States that border the Gulf of Mexico are shown in red

The Gulf Coast region of the United States comprises the coasts of states which border the Gulf of Mexico. The states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida are known as the Gulf States. All Gulf States are located in the Southern region of the United States. Image File history File links US_map-Gulf_Coast. ... Image File history File links US_map-Gulf_Coast. ... Gulf of Mexico in 3D perspective. ... Gulf of Mexico in 3D perspective. ... For other uses, see Texas (disambiguation). ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... This article is about the U.S. State of Florida. ... Historic Southern United States. ...

Geography and climate

The Gulf Coast is intersected by numerous rivers, the largest of which is the Mississippi. Land along the Gulf Coast tends to be low and flat, and much of it is (or was) marshland. The western portions of the Gulf Coast include many barrier islands and peninsulas, including the 130 mile (210 km) Padre Island and Galveston Island. These landforms protect numerous bays and inlets. The central part of the Gulf Coast, from eastern Texas through Louisiana, consists primarily of marshland. Even though it is a gulf, geographically it is technically part of the east coast of the US, even though it is not popularly thought of as such. For the river in Canada, see Mississippi River (Ontario). ... This article is about marsh, a type of wetland. ... In geography, a bar is a linear shoaling landform feature within a body of water. ... A peninsula in Croatia A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered on three or more sides by water. ... Padre Island sand dunes. ... A map of Galveston Island, a barrier island on the Texas Gulf coast in the United States Galveston Island is a barrier island on the Texas Gulf coast in the United States, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Houston. ...

Because of its proximity to the subtropical waters of the Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf Coast area is vulnerable to hurricanes. Floods and severe thunderstorms also affect the region; tornadoes are infrequent at the coast but do occur (they are much more frequent in the inland portions of those states). Earthquakes are virtually unheard of, but a surprise 6.0 earthquake in the Gulf of Mexico on September 10, 2006, was felt from New Orleans to Tampa.^[1] Cyclone Catarina, a rare South Atlantic tropical cyclone viewed from the International Space Station on March 26, 2004 Hurricane and Typhoon redirect here. ... Flooding in Amphoe Sena, Ayutthaya Province, Thailand. ... A thunderstorm, also called an electrical storm or lightning storm, is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its attendant thunder produced from a cumulonimbus cloud. ... This article is about the weather phenomenon. ... Global earthquake epicenters, 1963–1998. ... is the 253rd day of the year (254th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Economic activities

The Gulf Coast is a major center of economic activity. The marshlands along the Louisiana and Texas coasts provide breeding grounds and nurseries for ocean life that drive the fishing and shrimping industries. The Port of South Louisiana (between New Orleans and Baton Rouge in Laplace) and the Port of Houston are two of the ten busiest ports in the world by cargo volume.^[2] In fact, as of 2004 seven of the top ten busiest ports in the U.S. are on the Gulf Coast.^[3] The discovery of oil and gas deposits along the coast and offshore, combined with easy access to shipping, have made the Gulf Coast the heart of the U.S. petrochemical industry. Besides this the region features other important industries including aerospace and biomedical research, as well as older industries such as agriculture and, especially since the development of the Gulf Coast beginning in the 1950s and the increase in wealth throughout the United States, tourism. Salmon for sale at a marketplace The Fishing industry is the commercial activity of fishing and producing fish and other seafood products. ... Superfamilies Alpheoidea Atyoidea Bresilioidea Campylonotoidea Crangonoidea Galatheacaridoidea Nematocarcinoidea Oplophoroidea Palaemonoidea Pandaloidea Pasiphaeoidea Procaridoidea Processoidea Psalidopodoidea Stylodactyloidea True shrimp are swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. ... The Port of South Louisiana is the largest volume shipping port in the United States and fifth largest in the world(2003 World Port Rankings). ... NOLA redirects here. ... For the Canadian restaurant, see Baton Rouge (restaurant). ... La Place (sometimes spelled LaPlace or Laplace) is a suburb of New Orleans and a census-designated place in St. ... The Port of Houston The Port of Houston is the port of Houston, Texas, the fourth-largest city in the United States. ... For other uses, see Port (disambiguation). ... Pumpjack pumping an oil well near Lubbock, Texas Ignacy Łukasiewicz - creator of the process of refining of kerosene from crude oil. ... For other uses, see Natural gas (disambiguation). ... Petrochemicals are chemical products made from raw materials of petroleum (hydrocarbon) origin. ... Look up aerospace in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Texas Medical Center The Texas Medical Center, with more than five million patient visits annually and one of the highest densities of clinical facilities and basic science and translational research of any location, is the largest medical district in the world. ...

