007}}

===Administrative divisions===
]
There are 32 ], the second-most after California.

Texas has a total of 254 ]&mdash;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&mdash; 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|List of Texas counties|List of Texas county name etymologies|List of Texas county seat name etymologies}}

===Political parties===
]
{{main|Republican Party of Texas|Texas Democratic Party}}
The ] held a monolithic political presence in Texas from the beginning of its statehood until the late 20th century. Like many ] states, Texas harbored a deep resentment towards the ] for the ] after the ]. ] however, endorsed many Republican presidential candidates because they perceived a liberal shift in their national party. When President ] signed the ], he reportedly said "We have lost the South."

In 1978, the state elected its first post-reconstruction Republican governor, and in 2003, Republicans, for the first time, gained control of the ]. Today, Republicans control most of Texas's ] delegation, and both ]. Of the 32 ], 19 seats are held by Republicans and 13 by Democrats. The Republicans that represent Texas in the U.S. Senate are ] (since 1993) and ] (since 2003). Since 1994 Texans have not elected a Democrat to a statewide office. The remains of the state's Democratic presence is primarily comprised of ] and urban voters, particularly in ]. Democrats and independents still hold many positions in city governments.

The Texas political atmosphere leans towards ] and ]. Since 1980 Texas supported Republican Presidential candidates. In 2000 and 2004 Republican ] won Texas with 60.1% of the vote. This is in part due to his popularity as a recent ] of that state. ] is considered the state's most liberal city or "populist" bastion, and ] is among the few urban areas that consistently vote Republican, but their metropolitan areas are very divided politically. ] remains approximately split. In the southwest part of the state, particularly in ], Democrats are strong.

==Economy==
{{main|Economy of Texas}}
In 2006, Texas had a ] of $1.09 trillion,<ref>http://www.cpa.state.tx.us/ecodata/ecoind/ecoind5.html#product</ref> the ] highest in the U.S.<ref>http://www.bea.gov/bea/newsrel/gspnewsrelease.htm</ref> ] 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.

Texas's economy is known for its energy and ] industries, and for the ship channel at the ]&mdash;the largest in the U.S. in international commerce and the sixth-largest port in the world.<ref>. ''Newhouse News Service''</ref> The state is home to the most ] companies and has the second-largest economy in the United States.<ref>]</ref><ref name="texasfortune500">{{Cite web
|url=http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/states/T.html
|title=Fortune 500 2006
|accessdate=2007-02-16|publisher=CNN|year=2006}}</ref> The ] in Houston contains the world's largest concentration of research and ] institutions.<ref name="texasmedical">{{Cite web
|url=http://www.tmc.edu/tmc-introduction.html
|title=Texas Medical Center
|accessdate=2006-12-26|publisher=Texas Medical Center|year=2006}}</ref>

] in ]]]
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 central geographic location, a ], favorable ], and 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.<ref name="Petrol">{{cite web|url= http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/oog/info/state/tx.html|title= Petroleum Profile: Texas|accessdate= 11|accessmonthday= 07|accessyear= 2006|author= |last=|first=|authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher= |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate=}}</ref> There are currently 33 billionaires residing in Texas today. Dallas has 11 billionaires, the most of any city in Texas.

]

Texas remained largely rural until ], with ], oil, and ] as its main industries. The sprawling 320,000 deeded ] (1,200 km²) ''La Escalera Ranch'', located {{convert|20|mi|km}} south of ], Texas, is one of the largest cattle ] in the Southwestern United States.
] was never Texas's chief industry &ndash; 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&ndash; 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.<ref>http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2007/states/TX.html</ref> This has been attributed to both the growth in population in Texas and the rise of oil prices in 2005.

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;<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.aapa-ports.org/pdf/WORLD_PORT_RANKINGS_2002.xls| title=World Port Rankings 2002, by metric tons and by TEUs| publisher=American Association of Port Authorities| accessdate=2006-07-26}}</ref> ''Air Cargo World'' rated ] as "the best air cargo airport in the world".<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.aircargoworld.com/features/0306_2.htm| title= Air Cargo World's Air Cargo Excellence Survey| publisher=Air Cargo World| accessdate=2006-04-29}}</ref>

Defense is one of the state's largest exports. ] ] is located in ]. The ], the largest Western fighter program is produced in ]. <ref></ref> The plane's successor, the ] will also be produced in Fort Worth.

