Houston

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City and port in southeastern Texas, USA; linked by the Houston Ship Canal to the Gulf of Mexico, in the Gulf Coastal Plain; population (2000 est) 1,953,600. A major centre of finance and commerce, Houston is also one of the busiest US ports. Industrial products include refined petroleum, oilfield equipment, and petrochemicals, chief of which are synthetic rubber, plastics, insecticides, and fertilizers. Other products include iron and steel, electrical and electronic machinery, paper products, and milled rice. The Lyndon B Johnson Space Center (1961), the command post for flights by US astronauts, is located here.

History
Houston was first settled in 1826 as Harrisburg. It was destroyed in 1836 by the Mexican army while in pursuit of the Texas army. It was incorporated as Houston in 1837, and was the capital of Texas from 1837 to 1839. It became a major cotton port and, following the discovery of oil in 1907 and the completion of the ship canal in 1914, its importance grew rapidly, and it became a leading oil centre, with natural-gas pipelines. The first major refinery was set up in 1918, and important oil companies operating in Houston went on to include Texaco, Exxon, and Gulf.

The bright blue field stands for the Pacific Ocean. The shield is taken from the coat of arms. Effective date: 10 October 1970. >>