| State of Texas | |
| Coordinates | 31°N, 100°W |
| General | |
| Surface | 696,241 km² (2.5% water) |
| Inhabitants (2016) |
28,762,596 (40.0 inhabitant/km²) |
| Capital city | Austin |
| Politics | |
| Governor | Greg Abbott |
| Side | Republican Party |
| Legislature | Texas Legislature |
| House of Lords | Texas Senate |
| House of Commons | Texas House of Representatives |
| Senators | John Cornyn (R) and Ted Cruz (R) |
| Delegates | 25 Republicans 11 Democrats |
| Other | |
| Time zone | −6 / −7 |
| Joined | Dec 29, 1845 |
| For joining | Republic of Texas |
| Nickname | Lone Star State |
| Song | Texas, Our Texas |
| ISO 3166-2 | US-TX |
| Website | texas.gov |
Texas is one of 50 states of the United States of America. It is the second largest state in the United States after Alaska, measured by area. With 28 million inhabitants, it is the second largest state in population after California. The postal abbreviation of the “Lone Star State”, as its nickname goes, is TX.
The state, in the southern US, has many oil wells. The capital of Texas is Austin, the largest city is Houston. Other major major cities include Dallas, El Paso, and San Antonio.
History
The area now called Texas was originally settled by Native American tribes. In present-day Texas still live Apaches, Atakapa, Bidai, Caddo, Comanche, Karankawa, Kiowa, Tonkawa, and Wichita.
On November 6, 1528, shipwrecked Spanish conquistador Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca became the first European to set foot on Texas soil. Texas was part of the Spanish colony of New Spain in the early centuries after the Spanish conquest. From 1685 to 1689, Texas belonged to the French colony of Fort Saint Louis. After Mexican Independence, in 1821, Texas became part of Mexico along with Coahuila de Zaragoza as Coahuila y Texas.. Meanwhile, many Anglo-Americans migrated to Texas at the invitation of the Mexican government, which eventually outnumbered the Hispanic population. The Anglo-Texans were called Texians, the Spanish/Mexican Texans Tejano’s. When Mexican dictator Antonio López de Santa Anna replaced the 1824 Constitution with a more centralized constitution and Coahuila y Texas with departments in 1835, the Texians proclaimed Texas independence.
The legendary Battle of the lamo still holds significant significance in Texas.
In 1835, the Texas War of Independence broke out. A famous turning point in the war was the Battle of the Álamo. This battle was not strategically important, but because of the brutality of the Mexicans, it was a boost for the morale of the Texans. Sam Houston would play a big part in the formation of Texas. Under his leadership, in the spring of 1836, at the legendary Battle of San Jacinto, the rebels defeated and captured Mexican Senator Santa Anna, who subsequently claimed independence for the Republic of Texas.acknowledged. Sam Houston played a key role in organizing the new government and became its first president.
The Texans considered the Rio Grande to be their western frontier, while previously it was the Nueces at Corpus Christi. In 1840 the independent Republic of the Rio Grande arose for a short time on the other side of the Rio Grande. When it was violently rejoined Mexico the same year, the Texans feared for their independence and sought further rapprochement with the United States. On December 29, 1845, United States President James Polk ratified a law annexing Texas. Texas became the 28th state of the United States. A year later, after a battle in the territory claimed by both Mexico and the United States, theMexican-American War. After this war, Texas’ northern and western borders still had to be determined, and that was settled by the Compromise of 1850. As a result, the state ceded a large part of its claimed territory in the west and north, where other states would later be founded.
Texas was a slave state. Despite the state being less dependent on slavery than the rest of the southern states, the parliament still chose to join the Confederate States of America. Sam Houston, who was governor at the time, argued for Texas to remain with the Union or else continue as an independent country. He was removed from office by parliament and refused help from Abraham Lincoln to stay on with the help of the military. Only when it became known that General Robert E. Leehad capitulated, General Gordon Granger announced on June 19, 1865, that the slaves of Texas were henceforth free. This day was henceforth celebrated by the black ex-slaves, if they were given the space for it, and lives on in the holiday Juneteenth. The first months after the capitulation were characterized by chaos, but the state would recover economically faster than the rest of the defeated south.
German immigrants settled in the Texas hill country in the mid-1800s, founding New Braunfels, Fredericksburg, Boerne, Schulenburg, Weimar, Walburg, and Comfort. They developed a hybrid language called Texas German, which is still spoken by ancient people today.
