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Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth largest city in the United States located in the state of Texas and is one of the two largest economic areas in the Gulf Coast region. The city is the county seat of Harris County, the third most populous county in the country. A portion of southwest Houston extends into Fort Bend County and a small portion in the northeast extends into Montgomery County. Founded in 1836 and incorporated in 1837, the Houston city limits now cover about 600 square miles (1,600 km²) in area, and it's also the largest city in the United States which does not have zoning laws. Houston is one of the newest and fastest growing major cities in the United States. In 1900, the population in Houston was approximately 45,000 and it was the 85th largest city in the United States. As of the U.S. Census 2000, the city had a total population of 1,953,631, but a July 1, 2004, U.S. Census estimate placed the city's population at 2,012,626. Houston is the cultural and economic center of the Houston—Sugar Land—Baytown Metropolitan Area, the eighth largest metropolitan area in the United States with a population of approximately 5,200,000 covering ten counties. Houston is world renowned for its energy industry (particularly oil), aeronautics industry and ship channel. The Port of Houston is one of the busiest ports in the United States, second in the world as far as foreign tonnage. Houston is home of the Texas Medical Center, the world's largest and most important concentration of research and healthcare institutions. Houston has much to offer, including the lowest cost of living and the least-expensive housing among 27 major metropolitan areas with populations of more than 1.7 million. Houston is considered a "Gamma World City" by the GaWC. Officially, Houston has been nicknamed the Space City. The city offers a wide range of business, entertainment and cultural opportunities. It ranks third, behind only New York City and San Francisco, in the number of seats in its downtown Theater District, and Houston is widely recognized as the nation's third most important city for contemporary visual art. Less than an hour from the Gulf of Mexico, Houston is close to sunny beaches, one of the nation's largest concentrations of pleasure boats, and tourist attractions such as Space Center Houston, the Kemah Boardwalk and Galveston Island.
HistorySee also: Historical events of Houston Geography  According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1,558.4 km² (601.7 mi²). 1,500.7 km² (579.4 mi²) of it is land and 57.7 km² (22.3 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 3.70% water. Houston has four major bayous passing through the city. The Buffalo Bayou, which runs into downtown, the Brays Bayou, which runs along the Texas Medical Center, White Oak Bayou runs through the Heights and near northwest area and the Sims Bayou in the south of Houston merge in downtown Houston into the Houston Ship Channel. The Ship Channel goes past Galveston into the Gulf of Mexico. Most of Houston is very flat and is about fifty feet above sea level in elevation; the Houston Heights area has the highest elevation in the city. Flooding has proved to be an increasingly serious problem in Houston. The city once relied on groundwater for its water needs. Land subsidence forced the city to turn to ground-level water sources such as Lake Houston. Climate Houston's climate is classified as being humid subtropical. The city is located in the gulf coastal plains biome, and the vegetation is classified as a temperate grassland. Much of Houston was built on forested land, marshes or prairie, all of which can still be seen in surrounding areas. Average yearly precipitation levels range from 36 to 48 inches. Prevailing winds are from the south and southeast during most of the year, bringing heat from the deserts of Mexico and moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. In summertime, daily high temperatures are in the 90 to 105 °F range throughout much of July and August. The air tends to feel still and the humidity (often 90 to 100% relative humidity) makes the air feel hotter than it really is. To cope with the heat, people use air conditioning in nearly every car and post-war building in the city. Summer thunderstorms sometimes bring the moderately common tornadoes to the area. Afternoon rains are not uncommon, and Houston meteorologists are not given to predicting a zero percent chance of rain on most days. Winters in Houston are cool and temperate. The coolest period is usually in January, when north winds bring winter rains. Snow is almost unheard of, and typically does not accumulate when it is seen. Houston's climate is often compared to that of Dallas. Dallas has a hot and dry climate while Houston has a hot and humid climate. While Dallas gets hotter temperatures, Houston's heat index is often higher. Like many areas of Texas, Houston suffers from the Red imported fire ant. Natural disastersHurricanes have slammed into the Texas Gulf Coast on numerous occasions; several have passed through Houston, causing death and destruction. The Galveston Hurricane of 1900 led to Galveston losing its status as the major port city and economic power in Southeast Texas; development of the Ship Channel and its port refineries shifted the honor to Houston. The last hurricane of consequence to hit Houston was Hurricane Alicia in 1983, but Tropical Storm Allison in 2001 caused billions of dollars in damages. Flooding has proved to be an increasingly serious problem in Houston. Houston's worst contemporary flood was Tropical Storm Allison which passed through the city in June, 2001. Many neighborhoods have changed since the storm; older houses in some afflicted neighborhoods have been torn down and replaced with larger houses with larger foundations. Demographics As of the census2 of 2000, there are 1,953,631 people, 717,945 households, and 457,330 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,301.8/km² (3,371.7/mi²). There are 782,009 housing units at an average density of 521.1/km² (1,349.