Florida

Florida also hosts the following minor league baseball teams:. See also:. As of 2004, Florida hosts the following major league teams for spring training:. Here is a list of teams with the league they are a part of and the venue the play in:. Florida is an extremely popular location for Major League Baseball spring training, with teams informally organized into the "Grapefruit League". Houston is home to several professional sports franchises. [2] (http://www.sptimes.com/News/050801/State/Bush_s_trustees_mostl.shtml) In 2002, Democratic Senator Bob Graham started a ballot referendum designed to revert to the Board of Regents system. See also:.

This has not been without controversy. It's "en su defensa" (In Your Defense) segments have garnered regional acclaim, and En Su Defensa month was proclaimed by Mayor Bill White in 2004. As is typical of executive-appointed government boards, the appointees so far have been overwhelmingly Republican. Univision Affiliate KXLN-TV is among the highest rated Spanish language television stations in the United States. Instead, each public university is now controlled by its own Board of Trustees who are directly appointed by the governor. These reports garnered the reporters and the station national and international attention and awards. In 2000, Governor Bush and the state legislature acted to abolish the Board of Regents that governed the State University System of Florida. KHOU-TV's team of "Defenders" began and lead a national investigation on the failure of Firestone Wilderness AT tires in several vehicles.

Major testing organizations frequently discount the use of state average test score rankings, or any average of scaled scores, as a valid metric (see psychometrics for more details on scaled test scores). The station also employs Marvin Zindler, whose week-long exposé on the Chicken Ranch brothel later became the basis for the Broadway musical The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Governor Jeb Bush has been criticized by many Florida educators for a program that penalizes underperforming schools (as indicated by standardized tests, such as the FCAT) with fewer funding dollars. Since then, the charity's donations dwindled, leaving the owner fuming. It should be noted that many education surveys are not scientific, but do measure prestige. ABC-13 KTRK TV's Wayne Dolcefino released a controversial report that allegedly showed bad business practices of a charity called "Kid Care". Florida public schools have consistently ranked in the bottom 25% of many national surveys and average test score rankings. Houston also is home to the TV stations and radio stations that serve the metro area.

states. Houston has a variety of newspapers, with the Houston Chronicle (which is the only major daily newspaper in Houston receiving wide distribution) being read all across the South-Central United States. Average teacher salaries rank near the middle of U.S. See also:. Florida's public school revenue per student and spending per $1000 of personal income usually ranks in the bottom 25% of U.S. states. Other alternative of higher learning includes the Houston Community College System, which has several campuses around Houston to serve all areas and is one of the largest community college system in the United States. See complete list of Florida places. Houston is world renowned for health and medicine research facilities located in the Medical Center such as the Baylor College of Medicine and many others.

Ranked by per capita income. Houston is the location of a well known prestigious private institution of Rice University, which boasts the largest financial endowment of any university in the world. The three largest Protestant denominations in Florida are: Baptist (22% of the total state population), Methodist (8%), Presbyterian (4%). The UH Law Center's Health Law and Policy Institute is ranked number one in the nation while the Intellectual Property Law Program is ranked fifth, according to U.S. News & World Report. Religiously, Florida is mostly Protestant, but with a growing Roman Catholic community due to Hispanic immigration. Amongst the most prestigious of the University of Houston's colleges is the University of Houston Law Center (law school). The five largest ancestries in the state are: African American (14.6%), German (11.8%), Irish (10.3%), English (9.2%), American (8%). UH is also home to over forty research centers and institutes.

As of 2003, the state had a population of 17,019,068. The interdisciplinary research conducted at UH breaks new ground in such vital areas as superconductivity, space commercialization, biomedical engineering, economics, education, petroleum exploration and management. Today most of the spam businesses appear to be operating out of South Florida. Their flagship institution is the University of Houston, the only doctoral degree granting extensive research institution in Houston and is the third largest in the state of Texas with an enrollment of over 35,000. Historically Florida has also been home to large telemarketing firms. Houston is served by the University of Houston System, the largest urban state system of higher education in the Gulf Coast, which has four universities with three located in Houston. Spammers are not the first business men of questionable ethics to use Florida as a home base. See also:.

