FACTS
The Government
Robert Plocheck
San Jacinto Monument near Houston.
Capital: Austin
Government: Bicameral Legislature
28th State to enter the Union:
Dec. 29, 1845
Present Constitution adopted: 1876
State motto: Friendship
Origin of name: Texas, or Tejas, was the Spanish pronunciation of a Caddo Indian word meaning "friends" or "allies."
Nickname: Texas is called the Lone Star State because of the design of the state flag: a broad vertical blue stripe at left centered by a single white star, and at right, horizontal bars of white (top) and red.
The People
|
Population (Jan. 2006, State Data Center estimate)
|
23,507,783 |
| Population 2000 (U.S. Census count) |
20,851,820 |
| Population 1990 (U.S. Census count) |
16,986,510 |
| Population increase 2000–2006 |
12.7% |
| Ethnicity (2005 estimates) |
Number |
Percent |
| Anglo |
11,243,000 |
49.18% |
| Hispanic |
8,030,000 |
35.12% |
| Black |
2,673,000 |
11.69% |
| Other |
926,000 |
4.01% |
Population density (2005): 87.3 per square mile
Voting-age population (2005): 17,033,000
Cities and Counties
Number of counties: 254
Number of incorporated cities: 1,208
Number of cities of 100,000 population or more: 28
Number of cities of 50,000 population or more: 57
Number of cities of 10,000 population or more: 205
Ten largest cities (2006 estimates)
| 1. Houston (in Harris County) |
2,085,737 |
| 2. San Antonio (in Bexar County)
|
1,274,607 |
| 3. Dallas (in Dallas County)
|
1,224,397 |
| 4. Austin (in Travis County)
|
705,611 |
| 5. Fort Worth (in Tarrant County) |
638,102 |
| 6. El Paso (in El Paso County) |
602,112 |
| 7. Arlington (in Tarrant County) |
365,723 |
| 8. Corpus Christi (in Nueces County) |
283,384 |
| 9. Plano (in Collin County) |
255,593 |
| 10. Garland (in Dallas County) |
218,303 |
The Natural Environment
Area (total): 268,581 sq. miles
Land area: 261,797 sq. miles
Water area: 6,784 sq. miles
Geographic center: About 15 miles northeast of Brady in
northern McCulloch County.
Highest point: Guadalupe Peak (8,749 ft.) in Culberson County
in far West Texas.
Lowest point: Gulf of Mexico (sea level).
Texas' Natural Environment (expanded): Click here
Principal Products
Manufactures: Chemicals and allied products, petroleum and coal products, food and kindred products, transportation equipment.
Farm products: Cattle, cotton, vegetables, fruits, nursery and greenhouse, dairy products.
Minerals: Petroleum, natural gas, natural gas liquids.
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