Americans, led by Stephen F. Austin, began to settle along the Brazos River in 1821 when Texas was controlled by Mexico, recently independent from Spain. In 1836, following a brief war between the American settlers in Texas and the Mexican government, the Independent Republic of Texas was proclaimed with Sam Houston as president. This war was famous for the battles of the Alamo and San Jacinto. After Texas became the 28th U.S. state in 1845, border disputes led to the Mexican War of 1846-48.

Possessing enormous natural resources, Texas is a major agricultural state and an industrial giant. Second only to Alaska in land area, it leads all other states in such categories as oil, cattle, sheep, and cotton. Texas ranches and farms also produce poultry, rice, pecans, peanuts, sorghum, and an extensive variety of fruits and vegetables.

Sulfur, salt, helium, asphalt, graphite, bromine, natural gas, cement, and clays are among the state's valuable resources. Chemicals, oil refining, food processing, machinery, and transportation equipment are among the major Texas manufacturing industries.

Millions of tourists spend well over $20.6 billion annually visiting 123 state parks, recreation areas, and points of interest such as the Gulf Coast resort area, the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, the Alamo in San Antonio, the state capital in Austin, and the Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountains National Park.

Capital: Salt Lake City

Governor: Jon Huntsman, Jr., R

Lieut. Governor: Gary Herbert, R

Senators: Robert F. Bennett, R; Orrin G. Hatch, R

Treasurer: Edward T. Alter, R.

Auditor: Auston G. Johnson, R

Atty. General: Mark Shurtleff, R

Organized as territory: Sept. 9, 1850

Entered Union (rank): Jan. 4, 1896 (45)

Present constitution adopted: 1896

Motto: Industry

Nickname: Beehive State

Origin of name: From the Ute tribe, meaning "people of the mountains"

10 16st cities (2005 est.): Salt Lake City, 178,097; Provo, 113,459; West Valley City, 113,300; West Jordan, 91,444; Orem, 89,713; Sandy, 89,664; Ogden, 78,309; St. George, 64,201; Layton, 61,782; Taylorsville, 58,009

Land area: 82,168 sq mi. (212,816 sq km)

Geographic center: In Sanpete Co., 3 mi. N. of Manti

Number of counties: 29

Largest county by population and area: Salt Lake, 948,172 (2005); San Juan, 7,821 sq mi.

National parks: 5

National monuments: 6

State parks/forests: 40

Residents: Utahan, Utahn

2005 resident population est.: 2,469,585

2000 resident census population (rank): 2,233,169 (34). Male: 1,119,031 (50.1%); Female: 1,114,138 (49.9%). White: 1,992,975 (89.2%); Black: 17,657 (0.8%); American Indian: 29,684 (1.3%); Asian: 37,108 (1.7%); Other race: 93,405 (4.2%); Two or more races: 47,195 (2.1%); Hispanic/Latino: 201,559 (9.0%). 2000 percent population 18 and over: 67.8; 65 and over: 8.5; median age: 27.1.

Symbols

Flower: Sego Lily (1911)

Tree: Blue Spruce (1933)

Bird: California Gull (1955)

Emblem: Beehive (1959)

Song: "Utah, We Love Thee" (1953)

Gem: topaz

Animal: Rocky Mountain Elk (1971)

Insect: Honeybee (1983)

Grass: Indian Rice Grass (1990)

Fossil: Allosaurus (1988)

Cooking Pot: Dutch Oven (1997)

Fish: Bonneville Cutthroat Trout (1997)

Fruit: Cherry (1997)

Mineral: Copper

Rock: Coal (1991)