In 2005 Spamhaus declared Florida the spam capital of the world [1]  (http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-sbspammain08may08,0,7702631.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines). Experts have estimated that Florida is an attractive place of business for Spammers due to the gorgeous weather, low key atmosphere, nearby Internet data centers and the state's reputation as "a good place to do dirty business". As of 2005, several candidates for the Houston City Council have brought up the issue of whether term limits should be amended or eliminated. Florida did not have any state minimum wage laws until November 2, 2004, when voters passed a Constitutional Amendment requiring inflationary increases to the minimum wage every six months. 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. With the arrival of the space program at Kennedy Space Center in the 1960s, Florida has attracted a large number of aerospace and military industries to the state. 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. Other major industries include citrus fruit and juice production, banking, and phosphate mining. Controller Annise Parker is the only ex-council member who ran for a nonpartisan office.

The large Walt Disney World Resort with four theme parks and over twenty hotels plus countless water parks, shopping centres and other facilities, located in Lake Buena Vista drives the economy of that area, along with more recent entries into the theme park arena such as the Universal Orlando Resort. The great amount of sales tax revenue is what allows the state to be one of the few to not levy a personal income tax. 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. Warm weather most of the year and hundreds of miles of beach provide a thriving vacation spot for travelers from around the world. The City of Houston has been enforcing the 3-term rule since November 1991 after a referendum passed. Florida's economy is heavily based on tourism. 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. The per capita personal income was $30,098, ranking 26^th in the nation. At-large council members represent the entire city, as well as collaborate with district council members in response to district concerns.

The gross state product of Florida in 2003 was $550 billion. City Council members, who make up the legislative branch, are elected from nine districts in the city, along with five at-large positions. Many other smaller hurricanes have hit or brushed Florida, and many more hurricanes will hit in the future. A mayor, who is the executive branch of the city government, can be elected consecutively for three terms. Among a long list of other infamous hurricane strikes were the Miami Hurricane of 1926, the Lake Okeechobee Hurricane of 1928, the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, Hurricane Donna in 1960 and Hurricane Opal in 1995. The current mayor of Houston is Bill White, who is serving his first term. history, Hurricane Andrew, which cost twenty-five billion dollars when it struck on August 12, 1992. A portion of southwest Houston, east of Missouri City, extends into Fort Bend County and also portion of northeast Houston extends into Montgomery County.

Hurricanes Charley (August 13), Frances (September 4-5), Ivan (September 16), and Jeanne (September 25-26) cumulatively cost forty-two billion dollars to the state. Florida was also the site of the most costly single weather disaster in U.S. Houston is the county seat of Harris County. Florida saw a slew of destruction in 2004 when it was hit by a record four hurricanes. See also:. Hurricanes pose a threat during the summer and fall. cities, and the housing in Houston is among the most affordable in the Nation. Snow flurries fell on Miami Beach for the only time in history. The city has the second lowest cost of living in comparison to other major U.S.

The most widespread snowfall in Florida history happened in February 1978 with snow falling over much of the state in different times of the month, extending as far south as Homestead. Houston is unique in being the largest American city without zoning regulations. The Great Blizzard of 1899, was also the only time the temperature has fallen below 0 degrees Fahrenheit, registering -2f in Tallahassee. 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. During that time, the Tampa Bay area had "Gulf effect" snow, similar to Lake effect snowfall. It still is vital to the region, but most of the banks operating there are not based in Houston. During the Great Blizzard of 1899, Florida experienced blizzard conditions for possibly the first time. 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.

Snow is a rare occurrence in Florida, although it usually snows somewhere in Florida almost every winter. However, Pasadena still has its refineries, and the Port of Houston is among the busiest in the world. Florida has more lightning strikes than any other state and also leads the nation in tornadoes per square mile(although the tornadoes in Florida do not get as large as those in the Midwest or Great Plains. Hail is not an uncommon occurrence in some of the more severe thunderstorms. When the embargo was lifted, the growth stopped. These thunderstorms which are caused by airflow from the Gulf of Mexico seemingly "pop up" in the early afternoon and can often bring heavy downpours, high winds and sometimes tornadoes. Demand on Texas oil increased, and many people from the northeast came down to profit from the trade. Statewide, Florida has the highest average precipitation of any state, due in large part to afternoon thunderstorms which are common throughout most of the state from late spring until the early autumn. The city's second growth spurt occurred in the late 1970s, with the Arab Oil Embargo.

