Information AboutTexas |
Texas is a State in the South and Southwest regions of the United States . It joined the United States in 1845 as the 28th state, after nearly ten years as the Republic Of Texas , an independent country. The state name derives from a word in a Caddoan Language of the Hasinai , ''táysha'' (or ''tejas'', as the Spaniards spelled it), meaning "those who are friends," ''friends'' or ''allies''. Spanish explorers mistakenly applied the word to the people and their location. (The Texas Department Of Transportation pays homage to the origin of Texas' name in its "Drive Friendly" safe driving campaign.) With an area of 268,820 Square Miles ( 696,241 Km2 ) and a population of 22.5 million, Texas is the second largest U.S. state in both area and population, and the largest state in the contiguous 48 states in area. ( Alaska is the largest U.S. state in area and California is the most populous.) Texas has historically had a "larger than life" reputation, especially in Cowboy Films . History See Also: History of Texas Texas can claim that " of France , and the national flags of Spain , Mexico , the Republic Of Texas , the United States Of America and the Confederate States Of America . Traditional Tribe of Texas, and the Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo of Texas. On November 6 , 1528 , shipwrecked Spanish Conquistador Álvar Núñez Cabeza De Vaca became the first known European to set foot on Texas. A member of the Narváez expedition, he was later enslaved by a Native American tribe of the upper Gulf coast, and explored what are now the U.S. state of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona on foot from coastal Louisiana to Sinaloa, Mexico, over a period of roughly six years. He returned to Europe in 1537, where he wrote about his experiences in a work called ''La relación'' ("The Tale"). ]] Prior to 1821 , Texas was part of the Spanish colony of New Spain . Moses Austin managed to buy land from the Spanish government in Texas. Austin purchased it with the help of Baron Felipe de Bastrop who presented the land scheme to the royal governor of Texas Antonio de Martinez. The governor passed along the favorable idea to his superior Commandant General of the Eastern Interior Province Joaquin de Arredondo. Austin was granted 200,000 acres (800 km&2) of land of his choice. After Mexican Independence in 1821, Texas became part 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 American families along the Brazos River in present-day Fort Bend County and Brazoria County , centered primarily in the area of what is now Sugar Land . This group became known as the "Old Three Hundred." The "Conventions" of 1832 and 1833 responded to rising unrest at the policies of the ruling Mexican government. War for Independence In 1835, s included the forcible disarmament of Texian settlers, and the expulsion of immigrants and legal land owners originally from the United States Of America . The example of the Centralista forces' suppression of dissidents in Zacatecas also inspired fear of the Mexican government. On March 2 1836 , the Convention Of 1836 signed the Texas "Declaration of Independence," declaring Texas an independent nation. On April 21 1836 , the Texans won their independence when they defeated the Mexican forces of Santa Anna at the Battle Of San Jacinto . A factor in the defeat of Santa Anna's army at San Jacinto was the time the Texas Army got to gather itself, thanks to a small group of brave men at The Alamo and General Sam Houston's strategy of giving up land until he had properly trained his army. Santa Anna himself passed into captivity, and on May 14 , Republic of Texas officials and General Santa Anna signed the treaty of Velasco. However, Santa Anna was not authorized under the Mexican Constitution to make treaties, nor did the Mexican government ratify the Treaties Of Velasco . Later in 1836, the Texans adopted a constitution that formally legalized slavery in Texas. The Republic of Texas included all the area now included in the state of Texas, although its self-proclaimed western and northwestern borders extended as far west as Santa Fe and as far northwest as present-day Wyoming , respectively. In 1845, Texas was admitted to the United States as a constituent State of the Union. Annexation was mutually beneficial to Texas and the United States. Texas was in a very susceptible position following independence, with a weak government, little industry, and minimal infrastructure. The U.S. could not allow such a tenuous nation to sit right on its border. Texas also lay partially in the way of the U.S. expansion to the Pacific, and its " Manifest Destiny ". The major stumbling block of annexation, besides the potential for War With Mexico , was the fact that Texas was a Slave State and potentially would tip the balance between free and slave states due to its huge size. Some southerners were pushing for the ability to divide Texas into multiple states, thereby increasing the number of slave states even more. A compromise was reached in that if Texas were divided, any states north of the Missouri Compromise would be free states. Some confusion has arisen over the annexation of Texas. Texas was