Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Texas shopping experience:
1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Texas offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Texas at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.
2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about
3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Texas? Wrong! If the Texas is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.
4. Questions - Got a question about Texas then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....
5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Texas? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Texas and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.
6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Texas wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.
7. Feedback - happy with your Texas then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.
8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Texas site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site
9. Contact - got a question about Texas, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.
10. Payment - ready to pay for your Texas, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.
{{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 = [Flag of Texas
| Seal = Texas state seal.png
| Map = Map_of_USA_TX.svg
| Nickname = Lone Star State
| Motto = Friendship.
| Capital = [Austin, Texas
| LargestCity = [Houston, Texas
| LargestMetro= [Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex
| Governor = [Rick Perry (R)
| Senators = [Kay Bailey Hutchison (R)
[John Cornyn (R)
| PostalAbbreviation = TX
| TradAbbreviation = Tex.
| OfficialLang = No official language''See [Languages spoken in Texas''
| AreaRank = 2nd
| TotalAreaUS = 261,797
| TotalArea = 678,051
| LandAreaUS = 261,797
| LandArea = 678,051
| WaterAreaUS = 6,784
| WaterArea = 17,574
| PCWater = 2.5
| PopRank = 2nd
| 2000Pop = 20,851,820
| 2006Pop (est) = 23,507,783
| DensityRank = 28th
| 2000DensityUS = 79.6
| 2000Density = 30.75
| AdmittanceOrder = 28th
| AdmittanceDate =
December 29, [
| TimeZone = [Central Standard Time Zone: [UTC-6/[Daylight saving time
| TZ1Where = most of state
| TimeZone2 =[Mountain Standard Time Zone: [UTC-7/[Daylight saving time
| TZ2Where = tip of [West Texas
| Latitude = 25° 50′ N to 36° 30′ N
| Longitude = 93° 31′ W to 106° 39′ W
| WidthUS = 773
| Width = 1,244
| LengthUS = 790
| Length = 1,270
| HighestPoint =
Guadalupe Peak{{cite web [ | 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-->
| HighestElevUS = 8,749
| HighestElev = 2,667
| MeanElevUS = 1,700
| MeanElev = 520
| LowestPoint = [Gulf of Mexico coast
| LowestElevUS = 0
| LowestElev = 0
| ISOCode = US-TX
| Website = www.texas.gov
-->
Texas (
IPA: /IPA chart for English/) is a U.S. state located in the
Southern United States and
Western United States regions of the United States of America. With an area of and a population of 23,507,783 (based on a 2006 U.S. census bureau estimate) in 254 counties, the state is second-largest in both area (behind
Alaska) and population (behind
California). About half the state's population resides in either the Dallas–Fort Worth or
Houston metropolitan areas.The state's name derives from
, a word in the
Caddoan languages of the Hasinai, which means "friends" or "allies".{{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=-->{{cite web
|url=http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=Texas |title=Texas |accessdate=2007-02-25
|publisher=Online Etymology Dictionary-->Wallace Chafe, p.c. Texas declared its independence from [Mexico in 1836 and existed as the independent [Republic of Texas for nearly a decade. In 1845, it joined the United States as the 28th state.
Texas is internationally known for its energy and aeronautics industries, and for the ship channel at the Port of Houston—the largest in the U.S. in international commerce and the sixth-largest port in the world. As Enron Trial Begins, Houston Has Moved On.
Newhouse News Service The state is home to the most
Fortune 500 companies in the
United States and has the second-largest economy in the United States, behind California.
List of U.S. states by GDP (nominal){{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--> The [Texas Medical Center in [Houston contains the world's largest concentration of research and [healthcare institutions.{{Cite web
|url=http://www.tmc.edu/tmc-introduction.html
|title=Texas Medical Center
|accessdate=2006-12-26|publisher=Texas Medical Center|year=2006-->
History
In addition to its own state flag, Texas boasts that "Six flags over Texas" have flown over its soil: the national flags of
Spain, the
Fleur-de-lis of France,
Mexico, the
Republic of Texas, the
Confederate States of America, and the United States.
Native Americans in the United States tribes who once lived inside the boundaries of present-day Texas include
Apache Tribe, Atakapan, Bidai,
Caddo, Comanche,
Cherokee,
Kiowa, Tonkawa, Wichita (tribe), Hueco and the Karankawa of Galveston. Currently, there are three federally recognized Native American tribes which reside in Texas: the
Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas, the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas, and the Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo of Texas.
On 6 November 1528, shipwrecked Spanish conquistador Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca became the first known European in Texas. Most of Texas was immediately claimed by Spain as part of the Spanish dominions of New Spain. However, France took advantage of Spain's failure to settle the land and in 1685 established Fort St. Louis and claimed most of Texas. The first Spanish colonization did not come until a few years after Fort St. Louis, as Spain was spurred by France to enforce its claims. The French claim was inherited by the United States as they bought the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 and the Spanish claim was later inherited by Mexico during the Mexican War of Independence of 1821, setting the stage for the
Mexican–American War. The French settlement was massacred by American Indians, and Spain only started sparse settlements, so most permanent settlements by Europeans didn't start until long after the first explorer arrived in 1521.
In the 1800s, two main ethnic groups settled the land:
Tejanos and eventually Anglo Americans. By 1830, the 30,000 Anglo settlers in Texas outnumbered the Tejanos two to one. Smaller numbers of Europeans also came.
Moses Austin bought of land of his choice, and moved to San Antonio in August of 1821. His son, Stephen F. Austin, joined him. In 1821, Texas became part of the newly independent Republic of
Mexico and, in 1824, became the northern section of
Coahuila y Tejas. On 3 January
1823, Stephen F. Austin began a colony of 300 Anglo American families known as the "Old Three Hundred" along the Brazos River, 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. Meanwhile, more Tejanos were also settling in Texas, and as Antonio Menchaca writes in "Memoirs" in 1907, many Tejanos were already desirous of joining the United States. Tejanos were mostly full-blooded Spanish immigrants, few partly or entirely of American Indian heritage as most Mexicans south of the Rio Grande were.
The "Conventions" of 1832 and 1833 were a response to rising unrest at the policies of the ruling Mexico government, which included the end of duty free imports from the United States and the potential end to the special allowance for slavery in the state. Slavery had been abolished in Mexico with the independence. Spain's policy of allowing only full-blooded Spaniards to settle Texas also ended with independence. In 1835,
Antonio López de Santa Anna, President of Mexico, proclaimed a unified constitution for all Mexican territories, including Texas. 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
Chihuahua,
Zacatecas and Yucatan. Texans were also irritated by other policies including the forcible disarmament of Texan settlers, and the expulsion of immigrants and legal land owners originally from the United States. The example of the Centralista forces' suppression of dissidents in Zacatecas also inspired fear of the Mexican government.
