GEOGRAPHY

Facts & Figures 790 miles long and

660 miles wide at its most distant points.

Land Area: 261,914 sq mi

Highest Point: Guadalupe Peak at 8,749 ft

Major Rivers: Rio Grande, Red River, Brazos River

Capital Cities:Houston, 1837-1840Austin, 1840-1842Washington-on-the-

Brazos, 1842-1845Austin, since 1845

Texas has one of the most distinct and recognizable shapes of all the states in the U.S.

The geographic center of Texas is located in McCulloch County, 15 miles NE of Brady. Longitude: 99° 27.5'W Latitude: 31° 14.6'N

THREE MAJOR PHYSICAL DIVISIONS

Atlantic-Coastal plain

Great Plains of Central North America

Rocky Mountain system

The fact – that these areas join within the state – gives the region a variety and contrast in topography, climate, and resources

Sharing the coastal plains division with:Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida

Sharing the Great Plains division with most of the Midwest

Mountain and Basin Division shared with most of the Western U.S.

Copied from: Texas, by Proctor, et al

Coastal Plains

North Central Plains

Great Plains

Mountains and Basins

There are thirteen major rivers in Texas.

(3) -Three rivers make up parts of the boundary of Texas: The Sabine (east), Red (north), and Rio Grande (south).

(3) -The Trinity, Neches, and San Jacinto are located in East Texas.

(2) -The Brazos and Colorado cut across the High Plains region.

(4) -The Nueces, San Antonio, Guadalupe, and Lavaca flow eastward from Central Texas.

(1) -The Canadian River is an unusual Texas river, in that it flows northeast across the Panhandle, emptying into the Arkansas River.

Know these and their location on the Texas map

Intriguing physical features: Balcones

Escarpment Edwards Plateau Llano Estacado Caprock Escarpment Palo Duro Canyon Big Bend

Rio Grande Valley Gulf Coast plains Piney Woods Central Texas prairies Cross Timbers Blackland prairie

Balcones Escarpment

Edwards Plateau

Llano Estacado

Caprock Escarpment

Cross Timbers

Big Bend