admitted to the Union via a 'Joint Resolution for Annexing Texas to the United States' on March 1 , 1845 . Prior to the resolution there were several efforts to arrive at a formal annexation treaty. These efforts failed due to the ongoing struggle between 'slave', and 'free' states. Due to the requirement of the U.S. Constitution ( Article II, Section 2 ) that all treaties be approved by two-thirds of the Senate, a formal treaty was thus blocked. President John Tyler suggested that annexation be accomplished by the 'Joint Resolution for Annexing Texas to the United States' as it required only a simple majority of members from each chamber of the U.S. Congress for passage. Civil War During the Civil War , Texas seceded from the Union February 1, 1861, and joined the Confederate States Of America March 2, 1861. Texas was most useful for supplying hardy soldiers for Confederate forces (veterans of the Mexican War), and in cavalry. As a whole, Texas was mainly a "supply state" for the Confederate forces. Texans were involved in every major battle in every state throughout the war. The last battle of the Civil War was fought in Texas. On April 12 1865 , more than a month after General Lee surrendered, Colonel Theodore H. Barrett of the Union, dispatched an expedition of 250 men of the 62nd U.S. Colored Infantry Regiment, and 50 men of the 2nd Texas Cavalry Regiment to attack Rebel outposts and camps under Lieutenant Colonel David Branson. Bad weather prevented the instructed time to attack, and Mexicans informed the Rebels of the Federal's invasion. Branson asked for reinforcements from Barrett, who answered with 200 of the 34th Indian Volunteer Infantry. After many skirmishes, they reached Palmito Ranch and torched supplies. After retreating from a firefight, the colonels engaged Colonel John S. "Rip" Ford who attacked with a large cavalry force. In addition, Confederates attacked Barrett's Union lines with artillery. Barrett was forced to retreat with more than 118 casualties. It is a battle in which Native Americans, Hispanic, and Americans all fought. In March 30, 1870 , although Texas did not meet all the requirements, the United States Congress readmitted Texas into the Union. Geography Location Texas borders New Mexico on the west; Oklahoma on the north (across the Red River ); and Louisiana (across the Sabine River ); and Arkansas on the east. To the southwest, across the Rio Grande , Texas borders the Mexican states of Chihuahua , Coahuila , Nuevo León , and Tamaulipas . To the southeast of Texas is the Gulf Of Mexico . Texas is in the south-central part of the United States of America. It is considered to form part of the U.S. South and also part of the U.S. Southwest . Some regions of Texas are associated with the South more than the Southwest, (primarily East Texas ), while other regions share more similarities with the Southwest than the south (primarily West Texas and South Texas ). Texas is so large in its east-west expanse that El Paso , in the western corner of the state, is closer to San Diego, California than to Beaumont , near the Louisiana state line; Beaumont, in turn, is closer to Jacksonville, Florida than it is to El Paso. Also, Texarkana , in the northeastern corner of the state, is closer to Chicago, Illinois than it is to El Paso. The north-south expanse is similarly impressive; Dalhart , in the northwestern corner of the state, is closer to the state capitals of Kansas , Colorado , New Mexico, Oklahoma and Wyoming than it is to Austin , its own state capital. Natural geography Image:El_Capitan_base_2005-03-12.jpg| El Capitan Image:Texas Hill Country Near I-10, 2004.jpg| Hill Country Image:Caddo Lake- Cypress.jpg| Caddo Lake Image:Chimney_park_sunset.jpeg| Rio Grande Valley According to the Texas Almanac, Texas has four major physical regions: # The Gulf Coastal Plains, from the Gulf Of Mexico inland to the Balcones Fault and the Eastern Cross Timbers . This large area stretches from the cities of Paris to San Antonio to Del Rio but shows a large variety in vegetation. The thick pineywoods of east Texas and the brush country south of San Antonio are found here. # The Interior Lowlands are bounded by the Caprock Escarpment to the west, the Edwards Plateau to the south, and the Eastern Cross Timbers to the east. This area includes the North Central Plains around the cities of Abilene and Wichita Falls , the Western Cross Timbers to the west of Fort Worth , the Grand Prarie, and the Eastern Cross Timbers to the east of Dallas . # The Great Plains include the Llano Estacado , the Panhandle , Edwards Plateau , Toyah Basin, and Llano Basin. It is bordered on the east by the Caprock Escarpment in the panhandle and by the Balcones Fault to the southeast. Cities in this region include Austin , San Angelo , Midland and Odessa , Lubbock , and Amarillo . The Hill Country is a popular name for the area of hills along the Balcones Escarpment and is a transitional area between the Great Plains and the Gulf Coastal Plains . # The Basin and Range Province, in extreme western Texas, west of the Pecos River beginning with the Davis Mountains on the east and the Rio Grande to its west and south. This is the only part of Texas regarded