While Florida's nickname is the "Sunshine State", severe weather is a common occurrence in Florida. The 1920s had Houston's first growth spurt. The Gulf stream has a moderating effect on Florida climate and although it is common for much of Florida to see a high summer temperature over 90 degrees Fahrenheit, it is not common for the mercury to go above 100 degrees Fareinheit in Florida. Houston became a major port as a result of the downfall of Galveston and the rise of the Houston Ship Channel. The seasons in Florida often called "Hot and Hotter" are actually determined more by precipitation than by temperature with warm, relatively dry winters and autumns (the dry season) and hot, wet springs and especially the summers (the wet season). 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. Most of the state has a humid subtropical climate with the extreme tip of Florida and the Florida Keys bordering on a true tropical climate. Houston has had several growth spurts in relation to the Texas oil industry.

The climate of Florida is tempered somewhat by its proximity to water. A new 20,000 SF Terminal and a 60-acre GA Complex, are currently under construction, with the Terminal completion expected in Spring 2006. At 345 feet (105 metres) above sea level, Britton Hill is the highest point in Florida (it's also the lowest state highpoint.). The airport mostly serves corporate, governmental, and private clienteles, while it is owned and operated by the City of Sugar Land. It is near the countries of the Caribbean, particularly the Bahamas, Cuba, and Haiti. Sugar Land Regional Airport is the fourth largest airport in the Houston—Sugar Land—Baytown Metropolitan Area, and the only general reliever airport in the southwest sector. It is bordered on the north by the states of Georgia and Alabama and on the west, at the end of the panhandle, by Alabama. To the southwest of Houston, in Sugar Land, is the Sugar Land Regional Airport (SGR), formerly Sugar Land Municipal Airport.

Florida consists of a panhandle extending along the northern Gulf of Mexico and a large peninsula with the Atlantic Ocean as its eastern border and the Gulf of Mexico as its western border. Ellington Field is in danger of closing down, as of February 2004. See: List of counties in Florida. Passenger flights ended on September 7, 2004. The state use tax is 6 percent on purchases made out of state and brought into Florida within 6 months of the purchase date. The only passenger traffic that Ellington Field (EFD) ever handled consists of passengers going to and from Galveston County flying to Bush Airport to reduce travel time to that said airport. Local governments may levy a local option sales on top of that, so sales taxes vary by county between 6 and 7.5 percent. Hobby has a lot of the intra-United States traffic that is headed for downtown, southern Houston, Galveston, and the southern suburbs; it also handles all flights by Southwest Airlines from Houston.

The state sales tax rate is 6 percent. Bush Airport handles all of the city's international traffic. Florida is one of the nine states which does not impose personal income tax (list of others). Houston is served by George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU). See: List of Florida Governors. Brown and former METRO chairwoman Shirley DeLibero. Outside of liberal Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, the Florida Democratic Party tends to be socially conservative and heavily associated with the good ol' boy network. Two METRORail cars - #101 and #102 - are the only METRO vehicles with dedication plaques to former mayor Lee P.

Tampa, once a hotbed of Democratic union support, is now about 50% both registered Republicans and Democrats making it, and surrounding areas, part of the important I-4 Corridor swing region. Although now only about 8 miles (13 km) long a long term plan is being developed for several more much longer line segments connecting diverse corners of the metropolitan area. In Miami, the liberal Democrats vie for control with wealthy Cuban conservative Republicans and their business allies. This is Texas's second major light rail service, after DART's light rail service in Dallas, Texas. As such, and because of its high population and large number of electoral votes, Florida is considered by political analysts to be a key swing state in Presidential elections. METRO hopes to expand the Light Rail to the 2 major airports, as well as the Bay Area, Katy, Spring and along the Southwest Freeway. The Presidential election in Florida in 2000 was extremely close. A 27 mile (43 km) expansion has been approved to run the service all along the central Houston area, including Uptown.

