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Houston is the fourth largest city in the United States and the largest in Texas. The city is the county seat of Harris County and also extends into Fort Bend County. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 1,953,631. The census bureau esimated the population to be 2,009,690 in 2003. According to this estimate, the city is gaining population at a rate of 0.70% per year.
Located in Southwest Texas on the costal lowlands Houston is roughly 50 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. The terrain is level and drains into a number of bayous and canals. The Gulf of Mexico, Burnett Bay, Galveston Bay, Baker Reservoir, Clear Lake, Lake Houston, Buffalo Bayou and the San Jacinto River are near or in the city.
The city is a part of the Houston-Baytown-Sugar Land metro area. It is the the seat of Harris county. It has an area of 579.4 square miles. According to the US Geologic Survey, the city is at 29°45'47" north and 95°21'47" west. The Federal Information Processing Standards location code (FIPS55) for this city is 4835000.
Many colleges and universities including Rice University, University of Houston, and Texas Southern University are in Houston.
Houston is a major economic center and is the home base of the American Oil and Gas industry.
Houston was named for Sam Houston, a leader of the Texas Revolution, and was chartered the year after his death in 1837. Apollo Mission Control Center and Space Environment Simulation Laboratory are local sites listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
George Bush Intercontinental, William P Hobby and Ellington Field airports serve the city. Interstate Highways 10 and 45 pass through Houston.
Winters are mild with moderate rain. The average daily mean temperature is 54°f during December, January, and February. Summers are very hot and rainy and have an average daily mean temperature of 83°f during June, July, and August.
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