Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States of America and the largest city within the state of Texas.
As of the 2006 U.S. Census estimate, the city has a population of 2.14 million within an area of 600 square miles
(1,600 km²).
Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown
metropolitan area—the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. with a population of around 5.6 million.
Houston was founded on August 30, 1836 by brothers Augustus Chapman Allen and John Kirby Allen
on land near the banks of Buffalo Bayou.
The city was incorporated on June 5, 1837 and named after then-President of the Republic of Texas—
former General Sam Houston—who had commanded at the Battle of San Jacinto,
which took place 25 miles (40 km) east of where the city was established.
The burgeoning port and railroad industry, combined with oil discovery in 1901,
has induced continual surges in the city's population.
In the mid-twentieth century, Houston became the home of the Texas Medical Center—
the world's largest concentration of healthcare and research institutions—and NASA's Johnson Space Center,
where Mission Control Center is located.
Houston's economy has a broad industrial base in the energy, manufacturing, aeronautics, and technology;
only New York City is home to more Fortune 500 headquarters. Commercially, Houston is ranked as a gamma
world city, and the area is a leading center for building oilfield equipment.
The Port of Houston ranks first in the United States in international waterborne tonnage handled and
second in total cargo tonnage handled.
The city has a multicultural population with a large and growing international community.
It is home to many cultural institutions and exhibits—attracting more than 7 million visitors a year to the
Houston Museum District.
Houston has an active visual and performing arts scene in the Theater District and is one of five U.S. cities
that offer year-round resident companies in all major performing arts.
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OTHER POPULAR DESTINATIONS IN TEXAS
Abilene
Addison
Amarillo
Arlington
Austin
Beaumont
Corpus Christi
Dallas
El Paso
Fort Worth
Galveston
Houston
Irving
Laredo
Lewisville
Longview
Lubbock
McAllen
Mesquite
Midland
Plano
Richardson
Round Rock
San Antonio
South Padre Island
Waco
Wichita Falls