as mountainous and includes seven named peaks in elevation greater than 8,000 feet (2,400 m). Geology See Also: Geology of Texas Texas is the southernmost part of the Great Plains , which ends in the south against the folded Sierra Madre Oriental of Mexico. It is mostly Sedimentary Rocks , with east Texas underlain by a Cretaceous and younger sequence of sediments, the trace of ancient shorelines east and south until the active continental margin of the Gulf Of Mexico is met. This sequence is built atop the subsided crest of the Appalachian Mountains – Ouachita Mountains –Marathon Mountains zone of Pennsylvanian Continental Collision , which collapsed when Rifting in Jurassic time opened the Gulf of Mexico. West from this Orogenic crest, which is buried beneath the Dallas – Waco – Austin – San Antonio trend, the sediments are Permian and Triassic in age. Oil is found in the Cretaceous sediments in the east, the Permian sediments in the west, and along the Gulf coast and out on the Texas Continental Shelf . A few exposures of Precambrian Igneous and Metamorphic rocks are found in the central and western parts of the state, and Oligocene Volcanic rocks are found in far west Texas, in the Big Bend 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 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.) Law and government State law and government ]] Austin is the capital of Texas. The State Capitol resembles the federal Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. , but is faced in Texas pink granite and is topped by a statue of the "Goddess of Liberty " holding aloft a five-point Texas Star . Like several other southern state capitols, it faces south instead of north. The capitol building was purposely built seven feet taller than the U.S. national capitol, however it is less massive. Republican (since 1993 ) and John Cornyn (since 2002 ). Texas has 32 representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives: 21 Republicans and 11 Democrats. The Texas Constitution , adopted in 1876 , is the second oldest state constitution still in effect. As with many State Constitutions , 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 Bill Of Rights , and includes some provisions unique to Texas. The executive branch consists of the Governor, than the governor. 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 , like the legislature of every other state except Nebraska , is bicameral (that is, it has two chambers). 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 , 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. County government Texas has a total of 254 counties, by far the most counties of any state. Each county is run by a commissioners court consisting of four elected commissioners (one from each of four precincts drawn based on population) and a county judge elected from all the voters of the county. The county judge does not have authority to veto a decision of the commissioners court; the judge votes along with the commissioners. In smaller counties, the county judge actually does perform judicial duties, but in larger counties the judge's role is limited to serving on the commissioners court. Certain officials, such as the sheriff and tax collector, are elected separately by the voters and state law specifies their salaries, but the commissioners court determines their office budgets. All county elections are partisan. Counties also have much less legal power than municipalities. For instance, counties in Texas do ''not'' have zoning power (except in very rare circumstances). However, counties do have eminent domain power. Unlike other states, Texas does not allow for consolidated city-county governments. Municipal government 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. One example of the difference in the two structures regards Annexation . General law cities cannot annex adjacent unincorporated areas without the property owner's consent; home rule cities may annex without consent but must provide essential services within a specified period of time (generally within three years) or the property owner may file suit to be deannexed. Larger cities (those exceeding 225,000) have a unique authority: that of "limited annexation", whereby an adjoining area may be annexed for purposes of imposing city ordinances related to safety and building codes. The residents can vote for mayor and council races but cannot vote in bond elections (and, consequently, the city cannot collect city sales tax from businesses or city property tax from owners). The purpose of limited annexation is to allow the city to control development in an area that it eventually will fully annex; it must do so within three years (though it can arrange "non-annexation agreements" with local property owners). During each of the three years, the city must develop a land use plan (zoning, for example), identify needed capital improvements, and identify the financing for such improvements as well as to provide essential services.2 Municipal elections in Texas are Nonpartisan in the sense that candidates do not appear on the ballot on party lines, and do not run as party tickets. However, a candidate's party affiliation is usually