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 49.27% White, 25.31% Black or African American, 0.44% Native American, 5.31% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 16.46% from other races, and 3.15% from two or more races. 37.41% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 717,945 households out of which 33.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.2% are married couples living together, 15.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% are non-families. 29.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 6.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.67 and the average family size is 3.39. In the city the population is spread out with 27.5% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 33.8% from 25 to 44, 19.1% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 31 years. For every 100 females there are 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 97.8 males. The median income for a household in the city is $36,616, and the median income for a family is $40,443. Males have a median income of $32,084 versus $27,371 for females. The per capita income for the city is $20,101. 19.2% of the population and 16.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 26.1% of those under the age of 18 and 14.3% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line. Society   The Hispanic population in Houston is increasing as more and more people from Latin countries try to find work in Houston. Hispanics make up a significant amount of the population. Houston has the third largest Hispanic population in the United States. People from Asia such as China, South Korea, Japan, India, Pakistan, and Vietnam have been immigrating to Houston. Houston has two Chinatowns, as well as the third largest Vietnamese American population in the United States. Recent redevelopment of Midtown from run-down to upscale has increased property values and property taxes thus forcing the Vietnamese American out of their current neighborhood into other areas. Houston has the second highest South African population in the United States, after Miami, Florida. Houston also boasts of having a population with a younger age than the national average. People and culture of HoustonThe city offers a wide range of business, entertainment and cultural opportunities. It ranks third, behind only New York City and San Francisco, in the number of seats in its downtown Theater District, and Houston is widely recognized as the nation's third most important city for contemporary visual art. Less than an hour from the Gulf of Mexico, Houston is close to sunny beaches, one of the nation's largest concentrations of pleasure boats, and tourist attractions such as Space Center Houston, the Kemah Boardwalk and Galveston Island. Like many other large cities in the United States, Houston is a very diverse city with a variety of different ethnic groups. About 90 languages are spoken in the area. In some neighborhoods, street signs are seen in Chinese and Vietnamese. Because of the economic trades, many residents have moved in from other U.S. states, as well as hundreds of countries worldwide. Because the Houston—Sugar Land—Baytown and the Dallas—Fort Worth—Arlington metropolitan areas are both the major economic centers of the state, they enjoy a friendly rivalry. Houstonians often consider themselves more "down to earth" than their neighbors to the north. This rivalry often leads to comparison of the assets of one city to the assets of the other. For example, although Dallas has more restaurants per person than even New York City, Houstonians eat out more often than residents of any other city in the United States, and the only city in which eating out is cheaper than Houston is New Orleans, Louisiana. Officially, Houston has been nicknamed the Space City. "Houston" was the first word uttered on the moon, as Neil Armstrong reported back to NASA. It is known by the locals, however, as the Bayou City. (Other nicknames include "H-Town", "Clutch City", and "Magnolia City".) Several Houston-based restaurants, such as Ninfa Laurenzo's Mama Ninfa's Mexican restaurant chain, Johnny Carrabba's Carrabba's, and Kim Su Tran La's Kim Sơn Vietnamese restaurant chain, have become well known in Texas and throughout the country. The design for the first Compaq computer was sketched on a napkin at House of Pies, a notable diner near the Montrose area. Aided by the popularity of the late hip-hop artist DJ Screw, Houston is known among youth, primarily in the South, as having its own distinctive style of hip-hop commonly known as screw music or referred to locally as simply "screw." Many young Houstonians of all ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds who were in touch with the local hip-hop culture may remember the advent of this form of Southern rap which began to take place around late 1999. Health and fitness In 2005, Men's Fitness magazine named Houston the fattest city in the U.S. The city has also the recipient of this award in years prior, including 2001, 2002, and 2003. Methodology for determining for the 2005 status included the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's survey which listed 23% of Houston residents as clinically obese, as well as other less serious statistics, such as Houston having twice the number of doughnut shops per capita compared to the national average. Other factors mentioned regarding Houston being the "fattest" city was that it has the most restaurants and Houstonians tend to eat out more than anyone else in other American cities. See also:
Economy Houston is world renowned for its energy industry (particularly oil), aeronautics industry and ship channel. The Port of Houston is one of the busiest ports in the United States, second in the world as far as foreign tonnage. Because of the economic trades, many residents have moved in from other U.S. states, as well as hundreds of countries worldwide. Houston has had several growth spurts in relation to the Texas oil industry. Unlike most places, where high gas prices are seen as harmful to the economy, they are generally seen as beneficial for Houston as many are employed in the energy industry. Houston became a major port as a result of the downfall of Galveston and the rise of the Houston Ship Channel. The 1920s had Houston's first growth spurt. The city's second growth spurt occurred in the late 1970s, with the Arab Oil Embargo. Demand on Texas oil increased, and many people from the northeast came down to profit from the trade. When the embargo was lifted, the growth stopped. However, Pasadena still has its refineries, and the Port of Houston is among the busiest in the world. Houston has attempted to build a banking industry in the city, but all of the companies which had been started in Houston were merged with other companies nationwide. It still is vital to the region, but most of the banks operating there are not based in Houston. Real Estate is also a large business in the Houston area, and NASA's presence in the city's southeast side has provided an additional economic boost. Houston is unique in being the largest American city without zoning regulations. The city has the second lowest cost of living in comparison to other major U.S. cities, and the housing in Houston is among the most affordable in the Nation. See also:
Government and politics Law and governmentHouston is the county seat of Harris County. A portion of southwest Houston, east of Missouri City, extends into Fort Bend County and also portion of northeast Houston extends into Montgomery County. The current mayor of Houston is Bill White, who is serving his first term. A mayor, who is the executive branch of the city government, can be elected consecutively for three terms. City Council members, who make up the legislative branch, are elected from nine districts in the city, along with five at-large positions. At-large council members represent the entire city, as well as collaborate with district council members in response to district concerns. Local municipal government in the City of Houston is considered as a home-rule city, and members of city council and the Controller's position are nonpartisan. PoliticsThe City of Houston has been enforcing the 3-term rule since November 1991 after a referendum passed. Several former city officials - Anthony Hall, Rodney Ellis, Sheila Jackson-Lee, Sylvia Garcia, Martha Wong, Chris Bell, and Annise Parker - had to run for another elected position either as a Democrat or Republican once their term expires. Controller Annise Parker is the only ex-council member who campaigned for a nonpartisan office within the Houston City Limits. There are several issues brought up in the Houston area with term limits - during Mayor Lee Brown's final term in office, he refers to term limits as a dis-service for elected officials since incumbents do not gain the needed experience in city government. A proposal to amend the Houston city charter where the current 2-year term will be amended to 4 years in office has been debated. As of 2005, several candidates for the Houston City Council have brought up the issue of whether term limits should be amended or eliminated. Some elected officials from the Greater Houston area within the Texas Legislature - primarily Garnet Coleman and Sylvester Turner - have spoken out against term limits. See also:
Districts and communities of Houston         Locations in Houston are generally classified as either being inside or outside Interstate 610, known as the 610 Loop which include the Central business district and the 'island' cities of West University Place (West U.), and Southside Place, and a portion of Bellaire. (The 'island' city is actually in reference to the City of Houston annexing around the existing boundaries of incorporated municipalities, hence the term. This also applies to the Memorial Villages - Jersey Village, Hedwig Village, Spring Valley, and Bunker Hill. The outlying areas of Houston, as well as the rest of Bellaire, the airports and the suburbs and enclaves are outside the loop. Another ring road, Beltway 8 (also known simply as the "Beltway"), encircles the city another 5 miles (8 km) further out. Yet a third - Texas Highway 99 or Grand Parkway, has begun construction roughly 10 miles (16 km) beyond that around the outer suburbs and currently extends from north of Interstate 10 east of Katy to U.S. Highway 59 in Sugar Land. Locations within the Houston city limits that are inside the 610 Loop traditionally used the 713 area code. Those outside the 610 Loop that are within the city limits normally receive the 281 or 832 area code. However, the geographic division between 713, 281, and 832 has been eliminated, and newly issued phone numbers (especially for cell phones and fax machines) within that zone may be assigned any of the three codes. Areas far north, west, east and south of the inner-city also use 936 and/or 409. Zip codes in Houston range from 77002 to 77099. However, a small portion of northeast Houston has the zip codes of 77339 and 77345. Houston, being the largest city in the United States without zoning laws, has grown in an unusual manner. Rather than a single “downtown” as the center of the city's employment, five additional business districts have grown throughout the inner-city. Note that if these business districts were considered one, they would form the third largest in the United States. The city also has the third largest skyline in the United States (after New York City and Chicago, Illinois), but because it is spread over a few miles, pictures of the city show, for the most part, the Downtown area. Downtown HoustonDowntown, the seventh largest business district in the country. The area is in the very center of the city's highway system. The Skyline District is the heart of Downtown and home to many headquarters of various