Texas (TEK-səə ss, locally likewise TEK-siz; Spanish: Texas or Tejas) is one of the most populous 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. Treatment 268,596 square miles (695,660 km2) and with over 31 million citizens since 2024, it is the second-largest state by location and population. Texas is nicknamed the Lone Star State for the solitary celebrity on its flag, symbolic of its previous status as an independent nation, the Republic of Texas. Spain was the first European nation to case and control Texas. Complying with a short-lived colony managed by France, Mexico regulated the land until 1836 when Texas won its self-reliance, becoming 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 War in 1846. Complying with success by the United States, Texas continued to be a slave state till the American Civil War, when it proclaimed its secession from the Union in early 1861 prior to formally joining the Confederate States on March 2. After the Civil Battle and the repair of its depiction in the federal government, Texas got in an extended period of economic stagnation. Historically, 5 significant industries formed the economic situation of Texas before World War II: bison, livestock, cotton, oil, and wood. Prior to and after the Civil War, the livestock sector—-- which Texas involved dominate—-- was a major economic motorist and created the conventional photo of the Texas cowboy. In the later 19th century, cotton and lumber expanded to be significant markets as the cattle industry came to be less profitable. Eventually, the exploration of major petroleum deposits (Spindletop specifically) initiated a financial boom that ended up being the driving pressure behind the economy for much of the 20th century. Texas created a diversified economic situation and advanced sector during the mid-20th century. As of 2024, it has the second-highest number (52) of Ton of money 500 business headquartered in the United States. With an expanding base of market, the state leads in many sectors, consisting of tourism, agriculture, petrochemicals, energy, computers and electronic devices, aerospace, and biomedical sciences. Texas has led the U. S. in state export income because 2002 and has the second-highest gross state product. The Dallas–-- Ft Worth metroplex and Greater Houston areas are the nation's fourth and fifth-most populated urban regions respectively. Its capital city is Austin. Because of its dimension and geologic functions such as the Balcones Mistake, Texas consists of diverse landscapes typical to both the U. S. Southern and the Southwestern regions. Most population centers remain in areas of previous prairies, meadows, forests, and the coastline. Traveling from eastern to west, terrain arrays from seaside swamps and piney timbers, to rolling plains and rugged hills, to the desert and hills of the Large Bend.
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