Texas

==Geography==
{{main|Geography of Texas}}
[[File:Sam Rayburn Reservoir.jpg|thumb|[[Sam Rayburn Reservoir]]]]
[[File:Texas hill country.jpg|alt=|thumb|[[Texas Hill Country]]]]
Texas is the [[List of U.S. states and territories by area|second-largest]] U.S. state by area, after [[Alaska]], and the largest state within the [[contiguous United States]], at {{convert|268820|sqmi|km2}}. If it were an independent country, Texas would be the [[List of countries by area|39th-largest]].<ref>{{cite web|date=May 31, 2017|title=How Big is Texas Compared to Countries Around the World? Huge.|url=https://www.wideopencountry.com/how-big-is-texas/|access-date=December 28, 2020|website=Wide Open Country|language=en-US}}</ref> It ranks 27th worldwide amongst [[List of the largest country subdivisions by area|country subdivisions by size]].

Texas is in the [[South Central United States|south central]] part of the United States. The [[Rio Grande]] forms a natural border with the Mexican states of [[Chihuahua (state)|Chihuahua]], [[Coahuila]], [[Nuevo León]], and [[Tamaulipas]] to the south. The [[Red River of the South|Red River]] forms a natural border with Oklahoma and Arkansas to the north. The [[Sabine River (Texas-Louisiana)|Sabine River]] forms a natural border with Louisiana to the east. The [[Texas Panhandle]] has an eastern border with Oklahoma at [[100th meridian west|100° W]], a northern border with Oklahoma at [[Parallel 36°30' north|36°30' N]] and a western border with New Mexico at [[103rd meridian west|103° W]]. [[El Paso]] lies on the state's western tip at [[32nd parallel north|32° N]] and the Rio Grande.<ref name="comp1850" />

With 10 [[Köppen climate classification|climatic regions]], 14 [[Agricultural soil science|soil regions]] and 11 distinct [[Ecoregion|ecological regions]], regional classification becomes complicated with differences in soils, topography, geology, rainfall, and plant and animal communities.<ref name="Tx eco regions">{{cite web |url=http://www.texasep.org/html/lnd/lnd_1reg.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080603175718/http://www.texasep.org/html/lnd/lnd_1reg.html |archive-date=June 3, 2008 |title=Tx Environmental Profiles |access-date=July 14, 2006}}</ref> One classification system divides Texas, in order from southeast to west, into the following: [[Gulf Coastal Plains]], Interior Lowlands, [[Great Plains]], and Basin and Range Province.<ref name=":7">{{cite web|date=October 4, 2019|title=Physical Regions of Texas|url=https://texasalmanac.com/topics/environment/physical-regions-texas|access-date=December 28, 2020|website=texasalmanac.com}}</ref>

The Gulf Coastal Plains region wraps around the Gulf of Mexico on the southeast section of the state. Vegetation in this region consists of thick piney woods. The Interior Lowlands region consists of gently rolling to hilly forested land and is part of a larger pine-hardwood forest. The [[Cross Timbers|Cross Timbers region]] and [[Caprock Escarpment]] are part of the Interior Lowlands.<ref name=":7" />

[[File:Martin-Dies-Jr-State-Park.jpg|thumb|[[Steinhagen Reservoir]]]]

The Great Plains region in Central Texas spans through the state's [[Texas Panhandle|panhandle]] and [[Llano Estacado]] to the state's [[Texas Hill Country|hill country]] near [[Lago Vista, Texas|Lago Vista]] and [[Austin, Texas|Austin]]. This region is dominated by [[prairie]] and [[steppe]]. "Far West Texas" or the "[[Trans-Pecos]]" region is the state's Basin and Range Province. The most varied of the regions, this area includes Sand Hills, the [[Stockton Plateau]], desert valleys, wooded mountain slopes and desert grasslands.<ref>{{cite web|title=Texas Ecoregions |url=https://tpwd.texas.gov/education/hunter-education/online-course/wildlife-conservation/texas-ecoregions|access-date=December 28, 2020|website=Texas Parks & Wildlife Department |language=en-us}}</ref>

Texas has 3,700 named streams and 15 major rivers,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/landwater/water/habitats/rivers/ |title=Rivers in Texas |website=Tpwd.state.tx.us |date=November 16, 2007 |access-date=April 11, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite Handbook of Texas |first=Hal P. |last=Bybee |id=rnr07 |title=Rivers |date=June 15, 2010}}</ref> with the [[Rio Grande]] as the largest. Other major rivers include the [[Pecos River|Pecos]], the [[Brazos River|Brazos]], [[Colorado River (Texas)|Colorado]], and [[Red River of the South|Red River]]. While Texas has few natural lakes, Texans have built more than a hundred [[List of lakes in Texas|artificial reservoirs]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/recreational/lakes/lakelist.phtml |title=Alphabetical List of Texas Lakes |website=Tpwd.state.tx.us |date=January 28, 2010 |access-date=April 11, 2010}}</ref>

