Texas (TEK-səə ss, in your area likewise TEK-siz; Spanish: Texas or Tejas) is the most heavily populated state in the South Central area of the United States. It surrounds Louisiana to the eastern, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the west, and an international border with the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas to the south and southwest. Texas has a coast on the Gulf of Mexico to the southeast. Covering 268,596 square miles (695,660 km2) and with over 31 million citizens as of 2024, it is the second-largest state by location and populace. Texas is nicknamed the Lone Celebrity State for the solitary star on its flag, symbolic of its previous condition as an independent country, the Republic of Texas. Spain was the first European country to case and control Texas. Following a short-term swarm controlled by France, Mexico controlled the land till 1836 when Texas won its independence, becoming the Republic of Texas. In 1845, Texas joined the United States of America as the 28th state. The state's addition set off a chain of events that resulted in the Mexican–-- American War in 1846. Complying with victory by the United States, Texas remained a slave state till the American Civil Battle, when it declared its secession from the Union in early 1861 prior to formally signing up with the Confederate States on March 2. After the Civil Battle and the remediation of its depiction in the federal government, Texas got in an extended period of economic torpidity. Historically, five major sectors formed the economy of Texas before The second world war: bison, cattle, cotton, oil, and hardwood. Before and after the Civil Battle, the cattle industry—-- which Texas pertained to dominate—-- was a major economic chauffeur and produced the standard picture of the Texas cowboy. In the later 19th century, cotton and lumber grew to be major sectors as the livestock market became much less rewarding. Ultimately, the exploration of major petroleum deposits (Spindletop particularly) launched an economic boom that ended up being the driving pressure behind the economic climate for much of the 20th century. Texas created a varied economy and advanced market during the mid-20th century. As of 2024, it has the second-highest number (52) of Lot of money 500 firms headquartered in the USA. With a growing base of sector, the state leads in several industries, consisting of tourism, farming, petrochemicals, power, computers and electronics, aerospace, and biomedical scientific researches. Texas has led the U. S. in state export revenue since 2002 and has the second-highest gross state item. The Dallas–-- Ft Well worth metroplex and Greater Houston areas are the nation's 4th and fifth-most populated metropolitan regions specifically. Its resources city is Austin. Because of its dimension and geologic features such as the Balcones Fault, Texas consists of varied landscapes usual to both the U. S. Southern and the Southwestern regions. The majority of populace centers remain in locations of former savannas, meadows, woodlands, and the shoreline. Taking a trip from east to west, terrain ranges from coastal swamps and piney woods, to rolling plains and rugged hillsides, to the desert and mountains of the Large Bend.
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