Houston

Houston (/ˈhjuːstən/) is the fowert-lairgest ceety in the Unitit States o Americae an the lairgest ceety in the state o Texas. As o the 2009 U.S. Census estimate, the ceety haed a population o 2.3 million athin an aurie o 579 square mile (1,500 km2). Houston is the seat o Harris Coonty an the economic centre o the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan aurie—the saxt-lairgest metropolitan aurie in the U.S. wi a population o 5.9 million. Houston wis foondit on August 30, 1836, bi brithers Augustus Chapman Allen an John Kirby Allen on land naur the banks o Buffalo Bayou. The ceety wis incorporatit on Juin 5, 1837, an named efter then-Preses o the Republic o Texas—umwhile General Sam Houston—who haed commandit at the Battle o San Jacinto, whilk teuk place 25 mile (40 km) east o whaur the ceety wis established. The burgeonin port an railwey industry, combined wi ile discivery in 1901, haes induced continual surges in the ceety's population. In the mid-twintiet century, Houston became the hame o the Texas Medical Centre—the warld's lairgest concentration o heal care an research institutions—an NASA's Johnson Space Centre, whaur the Mission Control Centre is locatit. Ratit as a beta warld ceety, Houston's economy haes a braid industrial base in the energy, manufacturin, aeronautics, transportation, an heal care sectors an is a leadin centre for biggin oilfield equipment; anerlie New York Ceety is hame tae mair Fortune 500 heidquarters in the ceety leemits. The Port o Houston ranks first in the Unitit States in internaitional watterborne tonnage handled an seicont in tot fraucht tonnage handled. The ceety haes a population frae various ethnic an releegious backgrunds an a lairge an growin internaitional community. It is hame tae mony cultural institutions an exhibits—attractin mair nor 7 million visitors a year tae the Houston Museum Destrict. Houston haes an active visual an performin airts scene in the Theatre Destrict an is ane o few U.S. ceeties that affer year-roond resident companies in aw major performin airts. Twin touns an sister ceeties References