The size and unique history of Texas make its regional affiliation debatable; it can be considered a Southern or a Southwestern state, or both. The vast geographic, economic, and cultural diversity within the state itself prohibits easy categorization of the whole state into a [[List of regions of the United States|recognized region of the United States]]. Notable extremes range from [[East Texas]] which is often considered an extension of the [[Deep South]], to [[Trans-Pecos|Far West Texas]] which is generally acknowledged to be part of the [[Southwestern United States|interior Southwest]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.texasmonthly.com/the-daily-post/is-texas-southern-western-or-truly-a-lone-star/ |website=[[Texas Monthly]] |title=Is Texas Southern, Western, or Truly a Lone Star? |last=Nova Lomax |first=John |date=March 3, 2015 |access-date=September 6, 2016}}</ref>

===Geology===
{{main|Geology of Texas}}
[[File:Palo Duro lighthouse.jpg|alt=|thumb|[[Palo Duro Canyon]]]]
[[File:Summitanthonysnose1b.jpg|thumb|[[Franklin Mountains State Park]]]]
[[File:Big Bend National Park PB112599.jpg|thumb|[[Big Bend National Park]]]]
Texas is the southernmost part of the Great Plains, which ends in the south against the folded [[Sierra Madre Occidental]] of Mexico. The [[continental crust]] forms a stable [[Mesoproterozoic]] [[craton]] which changes across a broad continental margin and transitional crust into true [[oceanic crust]] of the Gulf of Mexico. The oldest rocks in Texas date from the Mesoproterozoic and are about 1,600&nbsp;million years old.<ref>{{cite web|title=Geology|url=https://www.nhnct.org/geology/geo1.html|access-date=December 28, 2020|website=nhnct.org}}</ref>

This margin existed until [[Laurasia]] and [[Gondwana]] collided in the [[Pennsylvanian (geology)|Pennsylvanian]] subperiod to form [[Pangea]].<ref>{{cite web|date=2016|title=Late Cretaceous and Tertiary Burial History, Central Texas|url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56e481e827d4bdfdac7fbe0f/t/58c1e3fac534a59cc49605f6/1489101856226/Rose%2C+P.%2C+2016%2C+Late+Cretaceous+and+Tertiary+Burial+History%2C+Central+Texas%2C+GCAGS.pdf|access-date=December 28, 2020|website=gcags.org|quote=Fault displacement decreases steadily to the north of Austin and to the west of San Antonio; Balcones faulting dies out about halfway between Waco and Dallas, and about halfway between Uvalde and Del Rio.}}</ref> Pangea began to break up in the [[Triassic]], but [[seafloor spreading]] to form the Gulf of Mexico occurred only in the mid- and [[late Jurassic]]. The shoreline shifted again to the eastern margin of the state and the Gulf of Mexico's passive margin began to form. Today {{convert|9|to|12|mi|km|0}} of sediments are buried beneath the Texas continental shelf and a large proportion of remaining US [[oil reserves]] are here. The incipient Gulf of Mexico basin was restricted and seawater often evaporated completely to form thick [[evaporite]] deposits of Jurassic age. These salt deposits formed [[salt dome]] [[diapir]]s, and are found in East Texas along the Gulf coast.<ref name="DiaperGrowth">{{cite conference |last=Muzzafar |first=Asif |title=Timing of Diapir Growth and Cap Rock Formation, Davis Hill Salt Dome, Coastal Texas |url=https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2001AM/finalprogram/abstract_24852.htm |conference=GSA Annual Meeting, November 5–8, 2001 |publisher=The Geological Society of America |access-date=July 22, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080907164932/http://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2001AM/finalprogram/abstract_24852.htm |archive-date=September 7, 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

