Texas (TEK-səə ss, locally additionally TEK-siz; Spanish: Texas or Tejas) is the most heavily populated state in the South Central area of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the west, and a global 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 residents as of 2024, it is the second-largest state by location and populace. Texas is nicknamed the Lone Celebrity State for the single celebrity on its flag, symbolic of its former condition as an independent nation, the Republic of Texas. Spain was the very first European nation to case and control Texas. Adhering to a brief colony regulated by France, Mexico managed the land until 1836 when Texas won its self-reliance, ending up being the Republic of Texas. In 1845, Texas signed up with the USA of America as the 28th state. The state's addition set off a chain of events that caused the Mexican–-- American Battle in 1846. Following success by the United States, Texas stayed a slave state up until the American Civil War, when it proclaimed its secession from the Union in very early 1861 before officially signing up with 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 sectors shaped the economy of Texas before World War II: bison, livestock, cotton, oil, and lumber. Prior to and after the Civil War, the cattle industry—-- which Texas pertained to dominate—-- was a major financial vehicle driver and produced the typical picture of the Texas cowboy. In the later 19th century, cotton and lumber expanded to be major industries as the livestock sector became less profitable. Eventually, the exploration of major petroleum down payments (Spindletop in particular) started a financial boom that became the driving force behind the economic situation for much of the 20th century. Texas developed a varied economic situation and high tech sector throughout the mid-20th century. As of 2024, it has the second-highest number (52) of Fortune 500 business headquartered in the United States. With a growing base of industry, the state leads in numerous markets, consisting of tourism, agriculture, petrochemicals, energy, computers and electronic devices, aerospace, and biomedical scientific researches. Texas has led the U. S. in state export earnings considering that 2002 and has the second-highest gross state item. The Dallas–-- Ft Worth metroplex and Greater Houston areas are the nation's fourth and fifth-most heavily populated metropolitan regions respectively. Its funding city is Austin. Because of its dimension and geologic attributes such as the Balcones Fault, Texas has diverse landscapes typical to both the U. S. Southern and the Southwestern regions. A lot of populace facilities remain in areas of former savannas, meadows, forests, and the coast. Taking a trip from east to west, surface ranges from seaside swamps and piney woods, to rolling plains and tough hills, to the desert and hills of the Big Bend.
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