Texans pride their state's history, but they also seek new social and technological developments. The Austin area is often nicknamed "Silicon Hills". ] headquarters is located in the city's suburb, ]. Dallas is the birthplace of the ]. The North Dallas area is called the "Silicon Prairie" for the area's high concentration of ] companies such as ] and ]. In addition, ] based ], was once the world's largest computer companies. After Compaq's merger with ], the new owner 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 ] to develop the ]. Texas is a leader in alternative energy sources, producing the most ] of any state,<ref name="wind2">{{Citation | last = Souder | first = Elizabeth | title = Texas leads nation in wind power capacity | newspaper = ] | year = 2007 | date = 01/08 | url = http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/011808dnbuswindpower.30c78959.html}}</ref> 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. The popular soap opera's, ], exteriors were filmed on ], a location near ]. 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.<ref name="Film">{{cite web|url= http://www.governor.state.tx.us/divisions/film/faq/economics.htm|title= Texas Film Commission|accessdate= 11|accessmonthday= 07|accessyear= 2006|author= |last=|first=|authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher= |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate=}}</ref> Also many ] studios are relocating parts of their production divisions to the ].<ref name="Film">{{cite web|url= http://www.governor.state.tx.us/divisions/film/faq/economics.htm|title= Texas Film Commission|accessdate= 11|accessmonthday= 07|accessyear= 2006|author= |last=|first=|authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher= |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate=}}</ref>

{{see also|List of military installations in Texas}}

==Culture==
{{main|Culture of Texas}}
] has presided over every ] since 1952]]
In addition to Texas's traditional culture, immigration has caused Texas to 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.

The ] is a large part of the Texas culture. The annual ] 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 ]. The World’s first rodeo was held in ] on ] ]. The ] in ] has many traditional rodeos, but also a cowboy rodeo, and a Mexican rodeo. The ] is held in ] each year at Fair Park.

], the ], boasts the most venues per capita of any U.S. city. The city's music revolves around the ]s on ] and an annual ], music, and ] festival known as ]. The longest-running concert music program on American television, '']'', is filmed 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|List of people from Texas|List of Texas symbols|Don't Mess with Texas|Gone to Texas}}

===Arts and theatre===
] in Houston]]
Known for the vibrancy of its ] and ], the ]&mdash;a 17-block area in the heart of ]&mdash;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.<ref>http://www.houstontheaterdistrict.org/en/cms/?68</ref>

] 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 ]).<ref>http://www.visithoustontexas.com/arts_and_culture.asp?pageid=232</ref>

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&nbsp;Rangers]]
Many Texans are passionate about ] and intensely follow ] and ] teams&mdash;often they 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&mdash;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&ndash;2000 seasons. However, the lost a start player to free agency in March of 2008.

] football game at ]]]<!--This image contains trademarked symbols, the ATM and the longhorn, and is only being used to illustrate said symbols within context-->
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 ], and a third AHL team, the ], will begin play in ] in 2009 or 2010. Texas is home to seven of the ]'s seventeen teams.

Other popular sports in Texas include year-round ], fishing, and ]. ], originally played by some of the indigenous tribes, is growing in popularity. ] 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 MLS.

{{further|]}}

==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,<ref>http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/1469/flw_tx.html</ref> 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 ] ].

