Texas is a large state in the South-Central region of the United States. It’s bordered by Oklahoma to the north, Arkansas to the northeast, Louisiana to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the southeast, Mexican State (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas) to the south and New Mexico to the west. The nickname of Texas is The Lone Star State as it was an independent republic and a reminder of struggle for independence from Mexico. To give us more knowledge about Texas, we will talk interesting facts about “The Lone Star State” in this article.
1. Texas is the Second Largest State of The United States
With 268,596 sq. miles (695,662 km2) area, Texas is the largest state of the United States by area after Alaska. Texas is also the second largest state by population after California with more than 30 million residents (2022). Two-thirds of all Texas population live in major metropolitan areas such as Dallas–Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and Austin.
2. Austin is the Capital City of Texas and Houston is the Largest City
The capital city of Texas is Austin while Houston is the largest city of Texas and the 4th largest in the United States. Although Houston is the largest city, Houston Metropolitan Area is only the second largest Metropolitan area in Texas as Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan Area (Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex) is larger. Austin is also the fourth largest city and metropolitan area after San Antonio that comes as the third.
3. Texas would Have the 10th-Largest Economy in the World if It were a Sovereign State
Texas has a large and diversified economy. It has the second largest Gross State Product (GSP) below California and above New York. If it were a sovereign state, Texas would be the nation that has the 10th largest economy. With more than $2.0 trillion in GSP, The GSP of Texas is larger than the GDP of developed nations like South Korea and Australia and large nations like Brazil and Indonesia.
4. Texas is the Largest Producing State of both Crude Oil and Natural Gas
As the largest crude oil and natural gas producing state, Texas produces more than 40% of crude oil and 25% of natural gas produced by the United States. Texas also has more petroleum refineries than any other state. There are more than 30 oil refineries in Texas that comprise more than 30% of the national refining capacity. The known petroleum deposit of Texas is about one-fourth of the known reserves of the United States.
5. Texas is the State with the Most Cattle in the United States
Texas has more cattle than any other states in the United States. It has more than 13% of cattle inventory of the nation. Beef cattle production is the largest single segment of Texas agriculture as it generates more than 50% of Texas’s annual agricultural cash receipts. Texas also has the highest population of horses, sheep and goats in the United States.
6. Texas is the Leading Producer of Cotton in the United States
Texas has more farms than any other state of the United States. It leads the cotton production of the nation. More than 30% cotton of the United States are produced by Texas. Cotton is the number one crop grown in Texas in terms of value. Texas is also the largest hay producing state ahead of Missouri and South Dakota.
7. Texas Has the Largest State Capitol Building
Texas State Capitol is located in downtown Austin, Texas. It was constructed from 1882 to 1888. With approximately 566 feet in length, 288 feet in width, and 302.64 in height, Texas Capitol Building is the largest state capitol of all states in the United States. It’s also the sixth tallest and taller than the US Capitol in Washington DC. The Texas State Capitol is surrounded by 22 acres (8.9 ha) of grounds with statues and monuments.
8. Guadalupe Peak is the Highest Natural Point of Texas
With 8,751 feet (2,667 m) elevation, Guadalupe Peak is the highest natural point of Texas. Located in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Guadalupe Peak is part of the Guadalupe Mountains range that lies from the southeastern New Mexico to western Texas. Guadalupe Peak has 3,029 ft (923 m) topographical prominence above the arid floor of the Chihuahuan Desert.
9. Northern Mockingbird is the State Bird of Texas
In 1927, the northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) was designated as the official state bird of Texas. The northern mockingbird is a medium-sized songbird that commonly found in North America. It can live up to 8 years but some can live up to 20 years in captivity. Besides the state bird of Texas, the northern mockingbird is also the state bird of Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi and Tennessee.
10. Bluebonnet is the State Flower of Texas
Bluebonnet was designated as the state flower of Texas on March 7, 1901. The only species that was chosen is Lupinus subcarnosus. But it was revised in 1971 to include Lupinus texensis and “any other variety” of bluebonnet. So, any Bluebonnet species are now considered as the state bird of Texas. Since there are six species of Bluebonnet in Texas, we can call Texas has six species of state flower.
Since there are many interesting facts about Texas that we haven’t talked about here, it’s a good idea if you want to share any other interesting facts about Texas here.