known or can be discerned with minimal effort (as the candidate most likely has supported other candidates on partisan tickets). In some instances, an informal citizen's group will support a slate of candidates that it desires to see elected (often in opposition to an incumbent group with which it disagreed on an issue). However, each candidate must be voted on individually. School and special districts In addition to cities and counties, Texas has numerous special districts. The most common is the independent School District , which (with one exception) has a board of trustees that is independent of any other governing authority. School district boundaries are not generally aligned with city or county boundaries; it is common for a school district to cover one or more counties or for a large city to be served by several school districts. Other special districts include Groundwater Conservation Districts (regulatory agencies), river authorities, water supply districts (for irrigation or municipal supply), public hospitals, road districts and community colleges. As with municipal elections in Texas, board members or trustees are elected on a nonpartisan basis or may be appointed. Politics See Also: Politics of Texas Regardless of party affiliation, Texas politics are dominated by fiscal and social conservatism. Texas politics are presently dominated by the Republican Party , which has strong majorities in the Texas Senate and House of Representatives. Every executive branch official elected statewide is Republican, as is every member of Texas's two courts of last resort; no Democrat has won a statewide election since 1994 . The majority of the state's delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives is Republican, as are both U.S. Senators. A notable exception to this trend is the Travis County District Attorney, Ronnie Earle , a Democrat elected by the people of Austin who has served since 1978 with statewide authority and responsibility for legally prosecuting political mischief. Ronnie Earle is nationally known for leveling charges against Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson, which were dismissed in court, and against Representative Tom DeLay, which have not yet been resolved. The Travis County District Attorney is uniquely empowered by the Texas Constitution; most states grant this authority to the more broadly elected position of Attorney General . Note: The congressional districts in Texas were redrawn in 2003 by the Republican-dominated legislature. Districts are usually drawn after the national census every 10 years, but an impasse in the Texas Legislature resulted in the districts being drawn by the courts in 2001. The legislature, with controversial help from U.S. Congressman Tom DeLay, redrew the districts after the Republicans gained a larger share of the legislature. A court challenge to the legality of the non-Census-timed redistricting was upheld by the Republican-dominated Texas Supreme Court; the United States Supreme Court has agreed to review the case. Like other Southern states, Texas historically was a one-party state of the served in the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and as Vice-president and president of the United States. Another famous Texas Democrat was longtime speaker of the House, Sam Rayburn . The shift from Democrat to Republican control in Texas politics is because of the national Republican Party adopting official conservative stances on fiscal and social issues and the national Democratic Party adopting official liberal stances on these issues. Crime and punishment The justice system in Texas has a reputation for strict sentencing. According to the Prison Policy Initiative, of the 21 counties in the United States where more than a fifth of the residents are prison inmates, 10 are in Texas. Texas leads the nation in executions by far, with 359 executions from 1976 to 2006. The second-highest ranking state is Virginia , with 94. Only capital murder (equivalent to such terms as "murder with malice aforethought" in other states) is eligible for the death penalty. 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 and eliminated the life with parole option. A 2002 '' Houston Chronicle '' poll of Texans found that when asked "Do you support the death penalty?", 69.1% responded that they did, 21.9% did not support and 9.1% were not sure or gave no answer. See Also: Capital punishment in Texas Congressional Districts Economy ]] Texas had a Gross State Product of $764 billion, the third highest in America after California and New York respectively. Per capita personal income as of 2004 was $30,222. Texas's growth is often attributed to the availability of jobs, the low cost of housing (housing values in the Dallas and Houston areas, while generally rising, have not risen at the astronomical rates of other areas 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), and favorable climate in many areas of the state. Texas remained largely rural until World War II , with Cattle Ranching , Oil , and Agriculture as its main industries. Cattle ranching (though important) was never Texas' 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). In 1926 , San Antonio