<center>
<gallery>
Image:SAPL3.jpg|]'s ] is an excellent example of ] in Texas.
Image:Bexar County Court House perspective.jpg|The ] by ] is a work of ] from 1892.
Image:Forth Worth Water Gardens 2003.jpg|]'s landscaping masterpiece: the ].
Image:UTMB old red.jpg|]'s "Old Red" built in 1891, is on the campus of the ] in ] and is a registered Texas historic landmark.
</gallery>
</center>

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,<ref>''Egbert Gramsbergen and Paul Kazmierczak, 2006''</ref> being the country's third-tallest skyline and one of the top 10 in the world;<ref>''UltrapolisProject.com''</ref><ref>''SkyscraperPage Forum, August 30, 2006''</ref> 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 ].''
<center><gallery>
Image:Chase_Tower,_a_block_away.jpg|1. ]<br>Houston
Image:Wells Fargo Bank Plaza, Houston, from base.jpg|2. ]<br>Houston
Image:Bank of America Plaza.jpg|3. ]<br>Dallas
Image:Williams_Tower_Moon.jpg|4. ]<br>Houston
Image:Renaissance Tower.jpg|5. ]<br>Dallas
Image:Bank_One_Center.jpg|6. ]<br>Dallas
Image:Bank_of_America_Center_Houston.JPG|7. ]<br>Houston
Image:Heritage Plaza Building Houston Texas.jpg|8. ]<br>Houston
</gallery></center>


{{see also|Architecture of Houston}} {{see also|Architecture of Houston}}

Revision as of 03:20, 14 March 2008

See also: Architecture of Houston

Transportation

Main article: Transportation in Texas

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT, pronounced "tex-dot") is a governmental agency that "provide 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 highway system, the agency is also responsible for aviation in the state and overseeing public transportation systems.

Highways

Main article: Texas state highways
I-10 and I-45 interchange in Houston

Texas freeways have been heavily traveled since the 1948 opening of the Gulf Freeway in Houston, and they are often under construction to meet the demands of continuing growth. As of 2005, there were 79,535 miles (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 rush hour congestion, primarily through high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes for vans and carpools. The "Texas T"—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 frontage road, 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 Houston has tried to control the potential side effects of this convenience road.

Another common characteristic found near Texas overpasses are the Texas U-turns 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 I-10 and I-20 have a speed limit of 80 MPH, the highest in the nation.

Airports

Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport

The Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, located nearly equidistant from downtown Dallas and downtown Fort Worth, 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 40 international. DFW is the largest and main hub for American Airlines (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 George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), which is the ninth-busiest in the United States for total passengers, and nineteenth-busiest worldwide. Houston is the headquarters of Continental Airlines, 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 Mexico, 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 Atlanta Hartsfield with 250 destinations.

Southwest Airlines, the largest domestic carrier in the United States began its operations at Dallas Love Field. and is still headquartered in Dallas, Texas. It is the largest airline in the United States by number of passengers carried domestically per year and the largest airline in the world by number of passengers carried.

See also: List of airports in Texas

Passenger rail transportation

METRORail in Houston

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), the Dallas area public transportation authority, began operating the first light rail system in the Southwest United States in 1996 and continues to expand its coverage. The DART lightrail currently covers 48 miles (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 Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas (METRO) operates light rail service in Harris County, which includes Houston. METRO's light rail in Houston started on January 1 2004. Currently the track runs about 8 miles (13 km) from Downtown Houston to the Texas Medical Center and Reliant Park. METRO also operates bus service in Harris County and to two cities in Fort Bend County. METRO is in the process of adding over 30 more miles of light rail, as well as 28 miles (45 km) of commuter rail by the year 2015.

The Trinity Railway Express (TRE) is a commuter rail service between Fort Worth & Dallas provided by the cooperative service of the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (the T) and Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART). The TRE links downtown Fort Worth, downtown Dallas, and DFW Airport and as such is the only commuter line in the United States to link two major metropolitan downtown areas and an international airport. Opening with a 10-mile starter system on December 30, 1996, the TRE system, with a total of nine stations along its route, was completed in December 2001. Ridership in 2004 was estimated at 2.16 million.

Currently, intercity passenger rail service in Texas is limited from both network and frequency viewpoint, with just three Amtrak trains serving the state: the daily Texas Eagle (Chicago–San Antonio), the tri-weekly Sunset Limited (New Orleans–Los Angeles), and the daily Heartland Flyer (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 Texas Medical Center in Houston, UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, and the South Texas Medical Center in San Antonio—all hosting some of the world's most prestigious schools in the health sciences.

