Houston is the 4th largest city within the United States, with about 2,2 million residents and over 596 square miles of land. It is named after Sam Houston, the first president of the Republic of Texas after leading the Texas army to win the war of independence against Mexico in 1836. Houston grew to the largest city within the great state of Texas, a very proud southern state in the United States. The city is commonly referred as Bayou City by locals due to the large bayou running through the city’s center. Houston is located approximately 30-35 miles north from the coastal city of Galveston and 180 miles south of Dallas/Ft.Worth.
Houston has a vibrant economy with the Port of Houston, one of the largest in the world and an important component to the city’s economic make up as it is a focal point of domestic and international trade, and a strong energy industry with an abundance companies tied to oil and gas. Houston also houses the Texas Medical Center which is the largest medical complex in the world with world-class hospitals and the NASA Johnson Space Center, which gives Houston its second nickname of space city.
Houston offers great arts with the Museum and Theatre Districts, is home to major professional sports teams with state-of-the-art complexes such as the Reliant Stadium for football and Minute Maid Park for baseball and attractions such as the yearly Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo which takes place for several weeks. It also has the world’s largest underground tunnel which is 7 miles long and located downtown with shops and restaurants.
The city is a melting pot and considered to be extremely multi-cultural with a diverse residential population who speak over 90 languages. The current ethnic breakdown of the city is 49% Caucasian, 38% Hispanic, 25% African American and 5% Asian. Due to its cultural make-up with constant newcomers to the city, Houstonians are very friendly to foreigners and expats. It is easy to feel welcomed. There are many networking and social events that make it easy to get connections, to become acquainted and later become good friends with other expats.
Compared to other cities, Houston has an attractive cost of living and allows a standard of living that is only achieved with a much higher income elsewhere. The thriving economic state of this metro city and the long summers with mild winters and pleasant spring and fall also attract many new residents. Houston is constantly growing and expected to reach a population of about 4 million by the year 2025, with many areas expanding in the western part of Houston and density increasing within the city limits.