multinational businesses and financial institutions. The Houston Theater District, in north Downtown, is home to Houston's eight performing arts organizations and includes the stages of the Alley Theater, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, Wortham Center, Jones Hall and the Verizon Wireless Theatre (formerly Aerial Theater). Jones Hall is home to the Houston Symphony Orchestra. The Houston Theater District is the second largest performing arts district, next to the one in New York City. There are two Chinatowns of Houston. The original one is in the eastern corridor of Downtown in the shadow of the George R. Brown Convention Center, while the newer (which originated around 1982), larger one resides primarily on Bellaire Boulevard in west of Houston's Sharpstown neighborhood. The Main Street Corridor in Downtown is now a popular nightlife spot. This comes after its opening on January 1, 2004 and the opening of the light rail service. Off of Main Street and Interstate 10, at the beginining of the light rail, is the University of Houston-Downtown. MidtownMidtown is southwest of Downtown and is a recently redeveloped area with many newly constructed trendy apartments and flats. It is also home to Little Saigon, the center of Vietnamese American commerce and businesses. UptownUptown Houston is primarily anchored by the Houston Galleria. It is the city's second largest business district and is home to the world-famous Williams Tower. The Uptown area is also known as the Galleria shopping district, as it is the center of Houston's fashion scene. This area is home to many high-end retailers, as well as local and national fashion designers. Texas Medical CenterThe Texas Medical Center, about three miles (5 km) south of the Midtown area. This is the largest medical complex in the world. Bordering the Texas Medical Center are Reliant Park and Six Flags Astroworld to the south and the Rice University/Rice Village area to the north. Museum DistrictThe Museum District contains over 16 institutions, Hermann Park, the Houston Zoo and the Miller Outdoor Theatre. It is one of the most visited museum districts in the country. The six "wards"Houston's "Wards" got its name from political geographic districts when the city was established in 1837 - the ward designation is the progenitor of the current-day Houston City Council districts - there are nine districts within the Houston city limits. First Ward has been torn down in recent years as part of a gentrification effort. Much of the district is bordered by Houston Avenue, Interstates 10 an 45, and Washington Avenue; these days, it has been viewed as a 'refugee housing' community - houses formerly located in Third Ward, West University, Montrose, and the West End are relocated from their former land parcels due to rising land values and rehabilitated. Second Ward, located east of downtown, was developed in the roaring '20s. Stephen F. Austin High School depicts this art deco architecture. Second Ward is now made up of a predominantly Hispanic community. Third Ward, southeast of Downtown, is the location of the University of Houston and Texas Southern University. The tallest structure in Third Ward is the Moody Towers, an 18-story twin tower on the University of Houston campus. The African American community in this area picked up the prominence after World War I. Third Ward lies within two Houston City Council districts - Districts D and I. Fourth Ward, known as Freedmen's Town, was the first African American community in Houston. Historically, it has been among the poorest areas of the inner-city, but is undergoing extensive gentrification because of its proximity to Downtown. It was the prominent area of the African American community; this community had the Allen Parkway Village housing project - which was redeveloped into the Historic Oaks at Allen Parkway Village. The Freedmen's Town Historical District was created in 1988; today, about 40% of the original wood-frame homes remain, and the district might lose its historical status. Fifth Ward is another predominantly African American community. Greenway PlazaThe Greenway Plaza business district is west of Midtown and southwest of Downtown Houston. This area is home to a few skyscrapers, as well as the Compaq Center, soon to be the Lakewood International Center. The MontroseMontrose or "The Montrose" is located west of Downtown and Midtown and northwest of the Medical Center. It is the center of Houston's gay and lesbian community, and known for its vintage shops, 1950s-style eateries, and street art. This community was known for the Westheimer Street Festival, a community gathering which later fell victim to gentrification. It is also the location of the Menil Collection and the University of Saint Thomas. Other notable communitiesThe historic Houston Heights, near downtown, has the highest point of elevation in the city. Like the smaller Woodland Heights neighborhood just to its east, it was originally a separate, independent suburb connected to Houston by streetcar. It was Incorporated in 1891 and consolidated into the city of Houston in 1919. To the present day it retains a ban on liquor sales and is a popular area for antique shopping along the 19th Street corridor. Like the neighboring Montrose to the south of Interstate 10, the Houston Heights has long been a popular place for the artistic and gay and lesbian communities to live. The Heights has been experiencing gentrification as well due to its status as a historically-preserved community because of deed restriction enforcement. Many of the Victorian houses and Craftsman bungalows are in high demand, especially those that have been been remodeled. The Houston Heights is also home to the art car community - the current location of the Art Car Museum is a tourist attraction. River Oaks is an affluent area, often compared to Beverly Hills. It is the wealthiest neighborhood in Texas, and is home to many celeb
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