had over 120,000 people, the largest population of any city in Texas. After World War II , Texas became increasingly industrialized. Its economy today relies largely on information technology, oil and Natural Gas , energy exploration and energy trading, 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 aerospace and defense manufacturing is primarily centered within the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex . The state has two major economic centers: the Greater Houston area and the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex . Houston stands at the center of the petrochemical and Biomedical research trades while Dallas functions as the center of the aerospace/defense manufacturing and Information Technology labor market in Texas. Other major cities include San Antonio , Austin , Brownsville , Lubbock , Amarillo , Abilene , College Station , Beaumont , McAllen , Tyler , Odessa and Midland . Other important cities include Killeen (home to Fort Hood , the largest military post in the U.S.) and the cities of El Paso , Eagle Pass , and Laredo (these have particular significance due to their location on the border with Mexico, making them important trade points). As of 2006, Texas, for the first time, has more Fortune 500 companies (56) than any other state (California has 55). This has been attributed to both the growth in population in Texas and the rise and oil prices in 2005, which resulted in the growth in revenues of many Texas oil and oil services companies. Texans pride themselves in a history of tradition, yet they seek new social and technological developments also. Round Rock is the headquarters of Dell and the surrounding area is known as "Silicon Hills". Dallas is a famously cosmopolitan metropolis and the birthplace of the Integrated Circuit , Houston is a global leader in the energy industry. The cultures of San Antonio and El Paso retain their Mexican heritage while Fort Worth maintains its western heritage. With a nod to its diversity and its past as a former sovereign nation, the state tourism slogan is "Texas: It's like a whole other country." Texas is the largest international exporter among the 50 American states, with international merchandise exports totaling $117.2 Billion in 2004.''(USA Today, Feb 26, 2006, 6B)'' The Port Of Houston is among the top 10 sea ports in the world in terms of commerce; ''Air Cargo World'' rated Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport as "the best air cargo airport in the world".3 Texas is one of the top filmmaking states in the United States, just after California and New York . In the past 10 years alone (1995-2004), more than $2.89 billion has been spent in Texas for film and television production. The Texas Film Commission was founded for free services to filmmakers, from location research to traveling. Healthcare and medical research in Houston]] Houston is the seat of the internationally-renowned Texas Medical Center , which contains the world's largest concentration of Research and Healthcare institutions. There are 42 member institutions in the Texas Medical Center—all are Non-profit Organization s, and are dedicated to the highest standards of patient and preventive care, Research , Education , and local, national, and international community well-being. These institutions include 13 renowned Hospital s and two specialty institutions, two Medical School s, four Nursing School s, and schools of Dentistry , public health, Pharmacy , and virtually all health-related careers. It is where one of the first, and still the largest, air emergency services was created—a very successful inter-institutional transplant program was developed—and more Heart Surgeries are performed there than anywhere else in the world. Some of the academic and research health institutions are Baylor College Of Medicine , The University Of Texas Health Science Center At Houston , and The University Of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center . The M. D. Anderson Cancer Center is widely considered one of the world’s most productive and highly-regarded academic institutions devoted to cancer patient care, research, education and prevention. Other prominent healthcare and medical research centers in the state are the South Texas Medical Center in San Antonio and the UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas . Texas has two (UTMB) in Galveston ,4 and the other at the Southwest Foundation For Biomedical Research in San Antonio, the first privately owned BSL-4 lab in the United States.5 Demographics Ethnicity More than one-third of Texas residents are of Hispanic origin and may be of any racial group. Some are recent arrivals from Mexico, Central America , or South America , while others, known as Tejanos (though interestingly everyone in Texas is known as a Tejano in Spanish), have ancestors who have lived in Texas since before Texan independence, or at least for several generations. Tejanos are the largest ancestral group in southern Duval County . Numerically, Mexican-Texans dominate South , south-central, and West Texas and are a significant part of the work force in the cities of Dallas and Houston . Other population groups in Texas