East Texas outcrops consist of [[Cretaceous]] and [[Paleogene]] sediments which contain important deposits of [[Eocene]] [[lignite]]. The Mississippian and Pennsylvanian sediments in the north; Permian sediments in the west; and Cretaceous sediments in the east, along the Gulf coast and out on the Texas [[continental shelf]] contain oil. [[Oligocene]] [[volcanic]] rocks are found in far west Texas in the [[Big Bend, Texas|Big Bend]] area. A blanket of [[Miocene]] sediments known as the [[Ogallala Aquifer|Ogallala formation]] in the western high plains region is an important [[aquifer]].<ref name="Ogallala">{{cite web |url=http://www.npwd.org/new_page_2.htm |title=Ogallala Aquifer |access-date=July 23, 2008 |publisher=North Plains Groundwater Conservation District |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080704071707/http://www.npwd.org/new_page_2.htm |archive-date=July 4, 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Located far from an active [[plate tectonic]] boundary, Texas has no [[volcanoes]] and few earthquakes.<ref name="earthquakes">{{cite web |url=https://www.ig.utexas.edu/research/projects/eq/compendium/earthquakes.htm |title=Earthquakes |access-date=July 23, 2008 |publisher=Jackson School of Geosciences—University of Texas |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080501011850/http://www.ig.utexas.edu/research/projects/eq/compendium/earthquakes.htm |archive-date=May 1, 2008}}</ref>

===Wildlife===
{{see also|List of mammals of Texas|List of birds of Texas|List of reptiles of Texas|List of amphibians of Texas}}
Texas is the home to 65 species of mammals, 213 species of reptiles and amphibians, including the [[American green tree frog]], and the greatest diversity of bird life in the United States—590 native species in all.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://wildtexas.com/wildguides/ |title=Texas Wildlife Identification & Viewing Guide |website=Wildtexas.com |date=December 3, 2010 |access-date=April 18, 2013 |archive-date=May 24, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130524001544/http://www.wildtexas.com/wildguides/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> At least 12 species have been introduced and now reproduce freely in Texas.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot1/txmammal.htm |title=Texas Mammals |website=The Mammals of Texas—Online Edition |publisher=Natural Science Research Laboratory—Museum of Texas Tech University |access-date=April 18, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130508130445/http://www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot1/txmammal.htm |archive-date=May 8, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Texas plays host to several species of [[wasp]]s, including an abundance of ''[[Polistes exclamans]]'',<ref name="Range Extension">{{cite journal |first=Mary Jane |last=West |year=1968 |title=Range Extension and Solitary nest founding in Polistes Exclamans |journal=[[Psyche (entomological journal)|Psyche]] |volume=75 |issue=2 |pages=118–123 |doi=10.1155/1968/49846|doi-access=free }}</ref> and is an important ground for the study of ''[[Polistes annularis]]''.<ref>{{cite thesis|last=Nacko|first=Scott|date=May 2017|title=Occurrence and Phenology of Polistine Wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in Southern Louisiana|type=MS thesis |publisher=Louisiana State University |url=https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5594&context=gradschool_theses|access-date=December 28, 2020 |doi=10.31390/gradschool_theses.4593 |via=LSU Digital Commons|doi-access=free}}</ref>

During the spring Texas [[wildflowers]] such as the state flower, the [[Lupinus texensis|bluebonnet]], line highways throughout Texas. During the Johnson Administration the first lady, [[Lady Bird Johnson]], worked to draw attention to Texas wildflowers.<ref>{{cite web|title=Lady Bird Johnson's I-95 Landscape-Landmark Tour – Highway History – FHWA – General Highway History – Highway History – Federal Highway Administration|url=https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/ladybird.cfm|access-date=December 28, 2020|website=fhwa.dot.gov}}</ref>

===Climate===
{{main|Climate of Texas}}
[[File:Texas Köppen.svg|thumb|upright=1.35|left|Köppen climate types in Texas]]
The large size of Texas and its location at the intersection of multiple [[Köppen climate classification|climate zones]] gives the state highly variable weather. The [[Texas Panhandle|Panhandle]] of the state has colder winters than North Texas, while the Gulf Coast has mild winters. Texas has wide variations in precipitation patterns. El Paso, on the western end of the state, averages {{convert|8.7|in|mm}} of annual rainfall,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=7227&refer=&cityname=El-Paso-Texas-United-States-of-America |title=El Paso, Texas Travel Weather Averages |publisher=Weatherbase |access-date=April 18, 2013}}</ref> while parts of southeast Texas average as much as {{convert|64|in|mm}} per year.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=86614&refer=&cityname=Mauriceville-Texas-United-States-of-America |title=Mauriceville, Texas Travel Weather Averages |publisher=Weatherbase |access-date=April 18, 2013}}</ref> Dallas in the North Central region averages a more moderate {{convert|37|in|mm}} per year.<ref>{{cite web|title=Weather averages Dallas-DFW Intl Arpt, Texas|url=https://www.usclimatedata.com/climate/dallas-dfw-intl-arpt/texas/united-states/ustx0328|access-date=December 28, 2020|website=usclimatedata.com}}</ref>

