| Learn about the Lone Star State! How Texas got it’s name, how big is Texas, the state flag of Texas, the Texas motto, the cities of Texas, Mountains, Lakes and Rivers in Texas and more! |
| The name Texas comes from the word “tejas” meaning “friend” in the language of the Hasinai Indians of the Caddo Nation. Texas declared independence from Mexico on On March 2, 1836. After the battle of San Jacinto, Texas became a free republic on April 21, 1836. The Republic of Texas was admitted to the US on Dec. 29, 1845. Texas is the 28th State. The Capitol of Texas is Austin. Texas is the 2nd largest state and has 268,601 square miles. Only Alaska is bigger. The geographic center of Texas is 15 miles northeast of the town of Brady in McCulloch County. Texas has 254 Counties. Texas has more counties than any other state. The population of Texas according to the latest US census is 22,118,509. Three of the 10 largest United States cities are in Texas: Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio. Houston is the largest city in Texas. Other large cities in Texas would include Amarillo, Arlington, Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas – Ft. Worth, El Paso, Garland, Plano and San Antonio. The worlds largest medical complex is the Texas Medical Center in Houston, Texas. The Port of Houston is the largest port in Texas, the 3’rd largest in the US and the 8’th largest port in the world. The ships that dock in The Houston Ship Channel carry more cargo than any other port in the United States. The only natural lake in Texas is Lake Caddo, in North East Texas. There are 190 man made lakes and reservoirs in Texas. Texas has 80,000 miles of rivers and streams. The longest river in Texas is the Rio Grande which is 1,254 miles long. The major rivers in Texas are the Brazos River, Canadian River, Colorado River, Guadalupe, Nueces, Neches, Pecos River, Red River, Rio Grande, Sabine, Trinity River. The Guadalupe Mountains The Western Mountain Region of Texas: • Guadalupe mountains on the Texas – New Mexico border • Davis mountains near Fort Davis in Jeff Davis County • Franklin Mountains to the east of El Paso • Chisos Mountains in the Big Bend National Park The tallest mountain in Texas is Guadalupe Peak which is 8,749 feet above sea level. Texas has many beautiful state parks, protected land and wildlife refuge areas. There are 126 State Parks, 50 wildlife management areas, 8 state fish hatcheries, 13 National Wildlife Refuges, 4 National Forests and 5 National Grasslands. Texas is bordered by 4 states – Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma. The Rio Grande river separates Texas from the border country of Mexico. The Gulf of Mexico is along the “gulf coast” border of Texas. The nickname for Texas is “The Lone Star State” The Texas Flag Red for bravery White for purity Blue for loyalty State motto – Friendship State song – “Texas, Our Texas” Texas Agriculture: The top exports in Texas agriculture are cattle, cotton, feed grains, greenhouse plants, poultry and dairy products. (USDA fact sheet) The main food crops grown in Texas in order of volume are: corn, sorghum, wheat, onions, peanuts, rice, watermelons, pecans, cantaloups, potatoes, cabbage, sugar cane, soybeans, cucumbers, honeydews, and grapefruit. Texas Industry: chemical industry, petroleum and natural gas, electronic components, telecommunications, biotechnology, machinery, mining, tourism. Courtesy of www.texasdairy.com |
