The state of Texas is the largest state in the contiguous United States. There are more than 25 million people who live within nearly 270,000 square miles of land. The geographic traits of the state are as diverse as its population.

If you were to take a trip across Texas in any direction, the landscape would change from start to finish. Texas extends from sea level at the Gulf of Mexico to over 8,000 feet in the Guadalupe Mountains of far West Texas and from the semitropical Lower Rio Grande Valley to the High Plains of the Panhandle.

Texas is sometimes divided by its popular regions, illustrated on the map below. These seven major regions are named for their relative locations and include sub regions that may extend into more than one region.

Click on each region below to learn more.

→ Think about this: In which region do you live? Would you add information about your region? If so, what would you add?

It is through these popular regions that we can determine each region’s cultural characteristics. The cultures of these areas are influenced by the geographic area, economic activity, and people who live there.