Texas | Map, Population, History, & Facts (2024)

Relief

Texas comprises a series of vast regions, from the fertile and densely populated Coastal Plains in the southeast to the high plains and mountains in the west and northwest. Stretching inland from the Gulf Coast, the Coastal Plains, encompassing about two-fifths of the state’s land area, range from sea level to about 1,000 feet (300 metres) in elevation. These flat, low prairies extend inland to form a fertile crescent that is well adapted to farming and cattle raising. Near the coast much land is marshy, almost swamp, except where drained by man-made devices.

The Coastal Plains ends at the Balcones Escarpment, where tremors have occurred. Northwest of this fault, the land extends into the Texas Hill Country and into the tablelands of the Edwards Plateau to the south and the North Central Plains to the north. The entire region varies from about 750 to 2,500 feet (200 to 750 metres) above sea level, and farming and livestock raising constitute the basic economy. In Hill Country there are small industries and recreational areas.

The North Plains subdivision, centred on Amarillo, depends on grain farming, ranching, oil, and small industries. The South Plains subdivision, with Lubbock as the principal city, has large underground water reservoirs that allow large-scale irrigated cotton farming.

At the western edge of the North Central Plains lies the Caprock Escarpment, an outcropping of rock that stretches to the north and south for about 200 miles (320 km). Beyond that escarpment lies the third largest region of Texas, the High Plains country, and to the south lies the Trans-Pecos region.

From the High Plains country of West Texas emerged many of the legends of Texas weather and of the Texas cowboy. On these plains, sandstorms are common. Many wide, flat riverbeds in the region remain dry most of the year, but they can become sluiceways for flash floods. In this region lies the flat, dry area known as the Llano Estacado (“Staked Plain”). According to legend, when traveling through the region in the mid-16th century, the Spanish expedition from New Spain (Mexico) led by Francisco Vázquez de Coronado laid down stakes to serve as guides for the return trip. Even Native Americans hesitated to venture across these lands.

The state’s most rugged terrain lies to the west of the Pecos River. Trailing down from the Rocky Mountains, the Guadalupe Mountains lead into Big Bend country, whose name is derived from a bend in the Rio Grande. The highest peak in Texas is Guadalupe Peak, which rises to 8,749 feet (2,667 metres) above sea level. Much of the native ruggedness of the region is preserved in Big Bend National Park.