Snow falls multiple times each winter in the Panhandle and mountainous areas of West Texas, once or twice a year in North Texas, and once every few years in Central and East Texas. Snow falls south of San Antonio or on the coast only in rare circumstances. Of note is the [[2004 Christmas Eve snowstorm]], when {{convert|6|in|mm}} of snow fell as far south as [[Kingsville, Texas|Kingsville]], where the average high temperature in December is 65&nbsp;°F.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KNQI/2008/12/24/DailyHistory.html?req_city=NA&req_state=NA&req_statename=NA |title=History: Weather Underground |website=Wunderground.com |date=December 24, 2008 |access-date=April 11, 2010}}</ref>

Night-time summer temperatures range from the upper 50s °F (14&nbsp;°C) in the West Texas mountains to {{convert|80|°F|°C|0}} in Galveston.<ref name="weather2">{{cite web |title=Monthly Averages for Marfa, Texas |publisher=The Weather Channel |url=https://www.weather.com/outlook/recreation/outdoors/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USTX0830?from=search |access-date=October 15, 2008}}</ref><ref name="weather3">{{cite web |title=Monthly Averages for Galveston, Texas |publisher=The Weather Channel |url=https://www.weather.com/outlook/recreation/outdoors/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USTX0499?from=search |access-date=October 15, 2008}}</ref>

The table below consists of averages for August (generally the warmest month) and January (generally the coldest) in selected cities in various regions of the state.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:auto;"
|+Average daily maximum and minimum temperatures for selected cities in Texas<ref name="Texas climate averages">{{cite web |url=https://www.weatherbase.com/weather/city.php3?c=US&s=TX&statename=Texas-United-States-of-America |title=Texas climate averages |publisher=Weatherbase |access-date=November 10, 2015}}</ref>
|-
!Location
!August (°F)
!August (°C)
!January (°F)
!January (°C)
|-
|[[Houston]]|| 94/75 || 34/24 || 63/54 || 17/12
|-
|[[San Antonio]]|| 96/74 || 35/23 || 63/40 || 17/5
|-
|[[Dallas]]|| 96/77 || 36/25 || 57/37 || 16/3
|-
|[[Austin, Texas|Austin]]|| 97/74 || 36/23 || 61/45 || 16/5
|-
|[[El Paso, Texas|El Paso]]|| 92/67 || 33/21 || 57/32 || 14/0
|-
|[[Laredo, Texas|Laredo]]|| 100/77 || 37/25 || 67/46 || 19/7
|-
|[[Amarillo, Texas|Amarillo]]|| 89/64 || 32/18 || 50/23 || 10/−4
|-
|[[Brownsville, Texas|Brownsville]]|| 94/76 || 34/24 || 70/51 || 21/11
|}

====Storms====
{{see also|List of Texas hurricanes}}
[[Thunderstorm]]s strike Texas often, especially the eastern and northern portions of the state. [[Tornado Alley]] covers the northern section of Texas. The state experiences the most [[tornado]]es in the United States, an average of 139 a year. These strike most frequently in North Texas and the Panhandle.<ref name="Annual average number of tornadoes">[https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/img/climate/research/tornado/small/avgt5304.gif NOOA.gov] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170423020857/https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/img/climate/research/tornado/small/avgt5304.gif |date=April 23, 2017}} National Climatic Data Center. Retrieved on October 24, 2006.</ref> Tornadoes in Texas generally occur in April, May, and June.<ref name="TexasWeather">{{cite Handbook of Texas|id=yzw01|title=Weather |first=George W. |last=Bomar |date=June 15, 2010}}</ref>

Some of the most destructive hurricanes in U.S. history have impacted Texas. A hurricane in 1875 killed about 400 people in [[Indianola, Texas|Indianola]], followed by [[1886 Indianola hurricane|another hurricane]] in 1886 that destroyed the town. These events allowed [[Galveston, Texas|Galveston]] to take over as the chief port city. The [[1900 Galveston hurricane]] subsequently devastated that city, killing about 8,000 people or possibly as many as 12,000 in the deadliest [[natural disaster]] in U.S. history.<ref name="deadhurr">{{cite web |last1=Blake |first1=Eric S. |last2=Rappaport |first2=Edward N. |last3=Landsea |first3=Christopher W. |title=The Deadliest, Costliest, and Most Intense United States Tropical Cyclones From 1851 to 2006 |publisher=National Weather Service: National Hurricane Center |date=April 15, 2007 |url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/NWS-TPC-5.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231217022106/https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/NWS-TPC-5.pdf |archive-date= Dec 17, 2023 }}</ref> In 2017, [[Hurricane Harvey]] made landfall in [[Rockport, Texas|Rockport]] as a Category&nbsp;4 Hurricane, causing significant damage there. Its unprecedented amounts of rain over the [[Greater Houston]] area resulted in widespread and catastrophic flooding that inundated hundreds of thousands of homes. Harvey ultimately became the costliest hurricane worldwide, causing an estimated $198.6&nbsp;billion in damage, surpassing the cost of [[Hurricane Katrina]].<ref name="198billion">{{cite report|first1=Michael |last1=Hicks |first2=Mark |last2=Burton|publisher=Ball State University|date=September 8, 2017|access-date=November 1, 2017|title=Hurricane Harvey: Preliminary Estimates of Commercial and Public Sector Damages on the Houston Metropolitan Area|url=https://projects.cberdata.org/reports/HurricaneHarvey2017.pdf}}</ref>