On 2 March
1836, the Convention of 1836 signed a
Texas Declaration of Independence, Unanimous Declaration of Independence declaring Texas an independent nation. On
21 April 1836, the Texans—led by General Sam Houston—won their independence when they defeated the Mexican forces of Santa Anna at the
Battle of San Jacinto. Santa Anna was captured and signed the
Treaties of Velasco, 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 slavery in Texas. The
Republic of Texas included the area of the present state of Texas, and additional unoccupied territory to the west and northwest.
Texans wanted Texas Annexation to the United States. Texas was fast-growing, but still poor and had great difficulty maintaining self-defense. Events such as the
Dawson Massacre and two recaptures of Béxar in Texas of 1842 helped add momentum to the desire for statehood. However, American politics intruded; strong Northern opposition to adding another slave state blocked annexation until the election of 1844 was won on a pro-annexation platform by
James K. Polk. On 29 December 1845, Texas was admitted to the U.S. as a constituent U.S. State of the Union. The
Mexican–American War followed, with decisive American victories. Soon after, Texas grew rapidly as migrants poured into the cotton lands.
Just prior to the American Civil War, elected delegates met in convention and, in an act whose legality was later upheld by the Texas Legislature, authorized secession from the U.S. on 1 February 1861 by a thundering majority. Texas voters later overwhelmingly approved the measure in referendum, and the state was accepted as a charter member by the provisional government of the
Confederate States of America on
1 March 1861. Partly due to its distance from the front lines of the war, a major role for Texas was to supply hardy soldiers for Confederate forces (veterans of the Mexican–American War), especially in cavalry. Although Texan regiments fought in every major battle throughout the war, Texas was largely considered a "supply state" for the Confederate forces until mid-1863, when the Union capture of the
Mississippi River made large movements of men or cattle impossible. The last battle of the Civil War was fought in Texas, at
Battle of Palmito Ranch, on 12 May 1865, well after Lee's surrender on
9 April 1865 at
Appomattox Court House in Virginia.
Texas descended into near-anarchy during the two months between the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia and the assumption of authority by Union General
Gordon Granger, as Confederate forces demobilized or disbanded and government property passed into private hands through distribution or plunder. Juneteenth commemorates the announcement of the
Emancipation Proclamation on 19 June 1865 in Galveston by General Gordon Granger; nearly 1-1/2 years after the original announcement of 1 January 1863. President Johnson, on 20 August
1866, declared that civilian government had been restored to Texas On 30 March 1870, although Texas did not meet all the requirements, the
United States Congress readmitted Texas into the United States.
The first major oil well in Texas was drilled at Spindletop, a little hill south of
Beaumont, on the morning of
10 January 1901. Other oil fields were later discovered nearby in East Texas,
West Texas, and under the
Gulf of Mexico. The resulting “Oil Boom” permanently transformed the economy of Texas. Oil production eventually averaged three million barrels of oil per day at its peak in 1972. The economy, which had experienced significant recovery since the
American Civil War, was dealt a double blow by
the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl.
From 1950 through the 1960s, Texas modernized and dramatically expanded its system of higher education. Under the leadership of Governor John B. Connally, the state produced 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. Because of these changes, Texas universities received federal funds for research and development during the John F. Kennedy and
Lyndon B. Johnson administrations.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
Geography
The geography of Texas spans a wide range of features and timelines. Texas is the southernmost part of the
Great Plains, which ends in the south against the folded Sierra Madre Oriental of Mexico. It is in the south-central part of the United States of America. It is considered to form part of the Southern United States and also part of the
Southwestern United States.
The Rio Grande, Red River (Mississippi watershed) and Sabine River (Texas-Louisiana) all provide natural state lines where Texas borders Oklahoma on the north, Louisiana and Arkansas on the east, New Mexico on the west, and the
Mexico states of Chihuahua (state), Coahuila,
Nuevo León, and
Tamaulipas to the south.
By residents, the state is generally divided into
North Texas, East Texas,
Central Texas,
South Texas, and
West Texas, but according to the
Texas Almanac, Texas has four major physical regions: Geography of Texas#The Gulf Coastal Plains,
Geography of Texas#The Interior Lowlands,
Geography of Texas#The Great Plains, and
Geography of Texas#The Basin and Range Province. This is the difference between human geography and physical geography.
Some regions of Texas are associated with the South more than with the Southwest (primarily
East Texas,
Central Texas, and
North Texas), while other regions share more similarities with the Southwest (primarily far
West Texas and
South Texas). The upper
Texas Panhandle and the South Plains parts of West Texas do not easily fit into either category. The former has much in common with the
Midwestern United States, 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.
.
Geology
Texas is the southernmost part of the Great Plains, which ends in the south against the folded Sierra Madre Occidental of Mexico. The
continental crust here is a stable Mesoproterozoic craton which changes across a broad continental margin and transitional crust into true oceanic crust of the
Gulf of Mexico. The oldest rocks in Texas date from the Mesoproterozoic and are about 1,600 million years old. These Precambrian igneous and metamorphic rocks underly most of the state, and are exposed in three places:
Llano, Texas uplift, Van Horn, Texas, and the
Franklin Mountains, near El Paso. This is overlain by mostly
sedimentary rocks. The oldest sediments were deposited on the flanks of a rifted continental margin, or passive margin that developed during
Cambrian time. This margin existed until Laurasia and Godwana collided in
Pennsylvanian time to form Pangea. This is the buried crest of the Appalachian Mountains—
Ouachita Mountains—
Marathon Mountains zone of
Pennsylvanian continental collision. This
orogeny crest is today buried beneath the
Dallas, Texas—
Waco, Texas—
Austin, Texas—San Antonio, Texas trend. During this time E. Texas was a region of high mountains and shallow seas covered W. Texas.
The late
Paleozoic mountains collapsed as rifting in
Jurassic time began to open the Gulf of Mexico. Pangea began to break up in the
Triassic but seafloor spreading to form the Gulf of Mexico occurred only in the mid and late Jurassic. The shoreline shifted again to the eastern margin of the state and the Gulf of Mexico continental shelf began to build out. Today there are to of sediments buried beneath the Texas continental shelf and a large proportion of remaining US Petroleum 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 evaporite deposits of Jurassic age. These salt deposits have buoyantly risen up through the passive margin sediments to form
salt diapirs, which are very common in East Texas and along the Gulf coast and offshore.
East Texas outcrops consist of Cretaceous and Paleogene sediments. These sediments contain important deposits of
Eocenelignite which are increasingly used for generating electricity.
Petroleum 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
continental shelf. Oligocene
volcanic rocks are found in far west Texas, in the
Big Bend, Texas area. A blanket of
Miocene sediments known as the Ogallala formation in the western high plains region is an important aquifer. Texas has no active or dormant volcanoes and few earthquakes, being situated far from an active plate tectonic boundary. (The Big Bend, Texas area is the most seismically active; however, the area is sparsely populated and suffers minimal damages and injuries, and no known fatalities have been attributed to a Texas earthquake.)