From 1866 to 1887, the Abilene Trail was used to move large herds of cattle from Texas to Kansas. These herds were herded by cowboys on horseback and transported east on the Union Pacific Railroad upon arrival in Abilene. In 1900, the Galveston Hurricane, the deadliest natural disaster in United States history, swept across the state completely destroying the city of Galveston. In 1901, the Spindletop oil field was discovered, which formed the starting point for the Texas oil boom and for oil companies such as Gulf Oil, Texaco and Chevron. The large amount of oil that was extracted in the state from then on drastically reduced the price, allowing the American auto industry to take off.
In 1963, US President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas.
Geography
According to JIBIN123.COM, Texas is the second largest state in the US after Alaska and covers an area of 696,241 km². Due to its size, there is a strong diversity in landscapes and climate.
The following geographic regions are distinguished:
- Much of the state belongs to the Great Plains, which extend from the center of the state into western and northern Texas and the Texas Panhandle. Within this lie several plateaus including the Llano Estacado and the Edwards Plateau.
- the Hill Country and the Edwards Plateau, a hilly area of Central Texas enclosed by the Great Plains, bounded on the east by the Balcones Zone and the Blackland Prairie.
- the Coastal Plain, from the Gulf of Mexico inland to San Antonio and southeast of Austin. Off the coast are the Texas barrier islands.
- The Trans-Pecos Desert in the west of the state, which is part of the Chihuahua Desert.
- The tropical forests, lakes and swamps in the eastern part of the state.
To the north is the Palo Duro Canyon, which is the second largest canyon in the country after the Grand Canyon. To the southwest is the Santa Elena Canyon through which the Rio Grande flows, forming the border with Mexico.
Texas borders Mexico in the southwest, where the Rio Grande forms the border. The state is bordered to the north by the state of Oklahoma, to the west by the state of New Mexico, to the east by the state of Louisiana, and to the northeast by the state of Arkansas. In the southeast, the state is located on the Gulf of Mexico. Most of Texas is in the Central time zone, the far west, including El Paso, is in the Mountain time zone.
Flora and fauna
Animals and plants native to Texas are sometimes named after this, such as the Texas toad lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum) and the Texas rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox).
Texas is the main part of the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexipus) range, spreading north in the spring and south again in the fall.
Demographics
High-rise buildings in downtown Houston, Texas’ largest city.
Texas has a large number of Hispanics (Hispanics), about 38.2% of the population, and Latinos are expected to make up the largest group of all Texans by 2022. Most of them immigrated from Mexico, Central America and South America. Others, known as Tejano’s, are descended from people who lived in Texas before the state gained its independence from Mexico. Unlike other US states bordering Mexico, Texan culture gradually transitions into Mexican, resulting in a vibrant frontier region that is also reflected in Tex-Mex cuisine and music. The racial and ethnic problems found in many southern states are virtually absent in Texas.
In addition to Latinos, Texas has immigrant communities of Germans, Poles, Swedes, Norwegians, Czechs, French, and Dutch. Their influence can still be found in the place names, in the architecture, in the music, and in the cuisine of Texas. The city of the Netherlands in Texas was founded in 1897 by Dutch immigrants. The most important families were Reinstra and Doornbos and their descendants still live there. The Dutch history of the city is commemorated in the Dutch Windmill Museum on Boston Avenue.
Today, Asians from China, Taiwan, India and South Korea emigrate to Texas. They mainly settle in Houston and Dallas.
Texas has the most cities of all US states with more than 1 million inhabitants, namely three: Houston, San Antonio and Dallas.
Culture
Many Texans are extremely proud of their state, more than is usual in other states, and they will introduce themselves as Texans first and then Americans. The Alamo Mission is an important Texas symbol.
Two mottos are typical of the state. Don’t Mess with Texas was used by the government in the 1980s to warn of hefty fines against littering, but has since been more widely used. Another proverb is Everything is bigger in Texas except for… which indicates that the houses, cities, meals, wages etc. in this state are larger than in the rest of the country and the government is smaller again. Until Alaska ‘s accession in 1959, the state was the largest in the United States.
Texan cuisine has been influenced by Mexican because the area belonged to Mexico first and not least by the large Mexican community. This is reflected in the breakfast burrito, tex-mex cuisine, and chili con carne. The state is also known for its grill rooms and the many different barbecue sauces whose creators all too often keep the recipe a secret. The capital Austin has a quirky and progressive image. Called the The Live Music Capital of the World, it hosts the South by Southwest festival every year.
