Admitted to Union: December 29, 1845
Capital: Austin
Nickname: Lone Star State, Beef State, Banner State
Motto: Friendship
Total Area: 268,601 square miles
Total Land Area: 261,914 square miles
Total Water Area: 6,687 square miles
Length: 790 miles
Width: 660 miles
Highest Point: 8,749 feet (Guadalupe Peak)
Lowest Point: sea level (Gulf of Mexico)
Mean Elevation: 1,700 feet
Highest Temp: 120 degrees on August 12, 1936 at Seymour
Lowest Temp: -23 degrees on February 8, 1933 at Seminole
Highest Monthly Avg Temp: 98.5 degrees
Lowest Monthly Avg Temp: 21.7 degrees
Population: (U.S. Census, April, 2000) 20,851,820 Rank: 2nd in U.S.