Climate
The large size of the state of Texas and its location at the intersection of several
Köppen climate classification gives the state highly variable weather. In general, though, there are three main climate zones: the humid subtropical climate (Koppen
Cfa) of the eastern half of Texas, the temperate
semi-arid (Koppen
BSk) steppe climate of the northwestern part, including the Panhandle, and the subtropical steppe climate (nearly an
arid desert climate, Koppen
BSh) of the southern parts of West Texas, particularly around El Paso.
The Panhandle of the state is cooler in the winter than North Texas or the Gulf Coast. Different regions of Texas experience vastly different precipitation patterns: El Paso averages as little as of rain per year while the average annual precipitation is in
Orange, Texas. Weather. Handbook of Texas Online. Moderate snowfall often falls in the winter months in the north. Maximum temperatures in the summer months average from the 80s °Fahrenheit (26 °
Celsius) in the mountains of West Texas and on Galveston Island to around in the Rio Grande Valley. Nighttime summer temperatures range from the upper 50s °F (12 °C) in the West Texas mountains Monthly Averages for Marfa, TX weather.com to in Galveston. Monthly Averages for Galveston, TX. weather.com.
Thunderstorms are more common in the eastern and northern part of the state, although they are far from rare elsewhere in the state. Tornadoes are common in Texas, with the state averaging around 139 a year, more than any other state. NOAA National Climatic Data Center. Retrieved on
24 October 2006. Tornadoes are most frequent in the northern and central western half of the state from April-July, although tornadoes can happen anywhere in the state at any time of year.
Texas ranks first among the 50 states as the largest emitter of greenhouse gases. The state's annual carbon dioxide emissions are nearly 1.5 trillion pounds. Texas would be the world's seventh-largest producer of greenhouse gases if it were its own country, emitting more carbon dioxide than France, the United Kingdom, or Canada.
Average lows and highs
{| class="wikitable" "text-align:center;font-size:90%;"|| colspan="13" style="text-align:center;font-size:120%;background:#E8EAFA;"|Monthly normal high and low temperatures (Fahrenheit) for various Texas cities|-! style="background: #E5AFAA; color: #000000" height="17" | City! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jan! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Feb! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Mar! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Apr! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | May! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jun! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jul! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Aug! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Sep! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Oct! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Nov! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Dec|-! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Abilene| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 55/32| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 61/36| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 69/44| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 77/52| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 85/61| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 91/68| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 95/72| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 94/71| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 87/64| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 78/54| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 65/42| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 57/34|-! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Amarillo| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 49/23| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 54/27| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 62/34| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 71/42| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 79/52| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 87/61| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 91/65| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 89/64| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 82/56| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 72/45| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 58/32| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 50/24|-! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Austin| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 60/40| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 65/44| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 72/51| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 79/58| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 85/65| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 91/71| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 95/73| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 96/73| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 90/69| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 81/60| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 70/49| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 62/42|-! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Brownsville| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 69/50| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 72/53| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 78/60| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 82/65| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 87/72| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 90/75| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 92/75| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 93/75| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 89/73| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 84/66| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 77/59| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 70/52|-! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Corpus Christi| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 66/46| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 70/49| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 76/56| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 81/62| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 86/70| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 90/74| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 93/74| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 93/74| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 90/72| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 84/64| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 75/55| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 68/48|-! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Dallas| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 54/34| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 60/39| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 68/46| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 76/54| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 83/63| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 91/71| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 95/75| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 95/74| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 88/67| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 78/56| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 65/45| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 56/37|-! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Del Rio| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 63/40| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 68/44| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 76/52| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 83/58| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 89/67| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 94/72| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 96/74| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 96/74| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 91/69| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 82/60| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 71/49| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 64/41|-! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" | El Paso| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 57/33| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 63/38| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 70/44| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 78/51| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 87/61| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 95/69| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 94/72| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 92/70| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 87/64| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 78/52| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 66/40| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 57/33|-! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Fort Worth| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 55/36| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 61/41| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 69/48| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 76/56| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 84/65| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 92/73| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 96/77| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 96/76| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 88/69| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 79/58| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 66/47| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 57/39|-! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Galveston| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 62/50| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 64/52| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 70/58| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 75/65| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 81/72| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 87/78| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 89/80| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 89/80| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 86/76| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 80/68| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 71/59| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 64/52|-! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Houston| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 62/41| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 66/44| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 73/51| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 79/58| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 86/66| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 91/72| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 94/74| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 94/73| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 89/68| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 82/59| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 72/50| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 65/43|-! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Laredo| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 66/43| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 71/47| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 80/55| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 88/63| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 92/69| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 102/73| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 99/75| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 99/75| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 93/54| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 86/63| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 76/53| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 68/45|-! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Lubbock| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 52/24| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 58/29| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 66/36| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 75/45| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 83/56| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 90/64| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 92/68| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 90/66| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 83/58| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 74/47| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 62/34| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 53/26|-! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Midland| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 57/30| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 63/34| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 71/41| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 79/49| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 87/59| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 93/66| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 94/69| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 93/68| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 86/62| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 77/51| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 66/39| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 58/31|-! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Port Arthur| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 62/43| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 65/46| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 72/52| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 78/59| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 84/66| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 89/72| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 92/74| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 92/73| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 88/69| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 80/60| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 71/51| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 64/44|-! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" | San Angelo| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 58/32| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 64/36| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 71/43| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 79/51| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 86/61| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 91/68| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 94/70| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 93/69| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 87/63| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 78/53| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 66/41| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 59/34|-! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | San Antonio| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 62/39| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 67/42| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 74/50| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 80/57| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 86/66| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 91/72| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 95/74| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 95/74| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 90/69| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 82/59| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 71/49| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 64/41|-! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Victoria| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 63/44| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 67/47| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 73/54| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 79/60| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 85/68| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 90/73| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 93/75| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 94/75| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 90/70| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 83/62| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 73/52| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 65/45|-! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Waco| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 57/35| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 62/39| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 70/47| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 78/54| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 85/63| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 92/71| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 97/74| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 97/74| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 90/67| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 80/57| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 68/46| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 59/38|-! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Wichita Falls| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 52/29| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 58/33| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 67/41| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 76/49| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 84/59| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 92/68| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 97/72| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 96/71| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 88/64| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 77/52| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 64/40| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 54/31|-| colspan="13" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;background:#E8EAFA;"|
|}
Government and politics
The
Texas Constitution—adopted in 1876—is the second-oldest state constitution still in effect. As with many State constitution (United States), 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 United States Bill of Rights, and includes some provisions unique to Texas.