Despite this demographic parity, Republicans control the governorship and most other statewide elected offices; both houses of the state legislature; 18 of the state's 25 seats in the House of Representatives; and one of the state's two senate seats. It runs primarily along Main Street from central Downtown Houston to the Texas Medical Center and Reliant Park. Though Florida has traditionally been a Democratic state, in recent years explosive population growth has brought with it many Republicans, leaving the state approximately evenly split between the two parties. The city got the METRORail, a light rail service, on January 1, 2004. Bush. Uptown, METRO provides free service on the Uptown Shuttle. W. The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas, or METRO, provides public transportation in the form of buses, trolleys, and lift vans.

Bush and son of former President George H. Residents often refer to Freeways and Tollways by their names instead of numbers. The current governor is Republican Jeb Bush, brother of President George W. For a road map of Houston, click here (http://www.soulofamerica.com/images/maps/houston_map.jpeg). The Florida Legislature has a Senate of 40 members and a House of 120 members. Highway 59 to Texas Highway 288 in Brazoria County. Today, Florida is the fourth most populous state in the Union. The next portion to be constructed is from the current terminus at U.S.

After the fall of the Confederacy in 1865, Florida was readmitted into the Union on June 25, 1868. Highway 59 and was completed in 1994. Florida joined the CSA on February 10, 1861. A controversial proposed highway project, Texas Highway 99, would form a third loop outside of Houston. Currently, the completed portion of Texas Highway 99 runs from just north of Interstate 10 east of Katy in Harris County to Sugar Land in Fort Bend County at U.S. On March 3, 1845, Florida became the 27th state of the United States of America. Florida seceded from the Union on January 10, 1861 and was one of the founding members of the Confederate States of America (CSA, also known as the Confederacy). Most of this freeway requires payment of $1 or more toll every five or ten miles. Spain finally ceded Florida to the United States with the Adams-Onís Treaty in 1819, in exchange for the US renouncing any claims on Texas. The roughly square "Loop-610" is quartered into "North Loop," "South Loop," "West Loop," and "East Loop." The roads of Beltway 8 and their freeway core, the Sam Houston Parkway, are the next loop, at a diameter of roughly 25 miles.

Control of parts of Florida passed among Spanish, British, and American control. The innermost is Interstate 610, forming approximately a 10 mile diameter loop around downtown. The area of Florida diminished with the establishment of British colonies to the north and French colonies to the west. Houston has a hub-and-spoke freeway structure with multiple loops. Over the following century, the Spanish and French both established settlements in Florida, with varying degrees of success. New landscaping projects and a longstanding ban on new billboards are two ways that Houston is trying to back away from this side effect of convenience. Archaelogical finds indicate that Florida had been inhabited for many thousands of years prior to any European settlements. Spaniards first arrived in 1513 and laid claim to a large, imprecisely defined area extending from about modern day Gainesville northward to the Carolinas, which they called La terra florida, "The flowery land". The frontage roads make freeway access very easy, but due to their visibility to passing traffic, they have attracted most of Houston's gas stations and major retail stores.

Main article: History of Florida. Alongside most freeways are two to four lanes in each direction parallel to the freeway permitting easy access to individual city streets. USS Florida was named in honor of this state. One unusual characteristic of Houston's freeways are its frontage roads. Postal abbreviation is FL. Houston has an extensive network of freeway cameras linked to a transit control center to monitor and study traffic. The U.S. Timed freeway entrances, which regulate the addition of cars to the freeway, are also common.

It was discovered by Spanish explorers during the Easter season, which is called Pascua Florida in Spanish. The primary method currently in use is the High-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane for vans and carpools. "Florida" is a Spanish adjective which means "flowery". Texas Department of Transportation (TX DOT) planners have been running experiments to reduce traffic congestion at rush hour. It is known as the Sunshine State. Interstate 45 south has been in a continuous state of construction, in one portion or another, almost since the first segment was built in 1952. Florida is a southern state in the United States. Houston freeways are heavily traveled and often being reconstructed to meet the demands of continuing growth.

