Houston City, Texas State Records

The city of Houston, also called "Space City (official)", "more. . ." was incorporated in June 5, 1837 and encompasses the following counties: Harris, Fort Bend, and Montgomery. Houston's government type is Mayor–council. It is comprised of the Mayor, who is currently Annise Parker.

Houston encompasses land area: 599.59 sq mi (1,552.9 km2), water area: 72.3 sq mi (27.9 km2). The elevation is 43 ft (13 m) above sea level. According to the 2010 United States Census, the local population is 2,099,451(4th U.S.). This equates to a population density of 3,623/sq mi (1,505/km2). The local time zone is CST (UTC-6).

Local area codes are 713, 281, 832. The Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) code for the city is 48-35000, which is used in computer filings when non-government agencies and contractors fulfill government contracts. Additional information and the official website of the city is found at http://houstontx.gov.

Houston ( /ˈhjuË�stÉ™n/) is the fourth-largest city in the United States of America, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of 656.3 square miles (1,700 km2). Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown, which is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in the United States, with 6.08 million people as of July 1st, 2011.

Houston was founded in 1836 on land near the banks of Buffalo Bayou. It was incorporated as a city on June 5, 1837, and named after then-President of the Republic of Texas—former General Sam Houston—who had commanded and won at the Battle of San Jacinto, which took place 25 miles (40 km) east of where the city was established. The burgeoning port and railroad industry, combined with oil discovery in 1901, has induced continual surges in the city's population. In the mid-twentieth century, Houston became the home of the Texas Medical Center—the world's largest concentration of healthcare and research institutions—and NASA's Johnson Space Center, where the Mission Control Center is located.

Rated as a global city, Houston's economy has a broad industrial base in energy, manufacturing, aeronautics, and transportation. It is also leading in health care sectors and building oilfield equipment; only New York City is home to more Fortune 500 headquarters. The Port of Houston ranks first in the United States in international waterborne tonnage handled and second in total cargo tonnage handled. The city has a population from various ethnic and religious backgrounds and a large and growing international community. It is home to many cultural institutions and exhibits, which attract more than 7 million visitors a year to the Museum District. Houston has an active visual and performing arts scene in the Theatre District and offers year-round resident companies in all major performing arts.