Texas (TEK-səə ss, locally likewise TEK-siz; Spanish: Texas or Tejas) is the most populated state in the South Central area of the USA. It surrounds Louisiana to the east, 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 coastline on the Gulf of Mexico to the southeast. Covering 268,596 square miles (695,660 km2) and with over 31 million locals as of 2024, it is the second-largest state by location and population. Texas is nicknamed the Lone Celebrity State for the solitary star on its flag, symbolic of its previous standing as an independent country, the Republic of Texas. Spain was the first European nation to insurance claim and control Texas. Adhering to a brief swarm managed by France, Mexico managed the land until 1836 when Texas won its independence, becoming the Republic of Texas. In 1845, Texas signed up with the United States of America as the 28th state. The state's addition triggered a chain of occasions that resulted in the Mexican–-- American Battle in 1846. Complying with victory by the United States, Texas remained a slave state up until the American Civil Battle, when it stated its secession from the Union in very early 1861 prior to officially signing up with the Confederate States on March 2. After the Civil Battle and the reconstruction of its depiction in the federal government, Texas got in an extended period of financial torpidity. Historically, 5 significant sectors formed the economic situation of Texas prior to World War II: bison, cattle, cotton, oil, and wood. Before and after the Civil Battle, the cattle market—-- which Texas pertained to dominate—-- was a significant economic driver and created the standard image of the Texas cowboy. In the later 19th century, cotton and lumber grew to be significant sectors as the cattle sector ended up being less rewarding. Inevitably, the exploration of major petroleum deposits (Spindletop in particular) launched an economic boom that came to be the driving pressure behind the economy for much of the 20th century. Texas created a varied economic climate and advanced sector throughout the mid-20th century. As of 2024, it has the second-highest number (52) of Lot of money 500 companies headquartered in the USA. With an expanding base of market, the state leads in several markets, consisting of tourist, farming, petrochemicals, energy, computer systems and electronic devices, aerospace, and biomedical sciences. Texas has led the U. S. in state export profits given that 2002 and has the second-highest gross state product. The Dallas–-- Ft Worth metroplex and Greater Houston locations are the country's 4th and fifth-most populous urban regions respectively. Its capital city is Austin. As a result of its size and geologic attributes such as the Balcones Fault, Texas includes varied landscapes usual to both the U. S. Southern and the Southwestern areas. The majority of populace centers remain in locations of previous savannas, meadows, woodlands, and the coast. Taking a trip from eastern to west, surface ranges from seaside swamps and piney woods, to rolling levels and tough hills, to the desert and hills of the Big Bend.
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