also exhibit great diversity. Frontier Texas saw settlements of Germans , particularly in Fredericksburg and New Braunfels . In fact, the Largest Family In Texas today is of German descent. After the European Revolutions Of 1848 , German, Polish , Swedish , Norwegian , Czech and French immigration grew, and continued until World War I . The influence of the diverse immigrants from Europe survives in the names of towns, styles of architecture, genres of music, and varieties of cuisine. Texans of German descent dominate much of central and southeast-central Texas and one county in the area, Lavaca , is predominantly Czech. In recent years, the Asian population in Texas has grown, especially in Houston and in Dallas. People from Mainland China , Vietnam , the Philippines , Thailand , Indonesia , India , South Korea , Japan , Taiwan , Pakistan , and other countries have settled in Texas. In . The largest reported ancestry groups in Texas include: Mexican (24.3%), African American (11.5%), German (9.9%), English (7.2%), and Irish (7.2%). Much of east, central, and north Texas is inhabited by Texans of White Anglo Saxon Protestant heritage, primarily descended from the British Isles . African Americans, who historically made up one-third of the state population, are concentrated in those parts of East Texas where the Ante-bellum cotton plantation culture was most prominent, as well as in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston metropolitan areas. Census data reports 7.8% of Texas's population as under 5, 28.2% under 18, and 9.9% over 64 years. Females made up 50.4% of the population. All data comes from the United States Census state population estimates. U.S. Census Bureau Annual Estimates of the Population by Sex, Race, and Hispanic or Latino Origin for States: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2004. Religion The religious affiliations of the people of Texas are:
Cities and metropolitan areas Largest cities ]] ]] ]] ]] ]] ]] Texas has two out of 11 U.S. Global Cities as Houston and Dallas ranked "Gamma World City" by the Globalization And World Cities Study Group & Network (GaWC). Ranked by population of Cities (incorporated municipalities), the six major cities in Texas are Houston , San Antonio , Dallas , Austin , Fort Worth , and El Paso . Texas is the only state in the U.S. to have three cities with populations exceeding one million ( California has two; no other state has more than one) — Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas, which are also among the 10 largest cities of the United States , and are the three largest cities in the Southern United States . Austin and Fort Worth are in the top 20 largest U.S. cities. List Of United States Cities By Population Some cities not listed are still considered important on the basis of other factors and issues, including culture, economics, heritage, and politics. See Also: Population of Texas cities in 2000 Metropolitan areas Texas has 25 Metropolitan Area s (MSAs) defined by the United States Census Bureau . The two largest are ranked among the top 10 United States Metropolitan Area s. As of June 2003 , there is now an additional classification, that of a “Metropolitan Division”. Texas has two metropolitan divisions within the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington MSA. The term metropolitan division is used to refer to a County or group of counties within a metropolitan area that has a population core of at least 2.5 million. While a metropolitan division is a subdivision of a larger metropolitan area, it often functions as a distinct social, economic, and cultural area within the larger region. The following table lists population figures for those metropolitan areas, in rank of population. Population figures are as of the 2004 U.S. Census estimates. See also: United States Metropolitan Area s Transportation Highways Texas Freeway s are heavily traveled and are often under construction to meet the demands of continuing growth. Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) planners have sought ways to reduce rush hour congestion, primarily through High-occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes for vans and carpools. The "Texas T," an innovation originally introduced in Houston, is a ramp design that allows vehicles in the HOV lane, which is usually the leftmost lane, to exit directly to transit centers or to enter the freeway directly into the HOV lane without crossing multiple lanes of traffic. Timed freeway entrances, which regulate the addition of cars to the freeway, are also common. Houston and San Antonio have extensive networks of freeway cameras linked to transit control centers to monitor and study traffic. One characteristic of Texas's freeways are its Frontage Road s. Alongside most freeways are two to four lanes in each direction parallel to the freeway permitting easy access to individual city streets. Other states have frontage roads, of course, but in Texas they can be found even in the most remote areas. Frontage roads provide access to the freeway from businesses alongside, such as gas stations and retail stores, and vice versa. New landscaping projects and a longstanding ban on new