Population: 25,674.681 thousand people (2011)
Area: 696241.0 sq. km
The Lone Star State of Texas is second only to Alaska in territory and California in terms of population. The vast wealth of Texas has made it the leading agricultural, oil and gas, chemical, cattle breeding and financial center of the United States.
The toponym “Texas” is of Spanish origin. He, in turn, is a transformation of the Indian word “ally, friend” – “taisha”.
The southern part – the coast of the Gulf of Mexico – is occupied by plains, where a subtropical humid climate prevails. To the north, the Mexican lowland rises to the Edwards and Llano Estacado plateaus. The spurs of the Rocky Mountains occupy the western regions of Texas.
There are many rivers in Texas. All of them belong to the basin of the Gulf of Maksikan. The Rio Grande with its tributary the Pecos, Brazos, and Mississippi tributary the Red River are the deepest rivers in Texas. On the border with Louisiana, the area is swampy, forests are still preserved in the eastern regions, and the western districts lie in a semi-desert zone. The rest of the territory is occupied by steppes.
According to citypopulationreview.com, Texas was inhabited by Comanche, Cherokee, Apache, Caddo, Kiowa and other tribes. Europeans arrived in 1519 when the coastline was mapped, and in 1528 Nunez de Vaca, a Spanish conquistador, landed in Texas, where he lived for six years. Only in 1682 the first settlement appeared. By the end of the 18th century, most of the territory was part of New Spain, which achieved independence in 1821 under the name of the Mexican Empire. In 1836-46, part of the state belonged to the independent Republic of Texas. After the Mexican-American War, Texas became a US state.
The cultural attractions of Texas are concentrated in large cities. Dallas is famous for its arts district, where many museums, galleries, workshops, parks and gardens, entertainment centers, and hotels are located. Millions of tourists visit the San Antonio waterfront – a cultural and entertainment area with many interesting objects. The architecture of El Paso has Spanish features, and Houston is rich in universities. Many festivals are also held there: automobile, agricultural.
Abilene
Population: 115,300 thousand people (2004)
Area: 286.5 sq. km
Founded: 1881
City status since: 1882
Time zone: UTC-6, summer UTC-5
Altitude: 524 m
Abilene is located in central Texas, 240 kilometers west on Interstate 20 from Fort Worth and Dallas. The county seat of Taylor. The boundaries of the city are outlined by a ring road, which combines 5 highways diverging in 7 directions. See Texas counties.
In the middle of the 19th century, it was the terminus of the Chisholm railway line in Texas, and therefore was used by the owners of the surrounding ranchers as a point of shipment of their products to Kansas. The beginning of the formation of the modern city is attributed to the period of construction of the transport hub of the Texas-Pacific Railroad. By this time, the surrounding lands were already inhabited by buffalo hunters and retired soldiers from Fort Phantom Hill, who lost their defensive purpose after the Apache Indians left the Texas prairies in 1870.
The center of the oil and agricultural industry of the region. Large shopping center. Since 1914, the city has had its own Chamber of Commerce. At the beginning of the 20th century, the city administration laid the foundations for the development of education. Today, Abilene is home to 3 of the largest universities in the state.
The culture and traditions of Texas pastoralists are actively promoted at the annual city fairs and rodeos. And also in the museums of the wild west, Frontier Texas and Buffalo Gap, where the living conditions and atmosphere of the times of the first cowboys are restored. Historical attractions also include the park of the reconstructed Phantom Hill Fort, in the vicinity of Abilene.
City gems include the art deco 1936 Paramount Theatre, the Grace Museum of Fine Arts, the City Philharmonic, the Taylor County Coliseum, the 12th Armored Division Museum, and 29 Abilene parks.
The tallest building in the city is the 20-story Enterprise Building.
The Abilene Zoo contains several hundred animal species.
Every second Thursday of the month, ArtWalk is held in the city center. At this time, admission to all museums in the city is free. Craft workshops and art galleries often join the action.
AMARILLO
Population: 173,000 thousand people (2008)
Area: 239.9 sq. km
Founded: 1887
City status since: 1892
Time zone: UTC-6, summer UTC-5
Amarillo is a city in Potter County, located in the north of the state, on the territory of the so-called Texas salient. This region of the Great Plains is called the Llano Estacado and is characterized by low plateaus and vast valleys. Just 10 kilometers south of Amarillo is the second largest canyon in the United States and the Palo Duro National Park of the same name.
Amarillo is a major transportation hub. Moreover, not only railway lines and highways intersect here, but also pipelines. Amarillo is the most important economic center of Texas. Oil and gas deposits are being developed in the vicinity of the city. The largest deposits of helium were also found here, which is why the inhabitants of the city proclaimed Amarillo “the helium capital of the world.” Developed metallurgy, mechanical engineering, production of equipment for nuclear energy. In addition, Potter County is a significant agricultural center, where the leading place is occupied by animal husbandry, namely cattle breeding.
Amarillo’s history began in 1887 with the construction of a railroad yard from Fort Worth to Denver. At first it was a trading agrarian place. The discovery of oil and gas in the 1920s changed the fortunes of the city. Amarillo is not only an industrial and research center (nuclear and aerospace developments), but also a popular tourist destination.
West of Amarillo, Cadillac Ranch can be seen from the west along Route 40. This is an installation representing a group of up to half of the Cadillacs dug into the ground by the front part. To the east of Amarillo along the same highway is the Big Texan, a famous restaurant and motel where you can taste the famous Texas beef steak. This is a kind of symbol of the district. To the north of Amarillo is a natural and architectural object – Elibates Flint Mines. Mounds are located here, many sites and tools of ancient Indian cultures have been found.
In the city itself, you can visit the Don Harrington research center, on the territory of which there is a bizarre Helium Monument (1968), dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the discovery of this element. Other notable museums in Amarillo include the Museum of Art, the Texas Ledge Historical Museum, the Planetarium, and the American Riding Horse Hall of Fame.
