Texas
The Lone Star State
Quick Stats
Map
Seal & Motto
"Friendship"
Additional Information
Derived from the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies," reflecting the state's founding spirit.
Adopted 1930.
Population Growth
Overview
Texas, the 'Lone Star State,' is a nation unto itself. The second-largest state in both size and population, it has the GDP of the world's 10th-largest economy, more Fortune 500 headquarters than any other state, a 1,254-mile international border, a landscape that spans swampy bayous, subtropical beaches, high desert, piney woods, and mile-high mountains — and a cultural identity as large as all of it combined.
Historical Significance
Texas officially joined the Union on December 29, 1845, as the 28th state — but its story is unique in American history. It was an independent republic for nearly a decade after wresting independence from Mexico at the Battle of San Jacinto in 1836, with the Alamo's legendary last stand echoing through generations. The oil discovery at Spindletop in 1901 launched America's petroleum age and transformed the modern world.
Top Cities & Hubs
Houston
Population: ~2.3MThe largest city in Texas and the energy capital of the world, home to NASA's Johnson Space Center (Mission Control for all U.S. human spaceflight), the Texas Medical Center (the world's largest medical complex), and the most ethnically diverse major city in America.
San Antonio
Population: ~1.5MA culturally vibrant city with the deepest Spanish colonial roots, home to the sacred Alamo mission, the festive River Walk, five historic missions, and the nation's largest military installation complex anchored by Joint Base San Antonio.
Dallas
Population: ~1.3MA gleaming modern metropolis and the financial, commercial, and telecommunications capital of the Southwest, home to 23 Fortune 500 companies and a premier arts district rivaling any in the country.
Austin
Population: ~1.0MThe "Live Music Capital of the World" and state capital, now also a global tech powerhouse — home to Tesla, Apple, Oracle, and Samsung campuses — with the most live music venues per capita of any city in the world.
Fort Worth
Population: ~950,000The cultural soul of Texas cowboy heritage, featuring the legendary Fort Worth Stockyards, a world-class museum district including the Kimbell Art Museum, and a seamlessly connected identity with neighbor Dallas.
Key Landmarks & Economy
Did You Know?
- The Texas State Capitol in Austin is the largest U.S. state capitol by square footage and actually stands 14 feet taller than the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., built of sunset red Texas granite.
- Texas is the only state that flew under the flags of six different nations: Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the Confederate States, and the United States.
- Texas operates its own independent power grid (ERCOT), making it the only contiguous U.S. state not connected to either national electrical grid — a fact with dramatic consequences during the 2021 winter storm.