billboards are ways Houston has tried to control the potential side effects of convenience. Airports ]] The Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport , located nearly equidistant from Downtown Dallas and downtown Fort Worth , is the largest airport in state, the second largest in the United States, and third largest in the world. In terms of traffic, DFW is the busiest in the state, fourth busiest in the United States, and sixth busiest in the world. The airport serves 135 domestic destinations and 37 international, and is the largest and main Hub for American Airlines (900 daily departures), the world's largest Airline , and also the largest hub for American Eagle . Texas's second-largest air facility is the George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). The airport is the ninth-busiest in the United States for total passengers, and nineteenth busiest worldwide. Houston is the headquarters of Continental Airlines , and the airport is Continental Airline's largest hub, with over 750 daily departures (over 250 operated by Continental Airlines). Because of Houston's proximity to American Airlines 's hub at DFW in Dallas - Fort Worth , that airline also maintains a large presence at IAH. A long list of cities within Texas, as well as international destinations are served directly from this airport. With 30 destinations in Mexico , IAH offers service to more Mexican destinations than any other U.S. airports. IAH currently ranks second in the United States among U.S. airports with scheduled non-stop domestic and international service (221 destinations), trailing only Atlanta Hartsfield with 250 destinations. Education Colleges and universities ]] ]] ]] ]] ]] ]] Texas is well known for its outstanding institutions of higher education. The state is dominated by three main universities: The University of Texas, Texas A&M, and Baylor University. The University Of Texas System (UT), established by the Texas Constitution in 1876 , consists of nine Academic Universities and six health institutions. UT System institutions enrolled a total of 182,752 students in fall 2004 making it one of the largest systems of Higher Education in the nation. In 2004, the University of Texas at Austin , which is the largest institution in the UT System and in the state of Texas, maintained an enrollment of 50,377 students. The University of Texas at Austin was once the largest institution in the United States, but it is now one of the top three largest by population and is the nation's 52nd ranked university.6 Seven Doctoral programs at UT Austin rank in the top 10 in the nation and 22 degree programs rank in the top 25, according to a comprehensive study of the quality of graduate schools conducted by the United States National Research Council . Four of the seven medical schools of Texas are within the University Of Texas System . In 2004, the University Of Texas Southwestern Medical Center At Dallas was ranked the 16th highest ranking medical school in the United States, with four of Texas' eleven Nobel Laureates . The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas list of Texas Nobel Laureates The Texas A&M University System , established by the 1871 Texas legislature, is the second largest state university system of higher learning in Texas. Its flagship institution, Texas A&M University located in College Station, opened in 1876 and is the state's oldest public institution of higher education. Funded research generally exceeds that of all other Texas universities including UT Austin, and Texas A&M ranks among the top ten national universities in research. It is the second largest university in the state of Texas and also one of the top 10 largest schools in the nation. Baylor University , located in Waco, is the world's largest Baptist university and the oldest continually operating university in Texas. The school opened in 1845 and today has a enrollment of 14,000 students. Baylor's rivalry with Texas A&M is one of the oldest in the nation, going back to the late 19th century. Baylor is highly regarded for its academics (especially Pre-Med and Spanish, as well as Business) and is among the most traditional and conservative universities in the country. The University Of Houston System is the largest urban state system of higher education in the Gulf Coast , which has four Universities with three located in Houston. Its flagship institution is the University Of Houston (UH), which is the only doctoral degree granting extensive research institution in Houston and is the third largest in the state of Texas with an enrollment of over 36,000. The interdisciplinary research conducted at UH breaks new ground in such vital areas as Superconductivity , space commercialization, Biomedical Engineering , Economics , Education , Petroleum exploration and Management . UH is also home to over 40 research centers and institutes. Amongst the most prestigious of the University of Houston's colleges is the University Of Houston Law Center . The UH Law Center's Health Law and Policy Institute is ranked number one in the nation while the Intellectual Property Law Program is ranked fifth, according to '' U.S. News & World Report ''. Houston is