Texas is called the Lone Star State because of the design of the state flag; a broad vertical blue stripe at left, centered by a single white star, with horizontal bars of white and red on the right. The red means courage, the white means liberty and the blue stands for loyalty. The star has five points, one for each letter of the state's name. The word 'Texas' comes from the Hasinai Indian word 'Tejas' which means 'friends' or 'allies.'
Geography Coastline: 624 miles long Land Area: 262,017 Square Miles Elevation: 0-8749 Ft. (Highest point, Guadalupe Peak) Texas Counties: 254 Population: 22,100,000 (2003 US Census Bureau) Motto: Friendship Nickname: Lone Star State Time Zones: Central and Mountain State Symbols: Flower: Bluebonnet Bird: Mockingbird Tree: Pecan Government Capital: Austin Government: Bicameral Legislature Air Force: The Confederate Air Force, based in Midland at the Midland International Airport, was proclaimed the state air force of Texas by the 71st Legislature in 1989. Song: 'Texas Our Texas' (The music was written by the late William J. Marsh and the works by Marsh and Gladys Yoakum Wright, both of Fort Worth. It was adopted in 1929.). Animals Reptile: Texas Horned Lizard Mammal: Armadillo, Longhorn, Mexican Free-Tailed Bat Fish: Guadalupe Bass Insect: Monarch Butterfly Seashell: Lightning Whelk (Gulf Coast) Dinosaur: Brachiosaur, Sauropod, Pleuracoelus Minerals Stone: Petrified Palmwood Gem: Blue Topaz Entertainment and Music Folk Dance: Square Dance Sport: Rodeo Plants Native Pepper: The Chiltepin Vegetable: Texas Sweet Onion Plant: Prickly Pear Cactus Shrub: Crape Myrtle (lagerstroemia indicia) Fruit: Texas Grapefruit Food and Cloths Fiber and Fabric: Cotton Dish: Chili History Entered Union: December 29, 1845 (28th State) Ship: Battleship Texas 
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