The state is further associated with cowboys, the western genre, country music, and tex-mex music.
Administrative division
According to COUNTRYAAH, Texas is divided into 254 counties, making it the state with the most counties. Counties have powers over general affairs in their territories, but also partly fulfill the functions of a city government. This is the case for households that are not within a city boundary. The cities also have administrative powers, which correspond to those of the Dutch and Belgian municipalities.
| County | Inhabitants 1 July, 2007 |
County Seat | Inhabitants 1 July, 2007 |
| Anderson | 56.760 | Palestine | 18.130 |
| Andrews | 13.140 | Andrews | 9693 |
| Angelina | 82.812 | Lufkin | 34.070 |
| Aransas | 24.721 | Rockport | 9425 |
| Archer | 9004 | Archer City | 1810 |
| Armstrong | 2071 | Claude | 1263 |
| Atascosa | 43.589 | Jourdanton | 4295 |
| Austin | 26.610 | Bellville | 4374 |
| Bailey | 6357 | Muleshoe | 4321 |
| Bandera | 20.197 | Bandera | 1208 |
| Bastrop | 72.248 | Bastrop | 7823 |
| Baylor | 3836 | Seymour | 2688 |
| Bee | 32.689 | Beeville | 12.736 |
| Bell | 276.975 | Belton | 17.330 |
| Bexar | 1.594.493 | San Antonio | 1.328.984 |
| Blanco | 9067 | Johnson City | 1528 |
| Borden | 585 | Gail | – |
| Bosque | 17.942 | Meridian | 1511 |
| Bowie | 91.553 | Boston | – |
| Brazoria | 294.233 | Angleton | 18.640 |
| Brazos | 170.954 | Bryan | 72.015 |
| Brewster | 9239 | Alpine | 6190 |
| Briscoe | 1479 | Silverton | 635 |
| Brooks | 7589 | Falfurrias | 4969 |
| Brown | 38.585 | Brownwood | 19.571 |
| Burleson | 16.598 | Caldwell | 3727 |
| Burnet | 43.689 | Burnet | 5706 |
| Caldwell | 36.705 | Lockhart | 13.613 |
| Calhoun | 20.352 | Port Lavaca | 11.443 |
| Callahan | 13.508 | Baird | 1633 |
| Cameron | 387.210 | Brownsville | 172.806 |
| Camp | 12.557 | Pittsburg | 4647 |
| Carson | 6358 | Panhandle | 2522 |
| Cass | 29.362 | Linden | 2142 |
| Castro | 7210 | Dimmitt | 3744 |
| Chambers | 28.771 | Anahuac | 1988 |
| Cherokee | 48.169 | Rusk | 5209 |
| Childress | 7556 | Childress | 6528 |
| Clay | 11.119 | Henrietta | 3262 |
| Cochran | 3088 | Morton | 1835 |
| Coke | 3561 | Robert Lee | 1044 |
| Coleman | 8550 | Coleman | 4675 |
| Collin | 730.690 | McKinney | 115.620 |
| Collingsworth | 2972 | Wellington | 2084 |
| Colorado | 20.666 | Columbus | 3904 |
| Comal | 105.187 | New Braunfels | 51.804 |
| Comanche | 13.541 | Comanche | 4223 |
| Concho | 3599 | Paint Rock | 278 |
| Cooke | 38.486 | Gainesville | 16.532 |
| Coryell | 72.156 | Gatesville | 15.205 |
| Cottle | 1610 | Paducah | 1255 |
| Crane | 3862 | Crane | 3061 |
| Crockett | 3789 | Ozona | 3436 |
| Crosby | 6310 | Crosbyton | 1641 |
| Culberson | 2484 | Van Horn | 2058 |
| Dallam | 6125 | Dalhart | 6923 |
| Dallas | 2.366.511 | Dallas | 1.240.499 |
| Dawson | 13.870 | Lamesa | 8998 |
| Deaf Smith | 18.452 | Hereford | 14.455 |
| Delta | 5375 | Cooper | 2143 |
| Denton | 612.357 | Denton | 115.506 |
| DeWitt | 19.730 | Cuero | 6465 |
| Dickens | 2511 | Dickens | 297 |
| Dimmit | 9845 | Carrizo Springs | 5377 |
| Donley | 3911 | Clarendon | 2031 |
| Duval | 12.187 | San Diego | 4476 |
| Eastland | 18.337 | Eastland | 3903 |
| Ector | 129.570 | Odessa | 96.824 |