Other devastating Texas hurricanes include the [[1915 Galveston hurricane]], [[Hurricane Audrey]] in 1957, [[Hurricane Carla]] in 1961, [[Hurricane Beulah]] in 1967, [[Hurricane Alicia]] in 1983, [[Hurricane Rita]] in 2005, and [[Hurricane Ike]] in 2008. [[Tropical cyclone|Tropical storms]] have also caused their share of damage: [[Tropical Storm Allison (1989)|Allison]] in 1989 and again [[Tropical Storm Allison|during 2001]], [[Tropical Storm Claudette (1979)|Claudette]] in 1979, and [[Tropical Storm Imelda|Tropical Storm Imelda in 2019.]]<ref>{{cite web|last=Levin|first=Matt|date=June 15, 2015|title=Here's how tropical storms have impacted Texas in the past 35 years|url=https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Here-s-how-tropical-storms-have-impacted-Texas-in-6328173.php|access-date=December 28, 2020|website=Chron|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=June 4, 2020|title=Tropical Storm Allison blew through Houston 19 years ago|url=https://abc13.com/timely-tropical-storm-allison-houston-hurricane/2075243|access-date=December 28, 2020|newspaper=Abc13 Houston}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Levin|first=Matt|date=May 29, 2015|title=Tropical Storm Claudette: The 'Mother Lode' of floods|url=https://www.chron.com/news/houston-weather/article/Remembering-Tropical-Storm-Claudette-The-Mother-6295177.php|access-date=December 28, 2020|website=Chron|language=en-US}}</ref>

There is no substantial physical barrier between Texas and the [[Polar regions of Earth|polar region]]. Although it is unusual, it is possible for arctic or polar [[air mass]]es to penetrate Texas,<ref>{{cite news|title=Casualty|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-47088684|date=February 1, 2019|access-date=February 12, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Polar vortex: What is it and how does it happen? |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-47065461/polar-vortex-what-is-it-and-how-does-it-happen |date=January 30, 2019|website=[[BBC News]] video|access-date=January 31, 2019}}</ref> as occurred during the [[February 13–17, 2021 North American winter storm]].<ref name="UI">{{cite web |author1=Department of Atmospheric Sciences (DAS) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. |title=Continental Polar Air Masses |url=http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/af/arms/artc.rxml |access-date=February 21, 2021}}</ref><ref name="WP021621">{{cite news |author1=Tom Niziol |title=The lethal atmospheric setup behind a deadly Arctic outbreak: How ingredients came together for an onslaught of bone-chilling temperatures and a barrage of storms |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/02/16/setup-arctic-outbreak-niziol/ |access-date=February 21, 2021 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=February 16, 2021}}</ref> Usually, prevailing winds in North America will push polar air masses to the southeast before they reach Texas. Because such intrusions are rare, and, perhaps, unexpected, they may result in crises such as the [[2021 Texas power crisis]].