History

The history of the Gulf Coast is an important part of United States history; as economically important as the Gulf Coast is to the United States today, it arguably once held an even greater position of prominence in the U.S.

The first Europeans to settle the Gulf Coast were primarily the French and the Spanish. The Louisiana Purchase, the Texas Revolution, and the Mexican–American War made the Gulf Coast a part of the United States during first half of the 19th century. As the U.S. population continued to expand its frontiers westward, the Gulf Coast was a natural magnet in the South providing access to shipping lanes and both national and international commerce. The development of sugar and cotton production (enabled by slavery) allowed the South to prosper. By the mid 19th century, the South, including the Gulf, by some standards was populated by the nation's wealthiest people. The city of New Orleans in particular, being situated as a key to commerce on the Mississippi River and in the Gulf, had become the largest U.S. city not on the Atlantic seaboard and the fourth largest in the U.S. overall. For the musical, see Louisiana Purchase (musical) and Louisiana Purchase (film). ... Combatants Texas Mexico Commanders Stephen F. Austin Sam Houston Antonio López de Santa Anna Martin Perfecto de Cos Strength c. ... Combatants United States Mexico Commanders Zachary Taylor Winfield Scott Stephen W. Kearney Antonio López de Santa Anna Mariano Arista Pedro de Ampudia José Mariá Flores Strength 78,790 soldiers 18,000–40,000 soldiers Casualties KIA: 1733 Total dead: 13,271 Wounded: 4,152 25,000 killed or wounded... The U.S. Southern states or The South, known during the American Civil War era as Dixie, is a distinctive region of the United States with its own unique historical perspective, customs, musical styles, and cuisine. ... This article is about sugar as food and as an important and widely traded commodity. ... For other uses, see Cotton (disambiguation). ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... For the river in Canada, see Mississippi River (Ontario). ... Categories: US geography stubs ...

Two major events were turning points in the earlier history of the Gulf Coast region. The first was the American Civil War, which caused severe damage to some economic sectors in the South, including the Gulf Coast. The second event was the Galveston Hurricane of 1900. At the end of the 19th century Galveston was, with New Orleans, one of the most developed cities in the region. The city had the third busiest port in the U.S.^[4] and its financial district was known as the "Wall Street of the Southwest." ^[5] The storm mostly destroyed the city (which has never regained its former glory) and set back development in the region. Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... The U.S. Southern states or The South, known during the American Civil War era as Dixie, is a distinctive region of the United States with its own unique historical perspective, customs, musical styles, and cuisine. ... Lowest pressure 936 mbar (hPa; 27. ... Galveston redirects here. ...

Since these darker times the Gulf Coast has redeveloped dramatically over the course of the 20th century. The petrochemical industry, launched with the major discoveries of oil in Texas and spurred on by further discoveries in the Gulf waters, has been a vehicle for development in the central and western Gulf which has spawned development on a variety of fronts in these regions. Texas in particular has benefited tremendously from this industry over the course of the 20th century and economic diversification has made the state a magnet for population and home to more Fortune 500 companies than any other U.S. state. Florida has grown as well, driven to a great extent by its long established tourism industry but also by its position as a gateway to the Caribbean and Latin America. As of 2006, these two states are the second and fourth most populous states in the nation, respectively (see this article). Other areas of the Gulf Coast have benefitted less, though economic development fueled by tourism has greatly increased property values along the coast, and is now a severe danger to the valuable but fragile ecosystems of the Gulf Coast. For other uses, see Texas (disambiguation). ... The Fortune 500 is a ranking of the top 500 United States corporations as measured by gross revenue. ... This article is about the U.S. State of Florida. ... Map of states populations (2006) This is a list of states of the United States by population (with inhabited non-state jurisdictions included for comparison) as of July 1, 2006, according to the 2005 estimates of the United States Census Bureau. ...