Political system
The executive branch consists of the Governor,
Lieutenant Governor of Texas, Comptroller of Public Accounts, Land Commissioner, Attorney General, Agriculture Commissioner, the three-member Texas Railroad Commission, 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 Comptroller decides if expected state income is sufficient to cover the proposed state budget. There are also many state agencies, and numerous boards and commissions. The Governor commands the state militia and can veto bills passed by the Legislature and call special sessions of the Legislature (this power is exclusive to the Governor and can be exercised as often as desired). The Governor also appoints members of various executive boards and fills judicial vacancies between elections.
The
Legislature of Texas is bicameral. The House of Representatives has 150 members, while the Senate has 31. The speaker of the house, currently Tom Craddick (R–Midland) leads the House, and the Lieutenant Governor (currently Republican
David Dewhurst) leads the state Senate. The Legislature meets in regular session only once every two years. The Legislature cannot call itself into special session; only the Governor may call a special session, and may call as many sessions as often as desired.
The Texas judicial system has a reputation as one of the most complex in the United States, with many layers and many overlapping jurisdictions. Texas has two courts of last resort: the Texas Supreme Court, which hears civil cases, and the
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Except in the case of some municipal benches, partisan elections choose all of the judges at all levels of the judiciary; the Governor fills vacancies by appointment.
Republican
Rick Perry has served as List of Governors of Texas since December 2000, when George W. Bush vacated the office to assume the
President of the United States. Two Republicans represent Texas in the U.S. Senate:
Kay Bailey Hutchison (since 1993) and
John Cornyn (since 2003). Texas has 32 representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives: 19 Republicans and 13 Democrats.
There are 32 Texas Congressional Districts, the second-most after California. Districts are usually drawn after the national census every 10 years.
The Democratic Party (United States) held a monolithic political presence in Texas from the beginning of its statehood until the late 20th century. Like other ex-Confederate States of America states, Texas harbored a deep resentment towards the Republican Party (United States) for their engineering of Radical Reconstruction for years after the Civil War (United States). Conservative Democrats held a virtual monopoly on elected offices in the state, but many began endorsing Republican presidential candidates as the national Democratic Party grew increasingly liberal. In 1978, the state elected its first Republican governor since Reconstruction. In 2003, Republicans achieved a majority in the
Texas House of Representatives for the first time. Today, the bulk of the Texan
U.S. House of Representatives delegation is Republican, and both U.S. Senators are Republican as well. No Democrat has been elected to a statewide office in Texas since 1994. The state's base of Democratic voters is comprised primarily of African-Americans, Hispanics, and urban voters, particularly in
Austin, Texas.
The Texas political atmosphere tends towards fiscal conservatism and
social conservatism. Texas leads the country in the number of executions performed, and is one of the few states that permitted the execution of a mental retardation person prior to the
U.S. Supreme Court prohibiting such. The state recently adopted a resolution defining marriage as between a man and a woman, and a long-standing law making
sodomy a criminal offense was overturned in 2003 only after the intervention of the Supreme Court. The state capital,
Austin, Texas, is considered the state's
Modern liberalism in the United States bastion (though liberals in Texas tend to prefer the term "populist"), though Austin's suburbs generally follow the conservatism of the state at large.
Houston, Texas and Dallas, Texas are among the few urban areas that consistently vote Republican, however their metro areas themselves are very divided politically. However, these cities tend to favor a more socially tolerant, pro-business brand of Republicanism. In Houston, the election of conservative commentator Dan Patrick (politics) to the Texas State Senate in 2006 sparked an outcry from the city's moderate Republican establishment.
Justice system
The justice system in Texas has a strict sentencing for criminals. Texas leads the nation in executions by far, with 400 executions from 1982 to 2007. Only
capital murder is eligible for the death penalty. A bill making child rape a capital crime in some instances is currently under consideration.http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/4626812.html Prior to 2005, the alternate sentence was life with the possibility of parole after 40 calendar years; a 2005 law change changed the alternate sentence to life without parole.
Known for their role in the history of Texas law enforcement, the Texas Ranger Division of the
Texas Department of Public Safety continue today to provide special law enforcement services to the state. Texas Game Wardens—law enforcement officers working for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department—are given the same amount of authority as any other law enforcement officer. It is a common myth that they are able to enter private property without a search warrant and search people or vehicles with no probable cause.
Administrative divisions
Texas has a total of 254
Counties of the United States—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"
mayor-council system; the county judge has no veto authority, but votes along with the other commissioners. All county elections are
political parties.
Unlike other states, Texas does not allow for consolidated city-county governments, nor does it have a form of metropolitan government. 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—areas within a county are either incorporated or unincorporated. Incorporated areas are part of a city, though the city may contract with the county for needed services. Unincorporated areas are not part of a city; in these areas, the county has authority for law enforcement and road maintenance. Cities are classified as either "general law" or "home rule". A city may elect home rule status (draft an independent city 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 nonpartisan. Once a city elects home rule status, it keeps that status even if the population later falls below 5,000.
Economy
In 2006, Texas had a
gross domestic product of $1.09 trillion,http://www.cpa.state.tx.us/ecodata/ecoind/ecoind5.html#product the
List of U.S. states by GDP (nominal) highest in the U.S. after
California, after recently surpassing New York state.http://www.bea.gov/bea/newsrel/gspnewsrelease.htm Gross state product per capita as of 2005 was $42,975. Texas leads the nation in number of beef, which usually exceed 16 million head. Cotton is the leading crop and the state's second-most-valuable farm product. Texas also leads in national production of grain sorghum, watermelons, cabbages, and spinach. Wheat, corn, and other grains are also important.
Texas' growth is often attributed to the availability of jobs, the low cost of housing (housing values in the Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio areas, while generally rising, have not risen at the astronomical rates of other cities such as San Francisco), the lack of a personal state income tax, low taxation and limited regulation of
business, a geographic location in the center of the country, limited government (the Texas Legislature meets only once every two years), favorable climate in many areas of the state, and vast, 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 Petroleum reserves. 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
World War II, with
ranching, oil, and farming as its main industries. The sprawling 320,000 deeded
acre (1,200 km²)
La Escalera Ranch is located 20 miles south of Fort Stockton,
Texas is today one of the largest cattle
ranches in
Texas and the Southwestern United States.Cattle ranching was never Texas's chief industry – before the oil boom back to the period of the first Anglo settlers, the chief industry was cotton farming (as in most of the South). After
World War II, Texas became increasingly industrialized. Its economy today relies largely on information technology, oil and natural gas, fuel processing, electric power, agriculture, and manufacturing. The major segment of the economy depends largely on the region involved – for example, the timber industry is a major portion of the East Texas economy but a non-factor elsewhere, while Houston, the state's largest urban economic enclave stands at the center of the petrochemical, biomedical research trades, and aerospace (particularly NASA). Meanwhile, Dallas houses the state's predominant Defense industry manufacturing interests and the expansive
information technology labor market.
.