| Edwards | 1938 | Rocksprings | 1151 |
| El Paso | 734.669 | El Paso | 606.913 |
| Ellis | 143.468 | Waxahachie | 27.311 |
| Erath | 35.633 | Stephenville | 16.715 |
| Falls | 17.149 | Marlin | 6019 |
| Fannin | 33.067 | Bonham | 10.594 |
| Fayette | 22.537 | La Grange | 4668 |
| Fisher | 3957 | Roby | 617 |
| Floyd | 6655 | Floydada | 3152 |
| Foard | 1420 | Crowell | 996 |
| Fort Bend | 509.822 | Richmond | 13.404 |
| Franklin | 11.094 | Mount Vernon | 2805 |
| Freestone | 18.797 | Fairfield | 3586 |
| Frio | 16.133 | Pearsall | 7665 |
| Gaines | 14.925 | Seminole | 6057 |
| Galveston | 283.987 | Galveston | 56.940 |
| Garza | 4700 | Post | 3556 |
| Gillespie | 23.507 | Fredericksburg | 10.873 |
| Glasscock | 1174 | Garden City | – |
| Goliad | 7154 | Goliad | 2037 |
| Gonzales | 19.210 | Gonzales | 7359 |
| Gray | 22.047 | Pampa | 17.204 |
| Grayson | 118.675 | Sherman | 37.710 |
| Gregg | 117.119 | Longview | 76.816 |
| Grimes | 25.603 | Anderson | 277 |
| Guadalupe | 112.777 | Seguin | 26.051 |
| Hale | 35.731 | Plainview | 21.656 |
| Hall | 3482 | Memphis | 2255 |
| Hamilton | 8138 | Hamilton | 2984 |
| Hansford | 5235 | Spearman | 2920 |
| Hardeman | 4124 | Quanah | 2599 |
| Hardin | 51.597 | Kountze | 2161 |
| Harris | 3.935.855 | Houston | 2.208.180 |
| Harrison | 63.504 | Marshall | 23.872 |
| Hartley | 5179 | Channing | 329 |
| Haskell | 5249 | Haskell | 2641 |
| Hays | 141.480 | San Marcos | 50.373 |
| Hemphill | 3360 | Canadian | 2212 |
| Henderson | 78.897 | Athens | 12.260 |
| Hidalgo | 710.514 | Edinburg | 68.724 |
| Hill | 35.352 | Hillsboro | 8908 |
| Hockley | 22.226 | Levelland | 12.445 |
| Hood | 49.170 | Granbury | 8029 |
| Hopkins | 33.769 | Sulphur Springs | 15.387 |
| Houston | 22.769 | Crockett | 6906 |
| Howard | 32.295 | Big Spring | 24.075 |
| Hudspeth | 3294 | Sierra Blanca | 533 |
| Hunt | 82.945 | Greenville | 25.674 |
| Hutchinson | 21.845 | Stinnett | 1817 |
| Irion | 1743 | Mertzon | 826 |
| Jack | 8833 | Jacksboro | 4516 |
| Jackson | 14.093 | Edna | 5798 |
| Jasper | 34.553 | Jasper | 7276 |
| Jeff Davis | 2264 | Fort Davis | 1050 |
| Jefferson | 241.975 | Beaumont | 109.579 |
| Jim Hogg | 4973 | Hebbronville | 4498 |
| Jim Wells | 41.119 | Alice | 19.759 |
| Johnson | 149.797 | Cleburne | 29.552 |
| Jones | 19.295 | Anson | 2322 |
| Karnes | 15.067 | Karnes City | 3357 |
| Kaufman | 96.373 | Kaufman | 8505 |
| Kendall | 31.342 | Boerne | 9414 |
| Kenedy | 394 | Sarita | – |
| Kent | 735 | Jayton | 441 |
| Kerr | 47.860 | Kerrville | 22.661 |
| Kimble | 4461 | Junction | 2576 |
| King | 291 | Guthrie | – |
| Kinney | 3320 | Brackettville | 1818 |
| Kleberg | 30.390 | Kingsville | 24.391 |
| Knox | 3524 | Benjamin | 222 |
| La Salle | 6009 | Cotulla | 3613 |
| Lamar | 49.255 | Paris | 26.083 |
| Lamb | 13.901 | Littlefield | 6075 |
| Lampasas | 20.877 | Lampasas | 7867 |
| Lavaca | 18.754 | Hallettsville | 2507 |
| Lee | 16.356 | Giddings | 5433 |
| Leon | 16.462 | Centerville | 953 |
| Liberty | 75.434 | Liberty | 8382 |
| Limestone | 22.421 | Groesbeck | 4296 |
| Lipscomb | 3033 | Lipscomb | 44 |
| Live Oak | 11.349 | George West | 2266 |
| Llano | 18.394 | Llano | 3263 |
| Loving | 55 | Mentone | – |
| Lubbock | 260.901 | Lubbock | 217.326 |
