Want to know more about Texas? Here are 25 Interesting Facts about Texas that you probably didn’t know before reading this!
To make this even more fun, I want to challenge you as well. How many of these Texas facts did you know before reading this? Share your result in the comment section!
1. Six nations have ruled over Texas
Throughout history, a total of six nations have raised their flag over Texas. These are Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the Confederate States of America, and last but not least the United States.
2. Texas is larger than any European country
The US is a big country with 50 states plus other jurisdictions, and Texas is the second biggest state in the U.S. If it was its own country, it would be ranked as the 39th largest country in the world!
3. It is the second most populous state in America
California is the most populous state in the US, but Texas is second with a total population of 28,701,845, which means that almost 10% of all Americans live in the state.
This means that Y’all are likely to meet a fellow Texan while traveling in the US.
Photo: David Gilder / Shutterstock.com
4. There are 139 tornadoes on average a year
Texas is a stormy state and on average, the Texans will have to endure 139 (!) tornadoes every year.
It’s the most tornado-prone state in the US. If a tornado is coming your way, take shelter. If you live in a trailer or mobile home, leave ASAP. If you happen to be at school, just follow the safety procedures.
Always remember to stay away from the windows. Protect yourself with a mattress and pillows.
Photo: Minerva Studio/Shutterstock
5. Dr Pepper was invented here
Do you love Dr. Pepper? It is one of the most distinct beverages in the world, and most people either hate it or love it. Anyhow, it’s a Texan invention!
Photo: Constantin Iosif / Shutterstock.com
6. Houston is the largest city, but Austin is the capital
Houston has the largest population in the state and it’s one of the most populated cities in the U.S, but it’s still Austin (previously named Waterloo) that gets to be the Texan capital.
The city of Austin is well known for its food, music, and art scenes. And there are plenty of things to do in Austin as well as in Houston.
7. Texas uses its own power grid
If the power grid of the US would collapse, Texans wouldn’t be without electricity unless their power grid collapsed as well.
The grid is known as ERCOT, and it is run by Electric Reliability Council of Texas. It is not wholly disconnected though, and if there is a blackout, they can import power from other places, for example, Mexico like they did during the last blackout.
It is also tied to the US power grid but the Texan grid is not under federal regulations.
8. Austin has the fastest road in the U.S
Highway 130 between Austin and Seguin has an 85 mph speed limit! If you like to drive fast, now you know where to go besides Germany and their Autobahn.
9. Home to the amusement park Six Flags
If you love amusement parks, this is one of the Texas facts that you will enjoy the most to learn if you didn’t already know. The world-famous amusement park of Six Flags is located in the state.
The amusement park is famous for its crazy and thrilling rollercoaster.
Photo: Popova Marina / Shutterstock.com
10. It was an independent nation from 1836 to 1845
The Republic of Texas ruled as an independent nation between the years of 1836–1845.
11. Several groups of Native Americans used to live here
Like most places in the US, it was inhabited by native people from different tribes before the Europeans came. The largest of the Texan native tribes was the Caddo.
12. The Texas Rangers is the oldest statewide law enforcement agency
Texas Rangers was unofficially founded back in 1823 by Stephen F. Austin.
13. Home to the Honkytonks
Honky-tonks also called honkatonk and honkey-tonk is basically a special type of bar where they play country music for entertainment. They are common in the South of the United States.
Many famous country music artists have begun their careers in one of the many Honky-tonks. If you’re traveling here, you should make sure that you visit one of the famous honkatonks!
Photo: jejim / Shutterstock.com
14. The highest temperature ever recorded was 120° F (48.8 C)
Texas is hot, and I mean really hot! The highest temperature ever recorded in the state was 120° F (48.8 C). That’s similar to temperatures in the Saharan desert.
It might not be so surprising though, since the United States is ranked as one of the hottest countries in the world.
15. Home to the largest bat colony in the U.S
The Mexican free-tailed bat is also the fastest bat in the world and can reach a speed of more than 100 miles per hour. And they have huge colonies with thousands of bats.
Bonus fact – Texans love to say Y’all
And it’s spelled Y’ALL, just so Y’all know!
5 x Fun Facts about Texas
- There are more than 16 million cattle living in the state
- A Texan Town Renamed Itself to Get Free Cable
- You can’t ride your horse in Texas at night without tail lights
- It used to be illegal to milk another person’s cow
- You can be considered legally married in Texas by publicly announcing a person as your wife/husband by saying it 3 times
5 x Texas Facts for Kids
- Texas is also known as The Lone Star State
- The armadillo is the official state mammal
- The State Motto is “friendship”
- The Rio Grande is the largest river
- The state is home to more species of birds than any other state
General Facts about Texas
Below are some general info such as total population, land area, biggest lake, highest mountain and other general facts about Texas that might be interesting to know.
- Total Population: 28,701,845
- Demonym: Texan
- Capital: Austin
- Life expectancy: 78,45 years
- Highest Mountain: Guadalupe Peak at 8,751 ft (2667.4 m)
- Total area: 268,581 sq mi (696,241 km2)
- Largest Lake: Toledo Bend Reservoir
- Governor: Greg Abbott
- State song: “Texas, Our Texas”
- Time zone: Central: UTC −6/−5 and Mountain: UTC −7/−6
Photo: Randall Stevens/Shutterstock
The Biggest Cities
If you’re looking for facts about Texas, it might also be interesting to know which are the biggest cities. Here’s a list of the top 10 largest cities in Texas ranked after population.
| Houston | El Paso |
| San Antonio | Arlington |
| Dallas | Corpus Christi |
| Austin | Plano |
| Fort Worth | Laredo |
Flag of Texas
In addition to the national flag of the US, Texas also has its own state flag, which is referred to as “The Lone Star flag”.
Map of Texas
Below you can see the state territory marked in yellow, and as you can see the state has borders to Oklahoma, Arkansas, New Mexico, Louisiana as well as Mexico.
How many of these Texas Facts did you know beforehand? Share your result in the comment section below!