Is Texas a State? A Complete Guide to Common Questions About The Lone Star State

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Also known as The Lone Star State thanks to its flag, Texas is one of the most recognizable states of the USA. It’s all about diversity and vastness; two key characteristics across almost every aspect of Texas’ land, people, history, culture, and economy. 

While it’s one of the country’s largest states both by area and population, Texas is not a topic free of controversy. As such, a lot of questions surround Texas’ past, society, location, legal position, landscapes, and more.

In today’s guide, we’re covering all your curiosities about Texas. You’ll find answers to everything from “Is Texas a state” and “Is Texas landlocked?” to “Is Texas a wet state?” and “Does Texas have a state cookie?”.

Is Texas a State?

Yes, Texas is a state in the United States of America, although it wasn’t part of the USA from the get-go.

The Declaration of Independence from Great Britain took place in 1776 with 13 colonies serving as the first or original states of the country. Texas wasn’t among these states.

Instead, Texas became an official state of the USA on the 29th of December in 1845, making it the country’s 28th state.

Texas is the second-largest state in the US by size and population. Its area is 268,597 square miles and it has more than 30 million residents.

Alaska is the largest US state by area, whereas California has the largest population.

Is Texas a Country?

Texas is currently a state in the United States of America, but this wasn’t always the case.

Texas only became an official state in 1845, but before that, it had been an independent country for almost 10 years.

Texas was known as the Republic of Texas since it declared its independence from Mexico in March of 1836, following the Texas Revolution. Sam Houston was elected the first president of the Republic of Texas in September of the same year.

Since it became a country, Texas wanted to legally join the United States, but political issues concerning slavery delayed the process.

When Texas first entered the US, it was a state that legalized slavery. About 15 years after its annexation by the US, Texas seceded from the nation to become part of the Confederate States of America, which succeeded from the US after Abraham Lincoln was elected.

Following the Confederacy’s defeat in 1865, Texas formally rejoined the Union in 1870.

Is Texas Important?

Yes, Texas is an extremely important state for the USA. Being an economic powerhouse and a massive land space has a lot to do with the Lone Star State’s crucial standing among the country’s states.

Texas is a leading state when it comes to manufacturing output, export revenue, energy production (the highest reserves of oil and natural gas), income growth, and population size.

If Texas was an independent country, it would have the 9th largest economy worldwide.

Where Is Texas Situated?

Texas is part of the contiguous United States, positioned in the south-central region of the country. It borders the US state of Oklahoma via the Red River of the South and borders the US state of New Mexico.

Texas also has a short border in the east with Arkansas, with the Sabine River creating a natural border to Louisiana. Additionally, Texas has a 350-mile-long coastline on the Gulf of Mexico (in the southeast) and shares a 1,969-mile border with Mexico.

Is Texas in Mexico?

No, Texas is a state in the United States of America. However, that wasn’t always the case.

Before being a state in the US, Texas was a country known as the Republic of Texas between 1836 and 1845. But even before it declared independence, Texas was part of Mexico.

This happened as a result of the Mexican War of Independence, which sought and achieved independence from Spain. Texas became a Mexican territory in 1821, with its core territory assigned to the state of Coahuila y Tejas.

Is Texas in the South?

As per the US Census Bureau, Texas is considered part of the American South Region. It particularly belongs to Division 7 of the South Region, which is referred to as the West South Central zone.

The West South Central consists of Texas along with Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. Division 6 is the East South Central and Division 5 is the South Atlantic.

Are Texans Southerners? 

As it’s officially recognized as part of the South by the US government, Texans should be generally considered Southerners.

But because Texas isn’t located in the deep South and is more positioned where the West ends and the South starts, many Texans identify as Westerners or Southwesterners.

That said, the unique history, culture, and laws have most Texans self-identifying as Texans before anything else. So Texans are Texans first, and then they’re Southerners, Westerners, Southwesterns, or neither.

Is Texas in the Midwest?

No, Texas is officially categorized as part of the South Region of the United States, specifically the West South Central along with Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana.

The Midwest Region (previously known as the North Central Region), on the other hand, consists of Division 3 and Division 4; East North Central and West North Central respectively.

States forming the Midwest Region are Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Missouri.

Is Texas in North America?

Yes, Texas is located in North America.

Texas is a state in the West South Central Division of the South Region of the United States of America. The USA is a country located in the continent called North America.

Within North America, Texas lies in the Southern portion of the continent.

Is Texas Middle America?

The term “Middle America” can hold two different meanings.

It can refer to a portion of the North American and South American continents that consists of Central America, Mexico, and sometimes northern South America along with the Caribbean.

Middle America can also refer to the part of the USA located away from the coast, which mostly contains rural areas. It’s more of an abstract concept than a physical place, consisting roughly of the Great Plains, the Midwest, and to a lesser extent the Rocky Mountains, Texas, and the South.,

Is Texas Landlocked?