Texas has more Fortune 500 company headquarters (56) than any other state except New York, which has 57.http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2007/states/TX.html This has been attributed to both the growth in population in Texas and the rise of oil prices in 2005, which resulted in the growth in revenues of many Texas oil drilling and processing companies.
In 2006, for the fifth year in a row, Texas was ranked as the nu
{{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 = [Flag of Texas
| Seal = Texas state seal.png
| Map = Map_of_USA_TX.svg
| Nickname = Lone Star State
| Motto = Friendship.
| Capital = [Austin, Texas
| LargestCity = [Houston, Texas
| LargestMetro= [Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex
| Governor = [Rick Perry (R)
| Senators = [Kay Bailey Hutchison (R)
[John Cornyn (R)
| PostalAbbreviation = TX
| TradAbbreviation = Tex.
| OfficialLang = No official language''See [Languages spoken in Texas''
| AreaRank = 2nd
| TotalAreaUS = 261,797
| TotalArea = 678,051
| LandAreaUS = 261,797
| LandArea = 678,051
| WaterAreaUS = 6,784
| WaterArea = 17,574
| PCWater = 2.5
| PopRank = 2nd
| 2000Pop = 20,851,820
| 2006Pop (est) = 23,507,783
| DensityRank = 28th
| 2000DensityUS = 79.6
| 2000Density = 30.75
| AdmittanceOrder = 28th
| AdmittanceDate = December 29, [
| TimeZone = [Central Standard Time Zone: [UTC-6/[Daylight saving time
| TZ1Where = most of state
| TimeZone2 =[Mountain Standard Time Zone: [UTC-7/[Daylight saving time
| TZ2Where = tip of [West Texas
| Latitude = 25° 50′ N to 36° 30′ N
| Longitude = 93° 31′ W to 106° 39′ W
| WidthUS = 773
| Width = 1,244
| LengthUS = 790
| Length = 1,270
| HighestPoint = Guadalupe Peak{{cite web [ | 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-->
| HighestElevUS = 8,749
| HighestElev = 2,667
| MeanElevUS = 1,700
| MeanElev = 520
| LowestPoint = [Gulf of Mexico coast
| LowestElevUS = 0
| LowestElev = 0
| ISOCode = US-TX
| Website = www.texas.gov
-->
Texas (IPA: /IPA chart for English/) is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States and
Western United States regions of the
United States of America. With an area of and a population of 23,507,783 (based on a 2006 U.S. census bureau estimate) in 254 counties, the state is second-largest in both area (behind Alaska) and population (behind
California). About half the state's population resides in either the Dallas–Fort Worth or
Houston metropolitan areas.The state's name derives from
, a word in the
Caddoan languages of the
Hasinai, which means "friends" or "allies".{{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=-->{{cite web
|url=http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=Texas |title=Texas |accessdate=2007-02-25
|publisher=Online Etymology Dictionary-->Wallace Chafe, p.c. Texas declared its independence from [Mexico in 1836 and existed as the independent [Republic of Texas for nearly a decade. In 1845, it joined the United States as the 28th state.
Texas is internationally known for its energy and aeronautics industries, and for the ship channel at the
Port of Houston—the largest in the U.S. in international commerce and the sixth-largest port in the world. As Enron Trial Begins, Houston Has Moved On.
Newhouse News Service The state is home to the most
Fortune 500 companies in the
United States and has the second-largest economy in the United States, behind California.List of U.S. states by GDP (nominal){{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--> The [Texas Medical Center in [Houston contains the world's largest concentration of research and [healthcare institutions.{{Cite web
|url=http://www.tmc.edu/tmc-introduction.html
|title=Texas Medical Center
|accessdate=2006-12-26|publisher=Texas Medical Center|year=2006-->
History
In addition to its own state flag, Texas boasts that "
Six flags over Texas" have flown over its soil: the national flags of Spain, the
Fleur-de-lis of
France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the Confederate States of America, and the
United States.
Native Americans in the United States tribes who once lived inside the boundaries of present-day Texas include Apache Tribe, Atakapan, Bidai, Caddo, Comanche, Cherokee,
Kiowa,
Tonkawa,
Wichita (tribe), Hueco and the Karankawa of Galveston. Currently, there are three federally recognized Native American tribes which reside in Texas: the
Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas, the
Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas, and the
Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo of Texas.
On 6 November 1528, shipwrecked Spanish conquistador
Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca became the first known European in Texas. Most of Texas was immediately claimed by Spain as part of the Spanish dominions of
New Spain. However, France took advantage of Spain's failure to settle the land and in 1685 established Fort St. Louis and claimed most of Texas. The first Spanish colonization did not come until a few years after Fort St. Louis, as Spain was spurred by France to enforce its claims. The French claim was inherited by the United States as they bought the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 and the Spanish claim was later inherited by Mexico during the
Mexican War of Independence of 1821, setting the stage for the
Mexican–American War. The French settlement was massacred by American Indians, and Spain only started sparse settlements, so most permanent settlements by Europeans didn't start until long after the first explorer arrived in 1521.
In the 1800s, two main ethnic groups settled the land: Tejanos and eventually Anglo Americans. By 1830, the 30,000 Anglo settlers in Texas outnumbered the Tejanos two to one. Smaller numbers of Europeans also came.
Moses Austin bought of land of his choice, and moved to San Antonio in August of 1821. His son, Stephen F. Austin, joined him. In 1821, Texas became part of the newly independent Republic of
Mexico and, in 1824, became the northern section of
Coahuila y Tejas. On 3 January 1823, Stephen F. Austin began a colony of 300 Anglo American families known as the "
Old Three Hundred" along the Brazos River, 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. Meanwhile, more Tejanos were also settling in Texas, and as Antonio Menchaca writes in "Memoirs" in 1907, many Tejanos were already desirous of joining the United States. Tejanos were mostly full-blooded Spanish immigrants, few partly or entirely of American Indian heritage as most Mexicans south of the
Rio Grande were.
The "Conventions" of 1832 and 1833 were a response to rising unrest at the policies of the ruling Mexico government, which included the end of duty free imports from the United States and the potential end to the special allowance for slavery in the state. Slavery had been abolished in Mexico with the independence. Spain's policy of allowing only full-blooded Spaniards to settle Texas also ended with independence. In 1835, Antonio López de Santa Anna, President of Mexico, proclaimed a unified constitution for all Mexican territories, including Texas. 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
Chihuahua,
Zacatecas and Yucatan. Texans were also irritated by other policies including the forcible disarmament of Texan settlers, and the expulsion of immigrants and legal land owners originally from the United States. The example of the Centralista forces' suppression of dissidents in
Zacatecas also inspired fear of the Mexican government.
On
2 March 1836, the
Convention of 1836 signed a
Texas Declaration of Independence, Unanimous Declaration of Independence declaring Texas an independent nation. On
21 April 1836, the Texans—led by General
Sam Houston—won their independence when they defeated the Mexican forces of Santa Anna at the
Battle of San Jacinto. Santa Anna was captured and signed the
Treaties of Velasco, 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 slavery in Texas. The
Republic of Texas included the area of the present state of Texas, and additional unoccupied territory to the west and northwest.
