Texas () is a state in the South Central United States, nicknamed the Lone Star State. Texas is the second largest U.S. state in both area and population, with an area of , and with a growing population of 24.6 million residents. Houston is the largest city in Texas and the fourth-largest in the United States, while the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the state and the fourth-largest in the nation. Other major cities include San Antonio, El Paso, and Austin—th