===Greenhouse gases===
{{main|Climate change in Texas}}
{{As of|2017}}, Texas emitted the most [[greenhouse gas]]es in the U.S.<ref name="eia17">{{cite web |title=Rankings: Total Carbon Dioxide Emissions, 2017 |url=https://www.eia.gov/state/rankings/?sid=TX#/series/226 |publisher=U.S. Energy Information Administration |access-date=January 14, 2020 |date=2017}}</ref> {{As of|2017}} the state emits about {{convert|707|e6t|e9lb|abbr=off|sp=us|order=flip}} of carbon dioxide annually.<ref name="eia17" /> As an independent state, Texas would rank as the world's seventh-largest producer of greenhouse gases.<ref name="GH2">{{cite news |title=Texas No. 1 producer of greenhouse gases |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/060307dnnatemissions.3c1df3a.html |agency=[[Associated Press]] |newspaper=The Dallas Morning News |date=June 3, 2007 |access-date=June 11, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080919052620/http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/060307dnnatemissions.3c1df3a.html |archive-date=September 19, 2008}}</ref> Causes of the state's vast greenhouse gas emissions include the state's large number of [[Fossil fuel power plant|coal power plants]] and the state's refining and manufacturing industries.<ref name="GH2" /> In 2010, there were 2,553 "emission events" which poured {{convert|44.6|e6lb|t|abbr=off|sp=us}} of contaminants into the Texas sky.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=January 16, 2021|title=Living, and coughing, downwind of Texas smoke stacks|url=https://phys.org/news/2011-11-downwind-texas-stacks.html|website=phys.org|agency=Agence France-Presse}}</ref>

===Administrative divisions===
{{see also|List of counties in Texas|List of Texas metropolitan areas|List of municipalities in Texas}}
{| class="wikitable floatright" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! colspan="2" |[[List of municipalities in Texas|Largest city in Texas]] by year<ref name="Census Largest Cities">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0027/tab01.txt |title=100 Largest Cities by Decade |publisher=U.S. Bureau of the Census |date=June 15, 1998}}</ref>
|-
! Year(s)
! City
|-
| 1850–1870 ||[[San Antonio]]<ref name="SATX TSHA">{{cite Handbook of Texas |id=hds02 |title=San Antonio, TX |first=T. R. |last=Fehrenbach |orig-year=June 15, 2010 |date=March 30, 2017}}</ref>
|-
| 1870–1890 ||[[Galveston, Texas|Galveston]]<ref>{{cite Handbook of Texas |id=hdg01 |title=Galveston, TX |first=David G. |last=McComb |orig-year=June 15, 2010 |date=May 5, 2016}}</ref>
|-
| 1890–1900 ||[[Dallas]]<ref name="Census Largest Cities" />
|-
| 1900–1930 ||[[San Antonio]]<ref name="SATX TSHA" />
|-
| 1930–present ||[[Houston]]<ref>{{cite Handbook of Texas |id=hdh03 |title=Houston, TX |first=David G. |last=McComb |orig-year=June 15, 2010 |date=February 15, 2017}}</ref>
|}
[[File:Dirt road texas.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|[[Colonia (United States)|Colonia]] in the [[Rio Grande Valley (Texas)|Rio Grande Valley]] near the [[Mexico–United States border]]]]
The state has three cities with populations exceeding one million: Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas.<ref name="PopEstBigCities">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/popest/cities/tables/SUB-EST2006–01.csv |title=Table 1: Annual Estimates of the Population for Incorporated Places Over 100,000, Ranked by July 1, 2006 Population: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006 |format=[[comma-separated values|CSV]] |website=2005 Population Estimates |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]], Population Division |date=June 10, 2008 |access-date=June 10, 2008}} {{dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> These three rank among the 10 most populous cities of the United States. As of 2020, six Texas cities had populations greater than 600,000. Austin, Fort Worth, and El Paso are among the 20 [[List of United States cities by population|largest U.S. cities]]. Texas has four [[List of Texas metropolitan areas|metropolitan areas]] with populations greater than a million: {{nowrap|[[Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex|Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington]]}}, {{nowrap|[[Greater Houston|Houston–Sugar Land–The Woodlands]]}}, {{nowrap|[[Greater San Antonio|San Antonio–New Braunfels]]}}, and {{nowrap|[[Greater Austin|Austin–Round Rock–San Marcos]]}}. The Dallas–Fort Worth and Houston metropolitan areas number about 7.5 million and 7 million residents as of 2019, respectively.<ref>{{cite web|last=Bureau|first=US Census|title=Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas Totals: 2010–2019|url=https://www.census.gov/data/datasets/time-series/demo/popest/2010s-total-metro-and-micro-statistical-areas.html|access-date=December 28, 2020|website=The United States Census Bureau|language=en-US}}</ref>