Texans wanted
Texas Annexation to the
United States. Texas was fast-growing, but still poor and had great difficulty maintaining self-defense. Events such as the
Dawson Massacre and two recaptures of Béxar in Texas of 1842 helped add momentum to the desire for statehood. However, American politics intruded; strong Northern opposition to adding another slave state blocked annexation until the election of 1844 was won on a pro-annexation platform by James K. Polk. On 29 December
1845, Texas was admitted to the U.S. as a constituent U.S. State of the Union. The Mexican–American War followed, with decisive American victories. Soon after, Texas grew rapidly as migrants poured into the cotton lands.
Just prior to the American Civil War, elected delegates met in convention and, in an act whose legality was later upheld by the Texas Legislature, authorized secession from the U.S. on 1 February 1861 by a thundering majority. Texas voters later overwhelmingly approved the measure in referendum, and the state was accepted as a charter member by the provisional government of the Confederate States of America on 1 March
1861. Partly due to its distance from the front lines of the war, a major role for Texas was to supply hardy soldiers for Confederate forces (veterans of the Mexican–American War), especially in cavalry. Although Texan regiments fought in every major battle throughout the war, Texas was largely considered a "supply state" for the Confederate forces until mid-1863, when the Union capture of the Mississippi River made large movements of men or cattle impossible. The last battle of the Civil War was fought in Texas, at
Battle of Palmito Ranch, on 12 May 1865, well after Lee's surrender on
9 April 1865 at
Appomattox Court House in Virginia.
Texas descended into near-anarchy during the two months between the surrender of the
Army of Northern Virginia and the assumption of authority by Union General Gordon Granger, as Confederate forces demobilized or disbanded and government property passed into private hands through distribution or plunder. Juneteenth commemorates the announcement of the Emancipation Proclamation on
19 June 1865 in Galveston by General Gordon Granger; nearly 1-1/2 years after the original announcement of 1 January
1863. President Johnson, on
20 August 1866, declared that civilian government had been restored to Texas On 30 March
1870, although Texas did not meet all the requirements, the United States Congress readmitted Texas into the
United States.
The first major oil well in Texas was drilled at
Spindletop, a little hill south of
Beaumont, on the morning of
10 January 1901. Other oil fields were later discovered nearby in East Texas, West Texas, and under the Gulf of Mexico. The resulting “Oil Boom” permanently transformed the economy of Texas. Oil production eventually averaged three million barrels of oil per day at its peak in 1972. The economy, which had experienced significant recovery since the American Civil War, was dealt a double blow by
the Great Depression and the
Dust Bowl.
From 1950 through the 1960s, Texas modernized and dramatically expanded its system of higher education. Under the leadership of Governor
John B. Connally, the state produced 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. Because of these changes, Texas universities received federal funds for research and development during the John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson administrations.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
Geography
The geography of Texas spans a wide range of features and timelines. Texas is the southernmost part of the
Great Plains, which ends in the south against the folded Sierra Madre Oriental of Mexico. It is in the south-central part of the United States of America. It is considered to form part of the
Southern United States and also part of the Southwestern United States.
The
Rio Grande, Red River (Mississippi watershed) and Sabine River (Texas-Louisiana) all provide natural state lines where Texas borders Oklahoma on the north, Louisiana and Arkansas on the east,
New Mexico on the west, and the Mexico states of Chihuahua (state), Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas to the south.
By residents, the state is generally divided into North Texas,
East Texas, Central Texas, South Texas, and
West Texas, but according to the
Texas Almanac, Texas has four major physical regions: Geography of Texas#The Gulf Coastal Plains, Geography of Texas#The Interior Lowlands,
Geography of Texas#The Great Plains, and
Geography of Texas#The Basin and Range Province. This is the difference between
human geography and
physical geography.
Some regions of Texas are associated with the South more than with the Southwest (primarily
East Texas, Central Texas, and
North Texas), while other regions share more similarities with the Southwest (primarily far
West Texas and
South Texas). The upper Texas Panhandle and the
South Plains parts of West Texas do not easily fit into either category. The former has much in common with the
Midwestern United States, 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.
.
Geology
Texas is the southernmost part of the Great Plains, which ends in the south against the folded Sierra Madre Occidental of Mexico. The
continental crust here is a stable Mesoproterozoic
craton which changes across a broad continental margin and transitional crust into true oceanic crust of the Gulf of Mexico. The oldest rocks in Texas date from the Mesoproterozoic and are about 1,600 million years old. These Precambrian
igneous and metamorphic rocks underly most of the state, and are exposed in three places: Llano, Texas uplift,
Van Horn, Texas, and the
Franklin Mountains, near El Paso. This is overlain by mostly sedimentary rocks. The oldest sediments were deposited on the flanks of a rifted continental margin, or
passive margin that developed during Cambrian time. This margin existed until Laurasia and Godwana collided in Pennsylvanian time to form Pangea. This is the buried crest of the Appalachian Mountains—Ouachita Mountains—
Marathon Mountains zone of
Pennsylvanian continental collision. This
orogeny crest is today buried beneath the
Dallas, Texas—
Waco, Texas—Austin, Texas—
San Antonio, Texas trend. During this time E. Texas was a region of high mountains and shallow seas covered W. Texas.
The late
Paleozoic mountains collapsed as
rifting in Jurassic time began to open the Gulf of Mexico. Pangea began to break up in the
Triassic but
seafloor spreading to form the
Gulf of Mexico occurred only in the mid and late
Jurassic. The shoreline shifted again to the eastern margin of the state and the Gulf of Mexico continental shelf began to build out. Today there are to of sediments buried beneath the Texas continental shelf and a large proportion of remaining US Petroleum 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
evaporite deposits of
Jurassic age. These salt deposits have buoyantly risen up through the passive margin sediments to form
salt diapirs, which are very common in East Texas and along the Gulf coast and offshore.
East Texas outcrops consist of Cretaceous and Paleogene sediments. These sediments contain important deposits of
Eocenelignite which are increasingly used for generating
electricity.
Petroleum 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 continental shelf.
Oligocene volcanic rocks are found in far west Texas, in the
Big Bend, Texas area. A blanket of
Miocene sediments known as the Ogallala formation in the western high plains region is an important aquifer. Texas has no active or dormant volcanoes and few earthquakes, being situated far from an active plate tectonic boundary. (The Big Bend, Texas area is the most seismically active; however, the area is sparsely populated and suffers minimal damages and injuries, and no known fatalities have been attributed to a Texas earthquake.)
