Texas Information

The state of Texas stretches nearly 1,000 miles east to west. The extent from north to south is even greater. Texas is not only the second largest state after Alaska, but also one of the most populous with 25 million inhabitants. Its past as an independent nation has made Texans proud and freedom-loving citizens to this day. The national flag still bears the “Lone Star”, the coat of arms of the republic.

According to Topschoolsintheusa, the state’s vastness seems to have bred a culture of exaggeration. According to the Texans, everything here is bigger, better and more beautiful than anywhere else. The horns of the “Longhorns”, the fortunes of the oil barons, even the Dallas Cowboys’ former role as “America’s Team” are testaments to this sense of superiority. Whether this is justified is another question: the Texans do not like contradictions very much. Because the motto is simple. “Don’t mess with Texas.”

The history of Texas begins at the Alamo, a former Spanish mission and Mexican fort. When settlers took the fort in 1835, conflict with Mexico began, which was eventually won by a mercenary army led by Samuel Houston. In 1836 Texas became an independent republic. Incidentally, the national territory also included large parts of what is now New Mexico, Oklahoma, Colorado and Wyoming. In 1845, Texas was annexed to the United States, which again led to war with Mexico. It wasn’t until 1848 that the Mexicans gave up. In the second half of the 19th century, the heyday of large cattle trains began. Huge herds of “longhorns” – the cattle that the Spanish had introduced to America a few centuries earlier – roamed the country.

At the beginning of the second half of the 20th century, the second important industry on which the Texas economy is based was added: petroleum. Agriculture and the oil industry have brought great prosperity. You can see it in the fancy shops and expensive restaurants as well as in the excellent museums in Houston, Fort Worth and other Texan cities. These attract more and more visitors today, as does the still living image of the vast expanses of the prairie. A sunset on the horizon that seems infinitely far away is one of those impressions that you won’t soon forget.

Location and size
The state of Texas is located in the south-central USA and covers an area of ​​695,621 km² (almost twice the size of the Federal Republic of Germany). Texas shares its southern border with Mexico. Texas also borders the states of New Mexico to the west, Oklahoma to the north, Arkansas to the northeast, and Louisiana to the east.

Population
More than 27.5 million people live in Texas. The capital Austin has 885,000 inhabitants. The three cities of Houston, San Antonio and Dallas all have more than one million inhabitants. With 2.1 million inhabitants, Houston is the largest city in the country.

Arriving by Air
Texas has several international airports. The largest are Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), Houston (HOU) and Austin (AUS).

Climate
Despite the generally mild climate, the weather in the huge federal state varies considerably. The ideal time to travel is spring, when the days are pleasantly cool and the wildflowers are in full bloom. The summer months are very hot and humid. Heavy rains can also occur. A very good month to travel is October, as the temperatures are still very pleasant, but far cooler than in the summer. In the winter, Texas is often hit by snowstorms from the Great Plains.

Further climate tables can be found on the following pages for the respective destinations.

Big Bend National Park: The Wild Frontier

The 3,242 km² Big Bend National Park in southwest Texas (on the border with Mexico) is one of the most pristine and lonely areas of the USA. The park owes its name to the 90-degree bend in the border river Rio Grande before it flows into the Gulf from Mexico. The park offers something for everyone: there are 500m deep canyons, the pine-clad Chisos Mountains and numerous gorges, deserts and rivers. Equally unique are the flora and fauna of the region. The beauty of Big Bend National Park is the perfect blend of breathtaking scenery, Wild West nostalgia, and more than one Texas original that has to be seen to be believed.

Big Thicket National Preserve:

The nature reserve is a unique mix of mountains, plains, swamps and forests that are home to 15 different habitats, including marine ones. The area covers an area of ​​393 km2 and is located on the border with Louisiana.

Aransas National Wildlife Refuge

While sunbathers flock to the beaches of the Gulf Coast in winter, bird lovers flock further inland to the 180-acre Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1937 to protect wild bird populations along the Texas coast. In addition to the birds, armadillos, alligators, wild boar, coyotes, and deer can also be seen here. Aransas is very diverse, from the tidal marshlands to the turquoise waters of San Antonio Bay.

Padre Island National Seashore

Stretching 110 miles from Corpus Christi to the Mexican border, Padre Island is a narrow sandbar surrounded by resort towns on its north and south ends. The middle 105 km have been declared a National Seashore. There are hardly any roads and little infrastructure here, but pristine beaches. The region is ideal for surfing, swimming, hiking and fishing. With almost 800,000 visitors annually, Padre Island is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the country. Especially during the spring break, students from the North Midwest celebrate the end of their academic year with parties.