The fact that Texas is the only state to have been an independent country before becoming part of the United States is not lost on this population. Texans are a very independent lot and justly proud of their very diverse state. There is really no typical Texan, from the oil fields of the Gulf, to the mountain desert reaches of the west to the intellectual setting of its capital at Austin - you'll find no one who easily fits into a convenient description for a Texan - except everyone is hospitable. Texas is a huge state that holds more to see and do than most countries. Its sheer size lends itself to many different cultures, climates and economic conditions. Texas is a fascinating state well worth seeing and experiencing - and for much more than just a few days.
Texas spans an area of 430,319km² (267,388 miles²) and after Alaska is the second largest state in the USA. The name Texas conjures up a host of colourful images: the Lone Star State, roamed by the heroes and villains of the wild frontiers, oil barons in 10 gallon Stetsons, Texan hospitality and South Western charm. Texans are proud of their rich heritage, but there is much more to Texas than its popular mythology. The present-day Texas is a sophisticated, cosmopolitan state with a population of approximately 18,378,000, where industry, commerce and tourism are thriving. Oil is the USA's most lucrative export, and most of it comes from Texas, where oil wells dot the landscape throughout the state.
First a Spanish and then a Mexican territory, the Hispanic influence is still very much in evidence in the people, food and architecture of Texas. The state, which was the 28th to join the United States, is bordered by the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico to the south east covering 1,004km (624 miles) of coastline. The Mexican desert stretches along the south west border, while around its northern borders can be found the states of New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. For the tourist, Texas holds many attractions, both natural and synthetic. It is a place where you can experience both splendid, pristine natural beauty and state-of-the-art technology. Texas offers an amazing diversity of natural environments from mountainous desert to high lying plains furrowed by canyons to fertile rolling hills to the lush, tropical Gulf Coast where date and banana palms abound.
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