Climate
The large size of the state of Texas and its location at the intersection of several Köppen climate classification gives the state highly variable weather. In general, though, there are three main climate zones: the
humid subtropical climate (Koppen
Cfa) of the eastern half of Texas, the temperate semi-arid (Koppen
BSk) steppe climate of the northwestern part, including the Panhandle, and the subtropical steppe climate (nearly an
arid desert climate, Koppen
BSh) of the southern parts of West Texas, particularly around El Paso.
The Panhandle of the state is cooler in the winter than North Texas or the Gulf Coast. Different regions of Texas experience vastly different precipitation patterns: El Paso averages as little as of rain per year while the average annual precipitation is in
Orange, Texas. Weather. Handbook of Texas Online. Moderate snowfall often falls in the winter months in the north. Maximum temperatures in the summer months average from the 80s °
Fahrenheit (26 °Celsius) in the mountains of West Texas and on
Galveston Island to around in the
Rio Grande Valley. Nighttime summer temperatures range from the upper 50s °F (12 °C) in the West Texas mountains Monthly Averages for Marfa, TX weather.com to in Galveston. Monthly Averages for Galveston, TX. weather.com.
Thunderstorms are more common in the eastern and northern part of the state, although they are far from rare elsewhere in the state. Tornadoes are common in Texas, with the state averaging around 139 a year, more than any other state. NOAA National Climatic Data Center. Retrieved on 24 October
2006. Tornadoes are most frequent in the northern and central western half of the state from April-July, although tornadoes can happen anywhere in the state at any time of year.
Texas ranks first among the 50 states as the largest emitter of greenhouse gases. The state's annual carbon dioxide emissions are nearly 1.5 trillion pounds. Texas would be the world's seventh-largest producer of greenhouse gases if it were its own country, emitting more carbon dioxide than France, the United Kingdom, or Canada.
Average lows and highs
{| class="wikitable" "text-align:center;font-size:90%;"|| colspan="13" style="text-align:center;font-size:120%;background:#E8EAFA;"|Monthly normal high and low temperatures (
Fahrenheit) for various Texas cities|-! style="background: #E5AFAA; color: #000000" height="17" | City! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jan! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Feb! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Mar! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Apr! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | May! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jun! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jul! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Aug! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Sep! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Oct! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Nov! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Dec|-! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Abilene| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 55/32| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 61/36| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 69/44| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 77/52| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 85/61| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 91/68| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 95/72| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 94/71| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 87/64| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 78/54| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 65/42| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 57/34|-! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Amarillo| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 49/23| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 54/27| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 62/34| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 71/42| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 79/52| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 87/61| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 91/65| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 89/64| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 82/56| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 72/45| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 58/32| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 50/24|-! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Austin| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 60/40| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 65/44| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 72/51| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 79/58| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 85/65| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 91/71| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 95/73| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 96/73| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 90/69| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 81/60| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 70/49| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 62/42|-! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Brownsville| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 69/50| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 72/53| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 78/60| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 82/65| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 87/72| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 90/75| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 92/75| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 93/75| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 89/73| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 84/66| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 77/59| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 70/52|-! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Corpus Christi| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 66/46| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 70/49| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 76/56| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 81/62| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 86/70| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 90/74| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 93/74| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 93/74| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 90/72| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 84/64| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 75/55| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 68/48|-! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Dallas| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 54/34| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 60/39| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 68/46| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 76/54| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 83/63| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 91/71| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 95/75| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 95/74| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 88/67| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 78/56| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 65/45| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 56/37|-! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Del Rio| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 63/40| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 68/44| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 76/52| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 83/58| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 89/67| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 94/72| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 96/74| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 96/74| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 91/69| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 82/60| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 71/49| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 64/41|-! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" | El Paso| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 57/33| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 63/38| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 70/44| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 78/51| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 87/61| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 95/69| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 94/72| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 92/70| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 87/64| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 78/52| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 66/40| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 57/33|-! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Fort Worth| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 55/36| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 61/41| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 69/48| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 76/56| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 84/65| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 92/73| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 96/77| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 96/76| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 88/69| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 79/58| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 66/47| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 57/39|-! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Galveston| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 62/50| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 64/52| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 70/58| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 75/65| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 81/72| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 87/78| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 89/80| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 89/80| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 86/76| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 80/68| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 71/59| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 64/52|-! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Houston| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 62/41| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 66/44| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 73/51| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 79/58| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 86/66| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 91/72| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 94/74| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 94/73| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 89/68| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 82/59| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 72/50| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 65/43|-! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Laredo| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 66/43| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 71/47| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 80/55| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 88/63| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 92/69| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 102/73| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 99/75| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 99/75| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 93/54| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 86/63| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 76/53| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 68/45|-! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Lubbock| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 52/24| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 58/29| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 66/36| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 75/45| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 83/56| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 90/64| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 92/68| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 90/66| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 83/58| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 74/47| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 62/34| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 53/26|-! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Midland| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 57/30| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 63/34| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 71/41| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 79/49| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 87/59| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 93/66| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 94/69| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 93/68| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 86/62| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 77/51| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 66/39| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 58/31|-! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Port Arthur| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 62/43| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 65/46| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 72/52| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 78/59| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 84/66| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 89/72| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 92/74| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 92/73| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 88/69| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 80/60| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 71/51| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 64/44|-! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" | San Angelo| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 58/32| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 64/36| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 71/43| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 79/51| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 86/61| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 91/68| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 94/70| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 93/69| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 87/63| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 78/53| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 66/41| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 59/34|-! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | San Antonio| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 62/39| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 67/42| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 74/50| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 80/57| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 86/66| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 91/72| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 95/74| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 95/74| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 90/69| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 82/59| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 71/49| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 64/41|-! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Victoria| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 63/44| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 67/47| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 73/54| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 79/60| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 85/68| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 90/73| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 93/75| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 94/75| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 90/70| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 83/62| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 73/52| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 65/45|-! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Waco| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 57/35| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 62/39| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 70/47| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 78/54| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 85/63| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 92/71| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 97/74| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 97/74| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 90/67| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 80/57| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 68/46| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 59/38|-! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Wichita Falls| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 52/29| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 58/33| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 67/41| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 76/49| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 84/59| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 92/68| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 97/72| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 96/71| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 88/64| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 77/52| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 64/40| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 54/31|-| colspan="13" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;background:#E8EAFA;"|
|}
Government and politics
The
Texas Constitution—adopted in 1876—is the second-oldest state constitution still in effect. As with many State constitution (United States), 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
United States Bill of Rights, and includes some provisions unique to Texas.
Political system
The executive branch consists of the Governor,
Lieutenant Governor of Texas, Comptroller of Public Accounts, Land Commissioner, Attorney General, Agriculture Commissioner, the three-member Texas Railroad Commission, 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 Comptroller decides if expected state income is sufficient to cover the proposed state budget. There are also many state agencies, and numerous boards and commissions. The Governor commands the state militia and can veto bills passed by the Legislature and call special sessions of the Legislature (this power is exclusive to the Governor and can be exercised as often as desired). The Governor also appoints members of various executive boards and fills judicial vacancies between elections.
