Houston(pronounced/ˈhjuːstən/)isthefourthlargestcityintheUnitedStatesofAmericaandthelargestcitywithinthestateofTexas.Asofthe2006U.S.Censusestimate,thecityhasapopulationof2.2millionwithinanareaof600squaremiles(1,600km²).HoustonistheseatofHarrisCountyandtheeconomiccenteroftheHouston–SugarLand–Baytownmetropolitanarea—thesixth-largestmetropolitanareaintheU.S.withapopulationofaround5.6million.
HoustonwasfoundedonAugust30,1836bybrothersAugustusChapmanAllenandJohnKirbyAllen[5]onlandnearthebanksofBuffaloBayou.ThecitywasincorporatedonJune5,1837andnamedafterthen-PresidentoftheRepublicofTexas—formerGeneralSamHouston—whohadcommandedattheBattleofSanJacinto,whichtookplace25miles(40km)eastofwherethecitywasestablished.Theburgeoningportandrailroadindustry,combinedwithoildiscoveryin1901,hasinducedcontinualsurgesinthecity'spopulation.Inthemid-twentiethcentury,HoustonbecamethehomeoftheTexasMedicalCenter—theworld'slargestconcentrationofhealthcareandresearchinstitutions—andNASA'sJohnsonSpaceCenter,wheretheMissionControlCenterislocated.
Houston'seconomyhasabroadindustrialbaseintheenergy,manufacturing,aeronautics,transportation,andhealthcaresectors;onlyNewYorkCityishometomoreFortune500headquartersinthecitylimits.[6]Commercially,Houstonisrankedasagammaworldcity,andtheareaisaleadingcenterforbuildingoilfieldequipment.ThePortofHoustonranksfirstintheUnitedStatesininternationalwaterbornetonnagehandledandsecondintotalcargotonnagehandled.[7]Thecityhasamulticulturalpopulationwithalargeandgrowinginternationalcommunity.Itishometomanyculturalinstitutionsandexhibits—attractingmorethan7millionvisitorsayeartotheHoustonMuseumDistrict.HoustonhasanactivevisualandperformingartssceneintheTheaterDistrictandisoneoffewU.S.citiesthatofferyear-roundresidentcompaniesinallmajorperformingarts