Texas (U.S. state)

Texas (U.S. state)
Name	Texas
Nicknames	The Lone Star State
Motto	Friendship
Capital	Austin
Largest city	Houston
Admitted	December 29, 1845 (28th)
Population	~29 million
Area total sq mi	268596

Texas (U.S. state) is the second-largest state in the United States by both area and population. Located in the south-central region of the country, it borders Mexico, the Gulf of Mexico, and U.S. states including Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Colorado at the Four Corners vicinity of the panhandle. Texas has a distinct regional identity shaped by diverse landscapes, multiple colonial legacies, and a history of independent statehood under the Republic of Texas.

Etymology and symbols

The name "Texas" derives from the plural form of the Caddo word "taysha" meaning "friends" or "allies", recorded in contacts with Spanish Empire explorers and missionaries such as Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca and Francisco Vázquez de Coronado. State symbols include the Lone Star Flag, the Armadillo as an informal icon and the Bluebonnet (Lupinus texensis) as the state flower. Official emblems include the Seal of Texas and the state motto "Friendship", reflecting influences from Caddo people and colonial Spanish Empire and Mexican Republic heraldry.

History

Human presence in the region dates to Paleo-Indian cultures associated with sites like Gault site and later indigenous polities such as the Caddo people, Coahuiltecan peoples, Comanche, Kiowa, and Apache. European contact began with Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca and continued under the Spanish Empire with missions like Mission San Antonio de Valero (the Alamo) and settlements in San Antonio. After Mexican independence under the Mexican War of Independence, Anglo-American colonization increased via empresarios including Stephen F. Austin, culminating in the Texas Revolution and battles at the Alamo and Battle of San Jacinto. Texas entered a new chapter as the Republic of Texas (1836–1845) before annexation by the United States and statehood in 1845; annexation contributed to tensions that led to the Mexican–American War. During the American Civil War Texas joined the Confederate States of America and later underwent Reconstruction era policies. The late 19th and 20th centuries saw expansion of the Texas oil boom following discoveries at Spindletop, urban growth in Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio, and developments in aerospace at Johnson Space Center and technology growth in the Silicon Hills around Austin.

Geography and environment

Texas spans ecosystems from the Piney Woods of the east through the Blackland Prairies, the Hill Country, the South Texas Plains, the Chihuahuan Desert in the west, to the coastal wetlands of the Gulf Coast of the United States. Major rivers include the Rio Grande, forming much of the international boundary with Mexico, the Red River, the Brazos River, and the Colorado River (Texas). Notable landforms include Guadalupe Peak, the highest point, and barrier islands such as Padre Island. The state's climate ranges from humid subtropical in cities like Houston and Dallas to semi-arid and arid in El Paso and the Trans-Pecos region. Conservation efforts involve entities such as the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and protected areas like Big Bend National Park and Padre Island National Seashore. Environmental challenges include droughts affecting the Edwards Aquifer, hurricane impacts from storms like Hurricane Harvey (2017), and debate over land use tied to energy production led by operators such as ExxonMobil and Occidental Petroleum.

Demographics

Texas has a highly diverse population concentrated in metropolitan areas including the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, Greater Houston, Greater San Antonio, and the Austin metropolitan area. The state has large communities of Hispanic and Latino Americans with roots in Tejano culture, significant African American populations, and growing Asian American communities including Vietnamese in Houston and Indian American professionals across Plano and Irving. Immigration from Mexico and countries worldwide shapes urban and border communities such as Laredo and Brownsville. Major universities like University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University influence demographic trends, while suburbs in counties like Harris County, Tarrant County, and Travis County drive growth. Cultural heritage is reflected in festivals such as South by Southwest, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and Fiesta San Antonio.

Economy

Texas has one of the largest state economies, with sectors led historically by oil and gas after fields at Spindletop and the development of refineries in Baytown and Galveston Bay. Energy remains central with companies like ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, and renewables expansion by firms such as NextEra Energy Resources. Other major industries include technology in Austin with firms including Dell Technologies and branches of Apple and Google, aerospace at Johnson Space Center supporting NASA programs, agriculture across the Texas Panhandle and South Plains, and international trade through ports like Port of Houston. Financial services and corporate headquarters are significant in Dallas and San Antonio, while logistics linkages follow corridors such as Interstate 35 connecting Laredo to Minneapolis–Saint Paul trade networks.

Government and politics

Texas operates under a state constitution adopted in 1876 and amended numerous times; principal state institutions include the Texas Legislature (bicameral), the office of the Governor of Texas, and a judiciary culminating in the Supreme Court of Texas and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Political life has featured prominent figures such as Sam Houston, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Rick Perry, and debates over issues like energy regulation, immigration enforcement at the U.S.–Mexico border, and education funding. The state has been a focal point in national politics, with influential party organizations like the Texas Republican Party and the Texas Democratic Party, and periodic high-profile litigation at the United States Supreme Court concerning redistricting and election law.

Culture and education

Texas culture blends Tejano and Anglo traditions with influences from African American and immigrant communities; expressions include culinary institutions like Tex-Mex cuisine outlets and barbecue traditions centered in cities such as Lockhart and Austin. Music scenes range from country at Billy Bob's Texas and honky-tonks on Sixth Street (Austin) to blues and hip-hop in Houston. Major cultural institutions include the Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, and performing arts organizations such as the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and San Antonio River Walk festivals. Higher education is anchored by systems like the University of Texas System and Texas A&M University System, plus private institutions including Rice University and Southern Methodist University, contributing to research, innovation, and cultural life.

Category:States of the United States