the location of a well known prestigious private institution, Rice University , which boasts one of the largest Financial Endowment s of any university in the world. The small undergraduate student body is among the nation's most select and one of the highest percentages of National Merit Scholarship winners. Rice University maintains a variety of research facilities and laboratories. Rice is also associated with the Houston Area Research Center, a consortium supported by Rice, the University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University, and the University of Houston. Another Liberal Arts college in Houston is the University Of St. Thomas . Founded by the Basilian Order in 1947 , the University has become one of the premier Catholic universities in the world, renowned for its theology and philosophy departments. Former UST president Archbishop Michael J. Miller currently serves in the Roman Curia as the Prefect of Catholic universities throughout the world. The campus is also home to some major historic buildings, such as the Link Lee Mansion (once the largest house in Texas) and Hughes House (the childhood home of Howard Hughes ). Houston is also home to Texas Southern University , the first Historically Black College And University to house a law school; it was also the first state-supported institution in the city of Houston. Over the years, the university's educational facilities and programs expanded, and many of its graduates began to achieve local, regional, and national recognition for their influence in politics, education, business, technology, medicine, and the arts. Its pioneering spirit continues today. The Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex has the fourth largest university in the state—the University Of North Texas —along with two UT System institutions— The University Of Texas At Dallas and The University Of Texas At Arlington , as well as private universities such as Southern Methodist University , which is the Metroplex's largest law school, and Texas Christian University . San Antonio is home to many colleges and universities, such as The University Of Texas At San Antonio , the second largest institution of the University of Texas System, as well as University Of Texas Health Science Center , Trinity University , St. Mary's University, University Of The Incarnate Word , and Our Lady Of The Lake University . Other large public universities in Texas include Texas State University-San Marcos (formerly Southwest Texas State University) and Texas Tech University in Lubbock , the only institution in Texas with the university, law school, and medical school all residing on the same campus. See Also: List of colleges and universities in Texas Primary and secondary education Texas has over 1,000 School District s, ranging in size from the gigantic Houston Independent School District to the 13-student Divide Independent School District in rural south Texas. All but one of the School District s in Texas are separate from any form of Municipal Government , hence they are called "independent school districts," or "ISD" for short. School districts may (and often do) cross city and county boundaries. School districts have the power to Tax their residents and to use Eminent Domain . The sole exception to this rule is Stafford Municipal School District , which serves all of the city of Stafford . The public school systems are administered by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). The TEA is divided into twenty Educational Service Center "regions" that serve the local school districts. Especially in the metropolitan areas, Texas also has numerous Private Schools of all types (non-sectarian, Catholic, and Protestant). The TEA has no authority over private school operations; private schools may or may not be accredited, and achievement tests are not required for private school graduating seniors. However, many private schools will obtain accreditation and perform achievement tests as a means of encouraging future parents that the school is genuinely interested in educational performance. Homeschooling is popular in Texas—it is generally considered to be among the least restrictive states in which to home school. Neither TEA nor the local school district has authority to regulate home school activities; state law only requires that the curriculum 1) must teach "reading, spelling, grammar, mathematics and a study of good citizenship" (the latter interpreted to mean a course in Civics ) and 2) must be taught in a ''bona fide'' manner.7 There are no minimum number of days in a year, or hours in a day, that must be met, and achievement tests are not required for home school graduating seniors. The validity of home schooling was challenged in Texas, but a landmark case, ''Leeper v. Arlington ISD'', ruled that home schooling was legal and that the state had little or no authority to regulate the practice. Professional sports Miscellaneous topics , the oldest remaining Dreadnought .]]
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Other state designations
The pledge to the Texas Flag is: Honor the Texas Flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one and indivisible See also |