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The Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, a title designated by the U.S. Census as of 2003 , is the seventh-largest and most diverse Metropolitan Area in the United States and consists of ten Counties within the state of Texas . The area is colloquially referred to as either the "Houston metropolitan area" or "Greater Houston" and is situated in Southeast Texas , west of the Beaumont – Port Arthur metropolitan area. The Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan statistical area (MSA) has a population of 5.3 million as of the 2005 U.S. Census estimate. The metropolitan area comprises ten Counties , centering in Harris County and the city of Houston . Houston is one of 11 U.S. Global Cities as it is ranked "Gamma World City" by the Globalization and World Cities Study Group & Network. Houston is among the nation’s fastest-growing metropolitan areas. The area grew 25.2 percent between the 1990 and 2000 censuses—adding more than 950,000 people—while the nation's population increased 13.2 percent over the same period. From 2000 to 2030 , says Woods & Poole Economics, the MSA should rank sixth among the nation’s metropolitan areas in population growth, adding 2.66 million people. {Link without Title} ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES ]] The area's economic activity is centered in Houston , the county seat of Harris County . Houston is a Major Port and financial center for oil companies. Sugar Land is home to the second-largest economic activities and third largest city in the metropolitan area. Sugar Land has the most important and booming economic center in Fort Bend County . Pasadena is the metro area's second largest city and major chemical center. Baytown is the fourth largest city in the area and is also home to major chemical plants. Baytown and Galveston also have ports. Galveston also has the largest cruise ship terminal in Texas (and the twelfth in the world) and is a recreational area for people in the region. Sugar Land holds the Nalco/Exxon and Western Airways headquarters. Engineering firms and other related industries have managed to take the place as an economic engine. Houston's largest airport (and Texas' second-largest), George Bush Intercontinental Airport , is located in north Houston. Continental Airlines is headquartered in Downtown Houston . The southeast of Houston has William P. Hobby Airport , the second-largest commercial passenger airport. Houston's third-largest airport is Ellington Field , which houses several National Guard and Air National Guard units, as well as the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center 's fleet of jets that are used to train astronauts. Sugar Land , southwest of Houston, has the Sugar Land Regional Airport . Sugar Land Regional is the fourth largest airport in the metropolitan area and the only general reliever airport in the southwest sector. COUNTIES There are ten counties in the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown Metropolitan statistical area (MSA) defined by the U.S. Census as of 2003. They are listed below with population figures as of the 2005 U.S. Census estimates.
CITIES AND TOWNS Principal cities There are four principal cities defined by the U.S. Census as of 2003. Population figures are within the City Limits as of the 2004 U.S. Census estimates.
Cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants Cities and towns with 10,000 to 100,000 inhabitants
Cities and towns with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants
SEE ALSO
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