Texas is not landlocked, despite what many people think. The Lone Star State has bodies of water outlining multiple of its borders.

In the southeast, Texas has a coastline extending about 350 miles and overseeing the Gulf of Mexico. It also borders the Mexican states of Coahuila, Chihuahua, Tamaulipas, and Nuevo Léon via Texas’ longest river; the Rio Grande.

The natural border between Texas and Oklahoma is the Red River, whereas the Sabine River forms the border between Texas and Louisiana.

Why Texas Is the Best State

Everyone living in Texas, and even many of the residents of other states, consider Texas to be the best state of them all. In various aspects, that statement is true.

First of all, Texas is the best state for business. It has no income taxes for individuals or companies, contains the 9th largest economy worldwide, and offers a vast workforce.

Texas also has the biggest manufacturing market in the US, a highly diverse economy, readily available resources, and an extremely well-established infrastructure.

Besides being a thriving spot for business, Texas has an incredibly rich history, is a relatively safe state to live in, and its people are quite friendly and hospitable.

Not to mention, Texas has plenty of stunning natural landscapes, offers delicious cuisine, and contains various sorts of cities to suit your needs. 

Additionally, Texas is the base for NASA operations. The U.S. News overall ranks Texas #35 according to criteria such as economy, crime, health care, infrastructure, and education.

Is Texas the Only State With a Pledge?

Aside from the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag, 17 states have an official pledge to their respective flags.

Along with Texas, other states with a pledge include: 

• Arkansas
• Alabama
• Kentucky
• Georgia
• Michigan
• Louisiana
• New Mexico
• Mississippi
• North Carolina
• South Carolina
• Oklahoma
• Ohio
• Rhode Island
• South Dakota
• Virginia
• Tennessee 

Is Texas the Only State With a Flag?

No, Texas isn’t the only US state with a flag.

All 50 states from Alabama to Wyoming, as well as Washington D.C, have an official state flag that signifies their history and unique symbols.

Texas’ flag is the same flag that the state used when it was an independent nation, which means the Texas flag has been unchanged since 1836.

It features a single star, hence its nickname the Lone Star State, along with 3 colors as follows:

• Blue represents loyalty 
• Red represents bravery
• White represents purity 

How Is Texas Different Than Other States?

To many people, Texans and otherwise, Texas is different from any other state. Here are a few reasons that make Texas so special:

• Texas is the largest state in the contiguous U.S.
• From 1836 to 1845, Texas was an independent country.
• Texas is the only state to join the USA by treaty, not annexation.
• ‘Houston’ was the first word ever spoken from the moon.
• Texas is home to the largest population of white-tailed deer.
• The Texas flag is the only state flag permitted to soar at the same height as the US flag.
• Texas is the only state to have flags from 6 different nations soar over it, which are France, Spain, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the Confederacy, and the United States.
• The official dish of Texas is Chili.
• The official state mammal is the armadillo.
• Texas has the most land farmed compared to any other state.
• The first rodeo in the world took place in Pecos.
• Texas produces the most wool out of any other state.
• Texas has the world’s biggest helium well in Amarillo.

Does Texas Have a State Cookie?

Yes, Texas has a state cookie, just like every other state has one. The data on which the assignment of each cookie was based is a survey that Nestle Toll House held nationwide.

Texas’ state cookie is the Cowboy cookie. It features oats, chocolate chips, pecans, and coconut flakes.

Is Texas a Smart State?

The collective intelligence of a state is determined based on certain metrics including IQ scores, ACT scores, SAT scores, and the state’s percentage of university/college graduates. 

From there, the state’s intelligence score is set by identifying the difference between the national median score and the state’s score. Texas scored 97.4, ranking 42nd across the country.

Is Texas a Wet State?

A wet state is a state that allows both the sale and possession of alcohol. Texas is a state that permits local jurisdictions to decide whether they want to be wet or dry.

Texas consists of 254 countries, 55 of which are wet, 5 are dry, and 196 are partially dry.

Is Texas a Two Plate State?

Yes, Texas is a two-plate state. According to the Texas Administration Code, a vehicle must display two license plates unless other otherwise directed by the law.

The two plates must be legible, visible, and readable. One plate goes at the vehicle’s exterior front and the other goes at its exterior rear.

Vehicles that aren’t required to display two license plates include motorcycles, road tractors, semitrailers, trailers, former military vehicles, and antique vehicles.

Is Texas Better Than Arizona?

Texas is better than Arizona in multiple aspects.

For example, Texas is much more affordable to live in than Arizona. Texas also has a better job market and generally more enjoyable weather.

Texas also has a better education system, a wide variety of leisure activities, and lower housing prices.

Wrapping Up

There you have it, a complete guide to the most common questions about the Lone Star State. 

So, is Texas a state? Yes, Texas is a state in the United States of America.

It became an official US state on the 29th of December in 1845, making it the nation’s 28th state. Texas formally rejoined the Union in 1870 following the Confederacy’s defeat in 1865.