| Lynn | 5882 | Tahoka | 2565 |
| Madison | 13.379 | Madisonville | 4366 |
| Marion | 10.741 | Jefferson | 1954 |
| Martin | 4464 | Stanton | 2239 |
| Mason | 3890 | Mason | 2224 |
| Matagorda | 37.024 | Bay City | 17.805 |
| Maverick | 51.656 | Eagle Pass | 26.285 |
| McCulloch | 7862 | Brady | 5278 |
| McLennan | 228.123 | Waco | 122.222 |
| McMullen | 874 | Tilden | – |
| Medina | 43.826 | Hondo | 8902 |
| Menard | 2134 | Menard | 1493 |
| Midland | 126.408 | Midland | 103.880 |
| Milam | 24.855 | Cameron | 5758 |
| Mills | 5031 | Goldthwaite | 1755 |
| Mitchell | 9275 | Colorado City | 3921 |
| Montague | 19.656 | Montague | – |
| Montgomery | 412.638 | Conroe | 52.516 |
| Moore | 20.081 | Dumas | 13.706 |
| Morris | 13.064 | Daingerfield | 2480 |
| Motley | 1287 | Matador | 666 |
| Nacogdoches | 62.435 | Nacogdoches | 32.006 |
| Navarro | 49.396 | Corsicana | 26.463 |
| Newton | 13.827 | Newton | 2277 |
| Nolan | 14.614 | Sweetwater | 10.472 |
| Nueces | 321.135 | Corpus Christi | 285.507 |
| Ochiltree | 9587 | Perryton | 8265 |
| Oldham | 2075 | Vega | 878 |
| Orange | 82.669 | Orange | 17.425 |
| Palo Pinto | 27.321 | Palo Pinto | – |
| Panola | 23.002 | Carthage | 6605 |
| Parker | 108.687 | Weatherford | 25.749 |
| Parmer | 9423 | Farwell | 1274 |
| Pecos | 15.969 | Fort Stockton | 7347 |
| Polk | 46.332 | Livingston | 6251 |
| Potter | 120.775 | Amarillo | 186.106 |
| Presidio | 7575 | Marfa | 1887 |
| Rains | 11.211 | Emory | 1486 |
| Randall | 113.036 | Canyon | 14.077 |
| Reagan | 3053 | Big Lake | 2639 |
| Real | 2965 | Leakey | 371 |
| Red River | 13.108 | Clarksville | 3508 |
| Reeves | 11.183 | Pecos | 7898 |
| Refugio | 7358 | Refugio | 2726 |
| Roberts | 831 | Miami | 550 |
| Robertson | 15.819 | Franklin | 1456 |
| Rockwall | 73.810 | Rockwall | 33.826 |
| Runnels | 10.362 | Ballinger | 3774 |
| Rusk | 48.568 | Henderson | 11.599 |
| Sabine | 10.138 | Hemphill | 1037 |
| San Augustine | 8639 | San Augustine | 2365 |
| San Jacinto | 24.818 | Coldspring | 764 |
| San Patricio | 68.520 | Sinton | 5392 |
| San Saba | 5968 | San Saba | 2549 |
| Schleicher | 2811 | Eldorado | 1850 |
| Scurry | 16.011 | Snyder | 10.447 |
| Shackelford | 3161 | Albany | 1830 |
| Shelby | 26.512 | Center | 5764 |
| Sherman | 2905 | Stratford | 1885 |
| Smith | 198.705 | Tyler | 96.451 |
| Somervell | 7757 | Glen Rose | 2771 |
| Starr | 61.833 | Rio Grande City | 13.848 |
| Stephens | 9538 | Breckenridge | 5606 |
| Sterling | 1245 | Sterling City | 968 |
| Stonewall | 1405 | Aspermont | 851 |
| Sutton | 4303 | Sonora | 3060 |
| Swisher | 7700 | Tulia | 4631 |
| Tarrant | 1.717.435 | Fort Worth | 681.818 |
| Taylor | 126.540 | Abilene | 116.219 |
| Terrell | 934 | Sanderson | 861 |
| Terry | 12.189 | Brownfield | 9001 |
| Throckmorton | 1664 | Throckmorton | 811 |
| Titus | 29.392 | Mount Pleasant | 14.770 |
| Tom Green | 106.342 | San Angelo | 90.483 |
| Travis | 974.365 | Austin | 743.074 |
| Trinity | 14.168 | Groveton | 1119 |
| Tyler | 20.403 | Woodville | 2277 |
| Upshur | 37.924 | Gilmer | 5208 |
| Upton | 3052 | Rankin | 726 |
| Uvalde | 26.581 | Uvalde | 16.222 |
| Val Verde | 48.029 | Del Rio | 36.582 |
| Van Zandt | 52.055 | Canton | 3624 |
| Victoria | 86.291 | Victoria | 62.246 |
