State of Texas | |||||
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Nickname(s): The Lone Star State | |||||
Motto(s): Friendship | |||||
State song(s): "Texas, Our Texas" | |||||
Official language | No official language (see Languages spoken in Texas) |
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Spoken languages | Predominantly English; Spanish spoken by sizable minority |
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Demonym |
Texian (archaic) Tejano (Usually only used for Hispanics) |
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Capital | Austin | ||||
Largest city | Houston | ||||
Largest metro | Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Metroplex | ||||
Area | Ranked 2nd | ||||
• Total | 268,581 sq mi (696,241 km2) |
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• Width | 773 miles (1,244 km) | ||||
• Length | 790 miles (1,270 km) | ||||
• % water | 2.5 | ||||
• Latitude | 25° 50′ N to 36° 30′ N | ||||
• Longitude | 93° 31′ W to 106° 39′ W | ||||
Population | Ranked 2nd | ||||
• Total | 27,862,596 (2016 est) | ||||
• Density | 103.7/sq mi (40.0/km2) Ranked 26th |
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• Median household income | $56,473 (26th) | ||||
Elevation | |||||
• Highest point |
Guadalupe Peak 8,751 ft (2667.4 m) |
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• Mean | 1,700 ft (520 m) | ||||
• Lowest point |
Gulf of Mexico sea level |
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Before statehood | Republic of Texas | ||||
Admission to Union | December 29, 1845 (28th) | ||||
Governor | Greg Abbott (R) | ||||
Lieutenant Governor | Dan Patrick (R) | ||||
Legislature | Texas Legislature | ||||
• Upper house | Senate | ||||
• Lower house | House of Representatives | ||||
U.S. Senators |
John Cornyn (R) Ted Cruz (R) |
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U.S. House delegation | 25 Republicans, 11 Democrats (list) |
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Time zones | |||||
• most of state | Central: UTC −6/−5 | ||||
• El Paso, Hudspeth, and northwestern Culberson counties | Mountain: UTC −7/−6 | ||||
ISO 3166 | US-TX | ||||
Abbreviations | TX, Tex. | ||||
Website | www |
Texas state symbols | |
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The Flag of Texas
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The Seal of Texas
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Living insignia | |
Bird | Northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) |
Fish | Guadalupe bass (Micropterus treculii) |
Flower | Bluebonnet (Lupinus spp., namely Texas bluebonnet, L. texensis) |
Insect | Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) |
Mammal | Texas longhorn, nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) |
Reptile | Texas horned lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum) |
Tree | Pecan (Carya illinoinensis) |
Inanimate insignia | |
Food | Chili |
Motto | Friendship |
Shell | Lightning whelk (Busycon perversum pulleyi) |
Ship | USS Texas |
Slogan | The Friendly State |
Soil | Houston Black |
Song | "Texas, Our Texas" |
Sport | Rodeo |
Other | Molecule: Buckyball (For more, see article) |
State route marker | |
State quarter | |
Released in 2004
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Lists of United States state symbols |
Texas (/ˈtɛksəs/, local /ˈtɛksᵻz/; Spanish: Texas or Tejas [ˈtexas]) is the second largest state in the United States by both area and population. Geographically located in the South Central region of the country, Texas shares borders with the U.S. states of Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the west, and the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas to the southwest, while the Gulf of Mexico is to the southeast.
Houston is the most populous city in Texas and the fourth largest in the U.S., while San Antonio is the second most populous in the state and seventh largest in the U.S. Dallas–Fort Worth and Greater Houston are the fourth and fifth largest metropolitan statistical areas in the country, respectively. Other major cities include Austin, the second most populous state capital in the U.S., and El Paso. Texas is nicknamed "The Lone Star State" to signify its former status as an independent republic, and as a reminder of the state's struggle for independence from Mexico. The "Lone Star" can be found on the Texan state flag and on the Texan state seal. The origin of Texas's name is from the word "Tejas," which means "friends" in the Caddo language.