Houston is home to the Texas Medical Center, the world's largest concentration of research and healthcare institutions. There are 45 member institutions in the Texas Medical Center —all are non-profit organizations, and are dedicated to the highest standards of patient and preventive care, research, education, and local, national, and international community well-being. These institutions include 13 renowned hospitals and two specialty institutions, two medical schools, four nursing schools, and schools of dentistry, public health, pharmacy, 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 heart surgeries are performed there in the world.

San Antonio's South Texas Medical Center facilities rank sixth in clinical medicine research impact in the United States with the University of Texas Health Science Center recognized as a "world leading research and educational institution". The South Texas Medical Center hosts no less than 12 hospitals, 45 medical institutions, and 3 universities, housing the nation's top schools in pharmacy and dentistry.

Dallas is home to the American Heart Association and the UT Southwestern Medical Center, "among the top academic medical centers in the world". The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at the center employs the most Nobel laureates working of any medical school in the world.

Texas has eight medical schools, three dental schools, and one optometry school, all involved in research and clinical operations. These include the Baylor College of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Texas A&M Health Science Center, and the University of North Texas Health Science Center. 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 Biosafety Level 4 laboratories: one at The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston, and the other at the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research 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: List of hospitals in Texas

Education

Main article: Education in Texas
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Texas A&M University
The University of Texas at Austin

There are 181 colleges, universities and dozens of other institutions engaged in the research and development of Texas. Most public universities are members of five different systems: University of Houston, University of North Texas, University of Texas, Texas A&M University, Texas State, and Texas Tech. University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University, University of Texas at Dallas and University of Houston are Texas's four largest comprehensive doctoral degree-granting institutions with a combined enrollment of over 145,000.

Rice University
Baylor University

The state also has many private universities. Rice University—one of the country’s leading teaching and research universities—ranked the 17th-best university overall in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Additionally, Baylor University—the oldest university in the state—was chartered by the Republic of Texas.

The state's public school systems are administered by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). Texas has over 1,000 school districts—all but one of the school districts in Texas are separate from any form of municipal government. School districts may (and often do) cross city and county boundaries—an exception to this rule is Stafford Municipal School District. School districts have the power to tax their residents and to assert eminent domain over privately owned property.

Texas also has numerous private schools 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 home school. 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: ]

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See also

Footnotes

  1. "Facts about DFW". Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Retrieved 2007-08-04.
  2. ,
  3. http://www.aviationexplorer.com/american_airlines.htm
  4. "We Weren't Just Airborne Yesterday". Southwest Airlines. 2007-05-02. Retrieved 2007-06-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. International Air Transport Association. "Scheduled Passengers Carried". Retrieved 2007-06-10.
  6. Facts and Figures. Texas Medical Center. 2006. Last Retrieved 2007-03-17.
  7. http://www.uthscsa.edu/hscnews/singleformat.asp?newID=2353
  8. See: and its teaching hospital:
  9. UT Austin's School of Pharmacy:
  10. Current international ranking: . The last time US News and World Report ranked any dental school (1997), UTHSCSA ranked the top dental school of the United States.
  11. See: http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/utsw/cda/dept37361/files/281435.html
  12. http://www8.utsouthwestern.edu/vgn/images/portal/cit_56417/43/32/2800592006_Fact_Sheet.pdf
  13. http://www8.utsouthwestern.edu/home/about/index.html
  14. http://www.texmed.org/Template.aspx?id=86
  15. According to:
  16. "University Selects Bioscrypt for Biosafety Level 4 Lab". Bioscrypt. October 14 2004. Retrieved 2006-04-29. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  17. "BIOSAFETY LEVEL 4 (BSL-4) LABORATORY". Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research. Retrieved 2006-04-29.
  18. http://www.utsystem.edu/hea/codered/
  19. America's Best Colleges 2006. U.S. News & World Report

References

Further reading

External links


State of Texas
Austin (capital)
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Regions
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areas
CountiesSee: List of counties in Texas
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 United States

Political divisions of the Confederate States (1861–1865)
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  • Admitted to the Union June 20, 1863.
  • Organized January 18, 1862.

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