Texas (TEK-səə ss, in your area additionally TEK-siz; Spanish: Texas or Tejas) is one of the most heavily populated state in the South Central area of the USA. It surrounds Louisiana to the eastern, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the west, and an international boundary 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 residents as of 2024, it is the second-largest state by area and populace. Texas is nicknamed the Lone Celebrity State for the solitary star on its flag, symbolic of its former condition as an independent country, the Republic of Texas. Spain was the initial European country to claim and control Texas. Adhering to a short-term nest regulated by France, Mexico controlled the land up until 1836 when Texas won its independence, coming to be 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 brought about the Mexican–-- American Battle in 1846. Following victory by the United States, Texas continued to be a servant state up until the American Civil Battle, when it declared its secession from the Union in very early 1861 before formally joining the Confederate States on March 2. After the Civil Battle and the repair of its depiction in the federal government, Texas entered an extended period of economic stagnation. Historically, 5 significant markets formed the economic situation of Texas before World War II: bison, cattle, cotton, oil, and lumber. Before and after the Civil Battle, the livestock market—-- which Texas pertained to dominate—-- was a major financial chauffeur and developed the standard image of the Texas cowboy. In the later 19th century, cotton and lumber expanded to be major markets as the livestock sector came to be less rewarding. Inevitably, the exploration of significant oil deposits (Spindletop particularly) initiated an economic boom that ended up being the driving force behind the economic climate for much of the 20th century. Texas created a varied economic situation and advanced industry throughout the mid-20th century. Since 2024, it has the second-highest number (52) of Fortune 500 business headquartered in the USA. With an expanding base of market, the state leads in lots of industries, including tourist, farming, petrochemicals, energy, computers and electronic devices, aerospace, and biomedical sciences. Texas has actually led the U. S. in state export revenue since 2002 and has the second-highest gross state item. The Dallas–-- Fort Worth metroplex and Greater Houston locations are the nation's fourth and fifth-most populated city regions respectively. Its resources city is Austin. Due to its dimension and geologic attributes such as the Balcones Mistake, Texas includes diverse landscapes common to both the U. S. Southern and the Southwestern regions. A lot of populace facilities remain in areas of former meadows, meadows, woodlands, and the coast. Taking a trip from eastern to west, terrain varieties from coastal swamps and piney woods, to rolling levels and sturdy hills, to the desert and hills of the Large Bend.
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