| Walker | 63.902 | Huntsville | 37.747 |
| Waller | 35.933 | Hempstead | 7223 |
| Ward | 10.268 | Monahans | 6334 |
| Washington | 32.034 | Brenham | 15.098 |
| Webb | 233.152 | Laredo | 217.506 |
| Wharton | 40.897 | Wharton | 9227 |
| Wheeler | 4793 | Wheeler | 1215 |
| Wichita | 128.025 | Wichita Falls | 101.590 |
| Wilbarger | 14.037 | Vernon | 11.066 |
| Willacy | 20.513 | Raymondville | 9501 |
| Williamson | 373.363 | Georgetown | 46.867 |
| Wilson | 39.264 | Floresville | 7387 |
| Winkler | 6543 | Kermit | 5136 |
| Wise | 57.589 | Decatur | 6275 |
| Wood | 42.004 | Quitman | 2233 |
| Yoakum | 7447 | Plains | 1460 |
| Young | 17.683 | Graham | 8518 |
| Zapata | 13.605 | Zapata | 4856 |
| Zavala | 11.665 | Crystal City | 7133 |
Politics
Texas Capitol
The executive branch of the state is headed by a governor, who is directly elected by the voters in the state. In 2014, Greg Abbott of the Republican Party was elected governor of the state of Texas. On January 20, 2015, he succeeded his party colleague Rick Perry, who held the governorship for more than 14 years. Perry previously served as Lieutenant Governor of Texas under George W. Bush and succeeded Bush after he was elected President of the United States in 2000.
The legislature consists of the Texas House of Representatives (Texas House of Representatives) with 150 members and the Texas Senate (Texas Senate) with 31 members. Republicans have had a majority in the Senate since the 1996 election, and in the House since the 2002 election. Before that, the Democrats were in the majority.
Texas’s representation in the United States Congress consists of two senators and 36 representatives. The senators are Ted Cruz and John Cornyn. When Texas joined in 1845, Texas got two representatives; this number has steadily increased to the current 36 due to population growth. In 1963 Lyndon B. Johnson from Texas became president of the United States, after first serving as vice president under John F. Kennedy.
Economy
a pumpjack
Until World War II, Texas was a predominantly agricultural area, with agriculture and livestock, with petroleum as the main industry. In 1926, San Antonio was the largest city with more than 120,000 inhabitants.
After World War II, Texas became highly industrialized. Information technology became important to the economy, alongside oil and gas extraction, power generation and trade, agriculture and industry, which had always been important. The two major economic centers are the Houston Metropolitan Area around Houston (petrochemicals; NASA), and the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex around Dallas and Fort Worth, the center of agriculture and information technology. The cost of living in Texas is relatively low: there is no state income tax, commerce taxes are low, and government intervention is low. Texas knows from the significant economic growth in the 1990s.
Education
There are several universities in Texas, including University of Texas System, Texas Christian University (TCU), Texas A&M University, and Baylor University. The University of Texas System is the largest with over 190,000 students. The university has several campuses; the University of Texas at Austin is the best known.
