Houston (pron-en?hju?st?n) is the fourth-largest city (List of United States cities by population) in the United States and the largest city in the state of Texas. As of the 2009 U.S. Census estimate, the city had a population of 2.2 million within an area of convert600mi2km2abbr=off. Houston is the seat (county seat) of Harris County (Harris County, Texas) and the economic center of the nowrapHouston-Sugar Land-Baytown (Greater Houston) metropolitan area?the nowrapsixth-largest metropolitan area (United States metropolitan area) in the U.S. with a population of 5.9 million.

Houston was founded on August 30, 1836, by brothers Augustus Chapman Allen and John Kirby Allen on land near the banks of nowrapBuffalo Bayou. The city was incorporated on June 5, 1837, and named after then-President of the Republic of Texas?former General Sam Houston?who had commanded at the Battle of San Jacinto (Battle of San Jacinto), which took place convert25mikmabbr=off 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 citys population. In the mid-twentieth century, Houston became the home of the Texas Medical Center?the worlds largest concentration of healthcare and research institutions?and NASAs Johnson Space Center (Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center), where the Mission Control Center is located.

Rated as a beta world city (global city), Houstons economy has a broad industrial base in the energy, manufacturing, aeronautics, transportation, and health care sectors and is a leading center for building oilfield equipment; only New York City is home to more Fortune 500 headquarters in the city limits. 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?attracting more than 7 million visitors a year to the Houston Museum District. Houston has an active visual and performing arts scene in the Theater District (Houston Theater District) and is one of few U.S. cities that offer year-round resident companies in all major performing arts.