Three [[Interstate Highway System|interstate highways]]—[[Interstate 35 (Texas)|I-35]] to the west (Dallas–Fort Worth to San Antonio, with Austin in between), [[Interstate 45 (Texas)|I-45]] to the east (Dallas to Houston), and [[Interstate 10 (Texas)|I-10]] to the south (San Antonio to Houston) define the [[Texas Urban Triangle]] region. The region of {{convert|60000|sqmi|km2|sigfig=2}} contains most of the state's largest cities and metropolitan areas as well as 17 million people, nearly 75 percent of Texas's total population.<ref name="urbantriangle">{{cite web|last=Neuman |first=Michael |title=The Texas Urban Triangle: Framework for Future Growth |publisher=Southwest Region University Transportation Center (SWUTC) |url=http://swutc.tamu.edu/projectdescriptions/167166.htm |access-date=October 14, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090705231054/https://swutc.tamu.edu/projectdescriptions/167166.htm |archive-date=July 5, 2009}}</ref> Houston and Dallas have been recognized as [[global city|world cities]].<ref name="worldcities">{{cite web |title=The World According to GaWC 2008 |website=Globalization and World Cities Research Network |access-date=March 1, 2009 |url=http://www.lboro.ac.uk/gawc/world2008t.html}}</ref> These cities are spread out amongst the state.<ref>{{cite web |title=Distance Houston to Dallas – Air line, driving route, midpoint|url=https://www.distance.to/Houston/Dallas|access-date=December 28, 2020|website=distance.to|language=en-us}}</ref>

In contrast to the cities, unincorporated rural settlements known as [[Colonia (border settlement)|colonia]]s often lack basic infrastructure and are marked by poverty.<ref name="Colonias">{{cite web |url=http://www.sos.state.tx.us/border/colonias/faqs.shtml |title=Colonias FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions) |access-date=October 12, 2008 |author=Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Office of Community Affairs |publisher=Texas Secretary of State |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081009044415/http://www.sos.state.tx.us/border/colonias/faqs.shtml |archive-date=October 9, 2008}}</ref> The office of the Texas Attorney General stated, in 2011, that Texas had about 2,294 colonias, and estimates about 500,000 lived in the colonias. [[Hidalgo County, Texas|Hidalgo County]], as of 2011, has the largest number of colonias.<ref name="Grinberg">Grinberg, Emmanuella. "[http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/07/05/texas.colonias/index.html?hpt=hp_c1 Impoverished border town grows from shacks into community]". [[CNN]]. July 8, 2011. Retrieved on July 9, 2011.</ref> Texas has the largest number of people living in [[colonia (United States)|colonias]] of all states.<ref name="Colonias" />

Texas has [[List of counties in Texas|254 counties]], more than any other state.<ref>{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=REtEXQNWq6MC&pg=PA215 |title=Historical Gazetteer of the United States|chapter=Georgia|first=Paul T.|last=Hellmann|date=February 14, 2006 |publisher=Routledge |access-date=February 16, 2017|isbn=978-1135948597}}</ref> Each county runs on [[Commissioners' Court]] system consisting of four elected commissioners (one from each of four precincts in the county, roughly divided according to population) and a county judge elected at large from the entire county. County government runs similar to a "weak" [[mayor-council]] system; the county judge has no veto authority, but votes along with the other commissioners.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Texas County Government|url=https://co.jefferson.tx.us/prct1/TAC_brochure.pdf|access-date=December 28, 2020|website=co.jefferson.tx.us}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Texas county judge|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Texas_county_judge|access-date=December 28, 2020|website=Ballotpedia}}</ref>

Although Texas permits cities and counties to enter "interlocal agreements" to share services, the state does not allow [[consolidated city-county]] governments, nor does it have [[metropolitan government]]s. Counties are not granted [[home rule]] status; their powers are strictly defined by state law. The state does not have townships—areas within a county are either incorporated or unincorporated. Incorporated areas are part of a municipality. The county provides limited services to unincorporated areas and to some smaller incorporated areas. Municipalities are classified either "general law" cities or "home rule".<ref name="homerule">{{cite thesis |last=McDonald |first=John V. |title=An Analysis of Texas' Municipal Home Rule Charters Since 1994" |date=August 2000 |publisher=Texas State University |url=http://ecommons.txstate.edu/arp/124/ |access-date=October 14, 2008 |archive-date=March 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304010149/http://ecommons.txstate.edu/arp/124/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> A municipality may elect home rule status once it exceeds 5,000 population with voter approval.<ref>{{cite web|title=Home Rule |url=https://centertexas.org/city-council/home-rule|access-date=December 28, 2020|website=centertexas.org}}</ref>