Toronto Blue Jays in Dunedin. Houston is ranked among the most ozone-polluted cities in the United States. Petersburg. This dependence on cars causes various pollution problems, including excessive ozone levels. Tampa Bay Devil Rays in St. Houston's size and lack of zoning have contributed to decentralization, or urban sprawl, which, combined with the humidity and hot summers, has made the automobile the favored means of transportation. Saint Louis Cardinals in Jupiter. For a full list of the cities in the Houston area, see:.

Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton. Areas far north, west, east and south of the inner-city also use 936 and/or 409. Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater. 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. New York Yankees in Tampa. Those outside the 610 Loop that are within the city limits normally receive the 281 or 832 area code. Lucie. Locations within the Houston city limits that are inside the 610 Loop traditionally used the 713 area code.

New York Mets in Port St. Yet a third - the "Grand Parkway", has begun construction roughly 10 miles (16 km) beyond that around the outer suburbs and currently extends from Katy to Sugar Land. Washington Nationals in Viera. Another ring road, Beltway 8 (also known simply as the "Beltway"), encircles the city another 5 miles (8 km) further out. Minnesota Twins in Fort Myers. The outlying areas of Houston, as well as the rest of Bellaire, the airports and the suburbs and enclaves are outside the loop. Los Angeles Dodgers in Vero Beach. 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 (West U.), and Southside Place, and a portion of Bellaire.

Houston Astros in Kissimmee. Kemah is surrounded by Galveston Bay to the east and Clear Lake (a brackish-water boater's paradise with open pass through to Galveston Bay) to the west. Florida Marlins in Jupiter. Another tourist hot spot is Kemah where visitors see the Kemah Boardwalk, which has many seafood restaurants and local tourist attractions. Detroit Tigers in Lakeland. Beach houses owned by Houstonians have sprung up in other cities along the shoreline to the Gulf of Mexico. Cleveland Indians in Winter Haven. The city's vulnerability on a narrow barrier bar island led to the creation of the mainland Houston Ship Channel made by the dredging of shallow Buffalo Bayou and Galveston Bay to form a protected port some 40 miles (64 km) inland of the open Gulf and less than 10 miles (16 km) from Houston's central business district.

Cincinnati Reds in Sarasota. Before near destruction in 1900 Galveston was the larger and wealthier of the two cities and dubbed "The Wall Street of the Southwest", and was on par with New Orleans as the Gulf Coast's premier city. Boston Red Sox in Palms Park. A popular day trip may include Galveston where people can visit Moody Gardens or visit a nearby beach. Baltimore Orioles in Fort Lauderdale. However, a small portion of northeast Houston has the zip codes of 77339 and 77345. Atlanta Braves at Walt Disney World. Zip codes in Houston range from 77002 to 77099.

The following are areas of 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. Rather than a single “downtown” as the center of the city's employment, five additional business districts have grown throughout the inner-city. Houston, being the largest city in the United States without zoning laws, has grown in an unusual manner.

See also:. Furthermore, 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. The design for the first Compaq computer was sketched on a napkin at House of Pies, a notable diner near the Montrose area. 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.

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. This rivalry often leads to comparison of the assets of one city to the assets of the other. Houstonians often consider themselves more "down to earth" than their neighbors to the north. 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.

In some neighborhoods, street signs are seen in Chinese and Vietnamese. 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. Houston also boasts of having a population with a younger age than the national average. Houston has the second highest South African population in the United States, after Miami, Florida.

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 two Chinatowns, as well as the third largest Vietnamese American population in the United States. 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. 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.

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. 19.2% of the population and 16.0% of families are below the poverty line. The per capita income for the city is $20,101. Males have a median income of $32,084 versus $27,371 for females.

The median income for a household in the city is $36,616, and the median income for a family is $40,443. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 97.8 males. For every 100 females there are 99.7 males. The median age is 31 years.

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 average household size is 2.67 and the average family size is 3.39. 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. 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.

37.41% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. 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. There are 782,009 housing units at an average density of 521.1/km² (1,349.6/mi²). The population density is 1,301.8/km² (3,371.7/mi²).

As of the census² of 2000, there are 1,953,631 people, 717,945 households, and 457,330 families residing in the city. Like many areas of Texas, Houston suffers from the Red Imported Fire Ant. While Dallas gets hotter temperatures, Houston's heat index is often higher. Dallas has a hot and dry climate while Houston has a hot and humid climate.