The
Legislature of Texas is bicameral. The House of Representatives has 150 members, while the Senate has 31. The speaker of the house, currently Tom Craddick (R–Midland) leads the House, and the Lieutenant Governor (currently Republican David Dewhurst) leads the state Senate. The Legislature meets in regular session only once every two years. The Legislature cannot call itself into special session; only the Governor may call a special session, and may call as many sessions as often as desired.
The
Texas judicial system has a reputation as one of the most complex in the United States, with many layers and many overlapping jurisdictions. Texas has two courts of last resort: the Texas Supreme Court, which hears civil cases, and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Except in the case of some municipal benches, partisan elections choose all of the judges at all levels of the judiciary; the Governor fills vacancies by appointment.
Republican Rick Perry has served as List of Governors of Texas since December 2000, when George W. Bush vacated the office to assume the
President of the United States. Two Republicans represent Texas in the U.S. Senate:
Kay Bailey Hutchison (since 1993) and
John Cornyn (since 2003). Texas has 32 representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives: 19 Republicans and 13 Democrats.
There are 32
Texas Congressional Districts, the second-most after California. Districts are usually drawn after the national census every 10 years.
The Democratic Party (United States) held a monolithic political presence in Texas from the beginning of its statehood until the late 20th century. Like other ex-
Confederate States of America states, Texas harbored a deep resentment towards the
Republican Party (United States) for their engineering of Radical Reconstruction for years after the
Civil War (United States). Conservative Democrats held a virtual monopoly on elected offices in the state, but many began endorsing Republican presidential candidates as the national Democratic Party grew increasingly liberal. In 1978, the state elected its first Republican governor since Reconstruction. In 2003, Republicans achieved a majority in the
Texas House of Representatives for the first time. Today, the bulk of the Texan U.S. House of Representatives delegation is Republican, and both U.S. Senators are Republican as well. No Democrat has been elected to a statewide office in Texas since 1994. The state's base of Democratic voters is comprised primarily of African-Americans, Hispanics, and urban voters, particularly in
Austin, Texas.
The Texas political atmosphere tends towards fiscal conservatism and social conservatism. Texas leads the country in the number of executions performed, and is one of the few states that permitted the execution of a
mental retardation person prior to the U.S. Supreme Court prohibiting such. The state recently adopted a resolution defining marriage as between a man and a woman, and a long-standing law making
sodomy a criminal offense was overturned in 2003 only after the intervention of the Supreme Court. The state capital,
Austin, Texas, is considered the state's
Modern liberalism in the United States bastion (though liberals in Texas tend to prefer the term "populist"), though Austin's suburbs generally follow the conservatism of the state at large.
Houston, Texas and
Dallas, Texas are among the few urban areas that consistently vote Republican, however their metro areas themselves are very divided politically. However, these cities tend to favor a more socially tolerant, pro-business brand of Republicanism. In Houston, the election of conservative commentator Dan Patrick (politics) to the Texas State Senate in 2006 sparked an outcry from the city's moderate Republican establishment.
Justice system
The justice system in Texas has a strict sentencing for criminals. Texas leads the nation in executions by far, with 400 executions from 1982 to 2007. Only capital murder is eligible for the death penalty. A bill making child rape a capital crime in some instances is currently under consideration.http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/4626812.html Prior to 2005, the alternate sentence was life with the possibility of parole after 40 calendar years; a 2005 law change changed the alternate sentence to life without parole.
Known for their role in the history of Texas law enforcement, the
Texas Ranger Division of the Texas Department of Public Safety continue today to provide special law enforcement services to the state. Texas Game Wardens—law enforcement officers working for the
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department—are given the same amount of authority as any other law enforcement officer. It is a common myth that they are able to enter private property without a search warrant and search people or vehicles with no probable cause.
Administrative divisions
Texas has a total of 254
Counties of the United States—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" mayor-council system; the county judge has no veto authority, but votes along with the other commissioners. All county elections are
political parties.
Unlike other states, Texas does not allow for consolidated city-county governments, nor does it have a form of metropolitan government. 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—areas within a county are either incorporated or unincorporated. Incorporated areas are part of a city, though the city may contract with the county for needed services. Unincorporated areas are not part of a city; in these areas, the county has authority for law enforcement and road maintenance. Cities are classified as either "general law" or "home rule". A city may elect home rule status (draft an independent city 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 nonpartisan. Once a city elects home rule status, it keeps that status even if the population later falls below 5,000.
Economy
In 2006, Texas had a
gross domestic product of $1.09 trillion,http://www.cpa.state.tx.us/ecodata/ecoind/ecoind5.html#product the List of U.S. states by GDP (nominal) highest in the U.S. after California, after recently surpassing New York state.http://www.bea.gov/bea/newsrel/gspnewsrelease.htm
Gross state product per capita as of 2005 was $42,975. Texas leads the nation in number of beef, which usually exceed 16 million head. Cotton is the leading crop and the state's second-most-valuable farm product. Texas also leads in national production of grain sorghum, watermelons, cabbages, and spinach. Wheat, corn, and other grains are also important.
Texas' growth is often attributed to the availability of jobs, the low cost of housing (housing values in the Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio areas, while generally rising, have not risen at the astronomical rates of other cities such as San Francisco), the lack of a personal state income tax, low taxation and limited regulation of business, a geographic location in the center of the country, limited government (the Texas Legislature meets only once every two years), favorable climate in many areas of the state, and vast, 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
Petroleum reserves. 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
World War II, with ranching, oil, and
farming as its main industries. The sprawling 320,000 deeded acre (1,200 km²)
La Escalera Ranch is located 20 miles south of
Fort Stockton,
Texas is today one of the largest cattle ranches in Texas and the Southwestern United States.Cattle ranching was never Texas's chief industry – before the oil boom back to the period of the first Anglo settlers, the chief industry was cotton farming (as in most of the South). After World War II, Texas became increasingly industrialized. Its economy today relies largely on information technology, oil and natural gas, fuel processing, electric power,
agriculture, and manufacturing. The major segment of the economy depends largely on the region involved – for example, the
timber industry is a major portion of the East Texas economy but a non-factor elsewhere, while Houston, the state's largest urban economic enclave stands at the center of the petrochemical, biomedical research trades, and aerospace (particularly NASA). Meanwhile, Dallas houses the state's predominant Defense industry manufacturing interests and the expansive
information technology labor market.
.
Texas has more Fortune 500 company headquarters (56) than any other state except New York, which has 57.http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2007/states/TX.html This has been attributed to both the growth in population in Texas and the rise of oil prices in 2005, which resulted in the growth in revenues of many Texas oil drilling and processing companies.
In 2006, for the fifth year in a row, Texas was ranked as the nu
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