The region centers on Harris County, the third-most populous county in the U.S. The city of Houston was founded on Buffalo Bayou. The metropolitan area has historically been among the fastest-growing in the United States; it was the fastest-growing in absolute terms during the 2013–2014 census year, adding 156,371 people.
The area's economic activity is centered in the city of Houston, the county seat of Harris County. Houston is second to New York City in Fortune 500 headquarters. The Port of Houston, located in this Greater Houston area, is the largest port in the United States and the 16th-largest in the world. The area is also one of the leading centers of the energy industry, particularly petroleum processing, and many companies have large operations in this region.
The metropolitan area is located in the Gulf Coastal Plains biome, and its vegetation is classified as temperate grassland. Much of the urbanized area was built on forested land, marshes, swamp, or prairie, remnants of which can still be seen in surrounding areas. The metropolitan region is crossed by a number of creeks and bayous, which provide essential drainage during rainfall events.
Greater Houston has a humid subtropical climate typical of the Southern United States. It is rainy most of the year. Prevailing winds come from the south and southeast during most of the year, which bring heat and moisture from the nearby Gulf of Mexico and Galveston Bay area.
A number of tropical storms and hurricanes have hit the metropolitan area, including:
1900 Galveston Hurricane, which devastated Galveston and was the deadliest natural disaster in United States history, killing between 8,000 and 12,000.
Hurricane Carla (1961), which was the most recent Category 4 hurricane to strike Texas until Harvey in 2017.
Hurricane Alicia (1983), which struck the area as a Category 3, and was at the time, the costliest Atlantic hurricane.
Tropical Storm Allison (2001), until Harvey, which brought the worst flooding in Houston history and was the first tropical storm to be retired.
Hurricane Rita (2005), which triggered one of the largest evacuations in United States history in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
Hurricane Ike (2008), which brought devastating storm surge to the coast and wind damage into the city.
Hurricane Harvey (2017), which brought devastating flooding that resulted in excess of $100 billion in damages to Southeast Texas.
Tropical Storm Imelda (2019) caused widespread flooding around Houston and surrounding areas.
Hurricane Nicholas (2021), did moderate damage, and brought wind and rain to the area.
Hurricane Beryl (2024), brought strong winds and significant rainfall, causing devastating damage in Houston.
Houston is or has been home to various nationally known sporting events. The most notable is the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, which is the world's largest livestock exhibition and rodeo event. Other events of importance on greater Houston include the Shell Houston Open (a PGA Tour event), the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships (ATP tour), the Houston Marathon, and the Texas Bowl college football bowl game.
Five separate and distinct state universities are located within the Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan area. The University of Houston is a nationally recognized Tier One research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. The metropolitan area is home to the two largest historically black institutions in the state: Texas Southern University and Prairie View A&M University.
Houston's concentration of consular offices ranks third in the nation and first in the South, with 90 countries represented. The city of Houston is considered a major center of Black and African American political power, education, economic prosperity, and culture, often called the new black mecca after Atlanta, Georgia. Houston and its metropolitan area also has a sizable Hispanic and Latin American community.
The Greater Houston area has a hub-and-spoke freeway structure with multiple loops. The innermost is Interstate 610, forming a roughly 42-mile (70 km)-circumference loop around downtown. The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) provides public transportation in the form of buses, light rail, high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, and paratransit to fifteen municipalities throughout the Greater Houston area and parts of unincorporated Harris County.
In 2020, Greater Houston's racial makeup was 41% White (non-Hispanic white 34%), 20% Black and African American, 8% Asian and 3% from two or more races; additionally, 37% of the metropolitan population were Hispanic and Latino Americans of any race. The metropolitan statistical area was classified as one of the largest regions where the three largest minority groups were highly represented. In 2018, its racial makeup had an estimated 35.5% Anglo American, 20% Black and African American, 7.6% Asian American and 2.1% other races; approximately 37.6% were Hispanic or Latino American of any race. Nearly one in four Greater Houstonians were foreign-born in 2018.
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