Texas also permits the creation of "special districts", which provide limited services. The most common is the [[school district]], but can also include hospital districts, community college districts, and utility districts. Municipal, school district, and special district elections are [[Non-partisan democracy|nonpartisan]],<ref name="reqvote">{{cite web|title=Run for Party Nomination to Public Office |website=Texas Politics |publisher=University of Texas |url=http://texaspolitics.laits.utexas.edu/4_6_2.html |access-date=October 12, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090318023922/http://texaspolitics.laits.utexas.edu/4_6_2.html |archive-date=March 18, 2009 }}</ref> though the party affiliation of a candidate may be well-known. County and state elections are partisan.<ref>{{Cite web|date=February 2008|title=County Elections – Partisan or Non-Partisan? State by State|url=https://www.pinellascounty.org/charter/pdf/County-elections-partisan-or-non-partisan.pdf|access-date=December 28, 2020|website=pinellascounty.org|archive-date=January 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126210054/https://www.pinellascounty.org/charter/pdf/County-elections-partisan-or-non-partisan.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

{{Largest cities
| country = Texas
| stat_ref = 2022 U.S. Census Bureau Estimate<ref name=2010Census>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/tables/2010-2019/cities/totals/SUB-IP-EST2019-ANNRES-48.xlsx |title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places in Texas: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2019 (SUB-IP-EST2019-ANNRES-48) |date=May 21, 2020 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]], Population Division |access-date=December 23, 2022}}</ref>
| list_by_pop =
| div_name =
| div_link = Counties of Texas{{!}}County
| city_1 = Houston
| div_1 = Harris County, Texas{{!}}Harris
| pop_1 = 2,302,878
| img_1 = Aerial views of the Houston, Texas, skyline in 2014 LCCN2014632225.tif
| city_2 = San Antonio
| div_2 = Bexar County, Texas{{!}}Bexar
| pop_2 = 1,472,909
| img_2 = Gfp-texas-san-antonio-tall-buildings.jpg
| city_3 = Dallas
| div_3 = Dallas County, Texas{{!}}Dallas
| pop_3 = 1,299,544
| img_3 = View of Dallas from Reunion Tower August 2015 13.jpg
| city_4 = Austin, Texas{{!}}Austin
| div_4 = Travis County, Texas{{!}}Travis
| pop_4 = 974,447
| img_4 = Downtown Austin from Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge, October 2022.jpg
| city_5 = Fort Worth
| div_5 = Tarrant County, Texas{{!}}Tarrant
| pop_5 = 956,709
| img_5 =
| city_6 = El Paso
| div_6 = El Paso County, Texas{{!}}El Paso
| pop_6 = 677,456
| img_6 =
| city_7 = Arlington, Texas{{!}}Arlington
| div_7 = Tarrant County, Texas{{!}}Tarrant
| pop_7 = 394,602
| img_7 =
| city_8 = Corpus Christi, Texas{{!}}Corpus Christi
| div_8 = Nueces County, Texas{{!}}Nueces
| pop_8 = 316,239
| img_8 =
| city_9 = Plano, Texas{{!}}Plano
| div_9 = Collin County, Texas{{!}}Collin
| pop_9 = 289,547
| img_9 =
| city_10 = Lubbock, Texas{{!}}Lubbock
| div_10 = Lubbock County, Texas{{!}}Lubbock
| pop_10 = 263,930
| img_10 =
| city_11 = Laredo, Texas{{!}}Laredo
| div_11 = Webb County, Texas{{!}}Webb
| pop_11 = 256,187
| img_11 =
| city_12 = Irving, Texas{{!}}Irving
| div_12 = Dallas County, Texas{{!}}Dallas
| pop_12 = 254,715
| img_12 =
| city_13 = Garland, Texas{{!}}Garland
| div_13 = Dallas County, Texas{{!}}Dallas
| pop_13 = 240,854
| img_13 =
| city_14 = Frisco, Texas{{!}}Frisco
| div_14 = Collin County, Texas{{!}}Collin
| pop_14 = 219,587
| img_14 =
| city_15 = McKinney, Texas{{!}}McKinney
| div_15 = Collin County, Texas{{!}}Collin
| pop_15 = 207,507
| img_15 =
| city_16 = Grand Prairie, Texas{{!}}Grand Prairie
| div_16 = Dallas County, Texas{{!}}Dallas
| pop_16 = 201,843
| img_16 =
| city_17 = Amarillo, Texas{{!}}Amarillo
| div_17 = Potter County, Texas{{!}}Potter
| pop_17 = 201,291
| img_17 =
| city_18 = Brownsville, Texas{{!}}Brownsville
| div_18 = Cameron County, Texas{{!}}Cameron
| pop_18 = 189,382
| img_18 =
| city_19 = Killeen, Texas{{!}}Killeen
| div_19 = Bell County, Texas{{!}}Bell
| pop_19 = 159,172
| img_19 =
| city_20 = Denton, Texas{{!}}Denton
| div_20 = Denton County, Texas{{!}}Denton
| pop_20 = 150,353
| img_20 =
}}