The first thing that comes to mind when one thinks of Texas is big . Texas has a reputation for big cars, big ranches, big homes, big everything. But how big is Texas really? Texas has a land area of 261,914 square miles; for reference, France has a land area of 216,641 sq miles (545,630 sq km). The distance from Texarkana, Texas to El Paso is 830 miles as compared to only 802 miles between New York City and Chicago, Illinois. At an estimated population of over 20 million (1999) Texas ranks 3rd in the United States behind New York and California. According to comedian Drew Carey, Texas also leads the nation in drive-thru liquor stores.
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