Houston's climate is often compared to that of Dallas, Texas. 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. Houston's worst contemporary flood was Tropical Storm Allison which passed through the city in June, 2001. Flooding has proved to be an increasingly serious problem in 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. 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. Hurricanes have slammed into the Texas Gulf Coast on numerous occasions; several have passed through Houston, causing death and destruction. Land subsidence forced the city to turn to ground-level water sources such as Lake Houston.

The city once relied on groundwater for its water needs. 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. The Ship Channel goes past Galveston, Texas into the Gulf of Mexico. 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.

Houston has four major bayous passing through the city. Snow is almost unheard of, and typically does not accumulate when it is seen. The coolest period is usually in January, when north winds bring winter rains. Winters in Houston are cool and temperate.

Afternoon rains are not uncommon, and Houston meteorologists are not given to predicting a zero percent chance of rain on most days. Summer thunderstorms sometimes bring the moderately common tornadoes to the area. To cope with the heat, people use air conditioning in nearly every car and post-war building in the city. The air tends to feel still and the humidity (often 90 to 100% relative humidity) makes the air feel hotter than it really is.

In summertime, daily high temperatures are in the 90 to 105 °F range throughout much of July and August. 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. Average yearly precipitation levels range from 36 to 48 inches. Much of Houston was built on forested land, marshes or prairie, all of which can still be seen in surrounding areas.

The city is located in the gulf coastal plains biome, and the vegetation is classified as a temperate grassland. Houston's climate is classified as being humid subtropical. The total area is 3.70% water. 1,500.7 km² (579.4 mi²) of it is land and 57.7 km² (22.3 mi²) of it is water.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1,558.4 km² (601.7 mi²). Main article: History of Houston. 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 donut shops per capita compared to the national average. In 2005, Men's Fitness magazine named Houston the fattest city in the U.S.

Rice Stadium, at Rice University, was the home to the Super Bowl VIII, and Super Bowl XXXVIII was played at the Reliant Stadium in February 2004. (Other nicknames include "H-Town", "Clutch City", and "Magnolia City".). It is known by the locals, however, as the Bayou City. "Houston" was the first word uttered on the moon, as Neil Armstrong reported back to NASA.

Officially, Houston has been nicknamed the Space City. Other major institutions of higher learning in Houston include University of Saint Thomas, Houston Baptist University, University of Houston-Clear Lake, University of Houston-Downtown, and Texas Southern University. Houston is also home to Rice University, a well known private institution which boasts one of the largest financial endowments of any university in the world. Houston is home to many institutions of higher learning such as the University of Houston, which is Texas' premier metropolitan extensive research university and also the flagship institution of the University of Houston System.

Houston is considered a "Gamma World City" by the GaWC. states, as well as hundreds of countries worldwide. Because of the economic trades, many residents have moved in from other U.S. 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 world renowned for its energy industry (particularly oil), aeronautics industry and ship channel. Today, the city limits 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. The city of Houston was incorporated in 1837. 29°40' N
95°18' W.

Latitude
Longitude
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2,009,690
4,986,399.  - City (2003)
 - Metropolitan. There are now approximately over 5,000,000 people living in the Houston—Sugar Land—Baytown Metropolitan Statistical Area, the eighth largest metropolitan area in the United States.

In 1900, the population in Houston was about 45,000 and it was the 85th largest town in the United States. Houston is one of the newest and fastest growing major cities in the United States. Census estimate placed the city's population at 2,009,690. Census 2000, the city had a total population of 1,953,631, but a July 1, 2003, U.S.

As of the U.S. A portion of southwest Houston extends into Fort Bend County and a small portion in the northeast extends into Montgomery County. The city is the county seat of Harris County, the third most populous county in the country. The City of Houston is the fourth largest city in the United States and one of the two largest economic areas in the state of Texas.

Toyota Center. Robertson Stadium. Rice Stadium. Reliant Stadium.

Reliant Astrodome. Minute Maid Park (formerly Enron or Astros Field). Hofheinz Pavilion. Former professional sports teams.

Hockey: Aeros - AHL - Toyota Center. Energy - WPFL - Rice Stadium. Texans - NFL - Reliant Stadium. American Football