Outline of Texas
Texas has a larger area than any other state in the United States except Alaska. It is bigger than Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, and Wisconsin combined. According to the 2000 census, Texas ranked second among the states in population, after California. Five cities in Texas rank among the nation's top 25 in population. These cities are Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, and El Paso.
Frontier cowboys with their 10-gallon hats have long been a symbol of Texas. Cowboys still ride across the plains driving great herds of cattle. And cowboy boots and hats still make up part of the everyday dress of many rural Texans. However, the Texans of today are just as likely to be workers in an oil field or scientists in a laboratory as they are to be cowboys. Or they might be engineers in a chemical plant, computer operators in a bank, or musicians in a symphony orchestra. Thousands of Texans are also employed in the aerospace industry. The Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, located in Houston, serves as the headquarters for all astronaut projects of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
The land of Texas has helped make the state rich. Many industries, such as trade and finance, benefit from the state's huge agricultural and mining production. Today, the state's leading economic activities include community, social, and personal services, trade, and manufacturing. Vast plains and rolling hills provide fertile soil and rich grasslands. Texas has more farms and farmland than any other state. It leads the country in the production of cattle, sheep, and wool. It also leads all other states in the production and refining of petroleum.
Texas was part of Mexico when the first settlers from the United States arrived there in 1821. In 1836, Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie, and other famous heroes died at the Alamo fighting for independence from Mexico. Sam Houston led the Texans to their final victory against the Mexicans. One of his battle cries was ''Remember the Alamo!'' For nearly 10 years after the war with Mexico, Texas was an independent republic. After Texas became a state in 1845, the settlers fought Indians for many years to protect their families and homes.
A series of narrow sand bars, enclosing shallow lagoons, lies along the Texas coast. These sand bars help protect the coast from ocean storms. Padre Island, the largest sand bar, is about 100 miles (160 kilometers) long. Other large sand bars include the islands of Galveston, Matagorda, and St. Joseph. The Texas coast has 27 artificially created ports. They were once filled by silt (particles of earth) left by the many streams emptying into the Gulf of Mexico. Only small vessels could use them. By removing the silt and deepening the harbors, engineers built 12 deepwater ports and 15 ports for barges and small ships.
A large majority of the people of Texas live in metropolitan areas. Approximately 60 percent live in the metropolitan areas of Austin-San Marcos, Dallas, Fort Worth-Arlington, Houston, and San Antonio. The state has 24 cities with more than 100,000 people. Houston is the largest, followed by Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, El Paso, and Fort Worth.
Some of the most popular resort centers in Texas are on the Gulf Coast. Sandy beaches stretch along most of the coast. Many deep-sea fishing enthusiasts sail from the coastal cities of Aransas Pass, Corpus Christi, and Galveston. They catch marlin, red snapper, sailfish, and tarpon in the Gulf of Mexico. In northeast Texas, rolling timberlands provide many recreational areas. The region's rivers and lakes offer fine fishing. Central and west Texas are popular deer-hunting sites.
Texas received its name from their pronunciation of the Indian word Tejas (friends or allies). The Tejas formed a group of united Indian tribes that lived in what is now the northeastern part of the state. Texas is called the Lone Star State because of the single star on its flag. Austin is the capital of Texas, and Houston is the largest city.