Metropolitan areas

The following are the 10 largest metropolitan areas along the Gulf Coast of the United States. The following is a list (by population) of all Metropolitan Statistical Areas as defined by the United States Census Bureau. ...

Houston redirects here. ... City nickname: The Land of Sugar City slogan: Sugar Land. ... Baytown is a city located along the Gulf Coast region in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. ... For other uses, see Texas (disambiguation). ... Tampas skyline For alternate meanings, see Tampa (disambiguation) Tampa is a city located in Hillsborough County on the west coast of Florida. ... For other uses, see St. ... Clearwater is a city located in central Pinellas County, Florida, USA, nearly due west of Tampa. ... This article is about the U.S. State of Florida. ... NOLA redirects here. ... , Metairie (local pronunciations , ) is a suburb of New Orleans. ... Kenner is a suburb of New Orleans that has a population of 70,517 (census 2000). ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Cà dZan - a 1925 Sarasota residence that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places Sarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the central west coast of Florida, USA. Its official limits include Sarasota Bay and several barrier islands between the bay and the Gulf of... Bradenton is a city in Manatee County, Florida, United States. ... Venice is a city in Sarasota County, Florida, United States. ... This article is about the U.S. State of Florida. ... It has been suggested that List of people from Mobile, Alabama be merged into this article or section. ... Daphne is a city located in Baldwin County, Alabama. ... ʍ Fairhope is a city in Baldwin County, Alabama, on a sloping plateau, along the cliffs and shoreline of Mobile Bay. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Motto: Nickname: Founded 1965 Incorporated 1970 County Lee County Borough {{{borough}}} Parrish {{{parrish}}} Mayor Area  - Total  - Water 298. ... Fort Myers is the county seatGR6 and commercial center of Lee County, Florida. ... This article is about the U.S. State of Florida. ... Nickname: Location in Escambia County and the state of Florida Coordinates: , Country State County Escambia Government  - Mayor John Fogg Area  - City 39. ... Ferry Pass is a census-designated place located in Escambia County, Florida. ... Brent is a census-designated place located in Escambia County, Florida. ... This article is about the U.S. State of Florida. ... Nickname: Location in the state of Texas Coordinates: , Country State Counties Nueces, San Patricio Government  - Mayor Henry Garrett Area  - City 460. ... For other uses, see Texas (disambiguation). ... Location in the state of Texas Coordinates: , Counties Settled 1835 Incorporation 1838 Gentilic Beaumonter Government  - Type Council-Manager  - Mayor Becky Ames  - City Manager Kyle Hayes  - Mayor Pro - Tem Nancy Beaulieu Area  - City 222. ... Port Arthur is a city in Jefferson County within the Beaumont-Port Arthur metropolitan area and is situated in southeast Texas. ... For other uses, see Texas (disambiguation). ... Location in Leon County and the state of Florida Coordinates: , Country State County Leon Government  - Mayor John Marks Area  - City 254. ... This article is about the U.S. State of Florida. ...

See also

• Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission
• Geography of the United States
• List of U.S. ports
• Florida Panhandle
• Emerald Coast
• West Florida

Members of the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission The Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission (GSMFC) is an interstate compact among the five U.S. states that border the Gulf of Mexico: Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. ... The United States is a nation in the Western Hemisphere. ... This is a list of the 150 busiest U.S. ports by tonnage (as of 1/25/2005). ... The Florida Panhandle is the region of the state of Florida which includes the westernmost 16 counties in the state. ... Emerald-green waters in Destin, FL, part of the Emerald Coast. Pensacola Beach, part of the Emerald Coast. The Emerald Coast (sometimes called the Redneck Riviera) is an area in the southeastern United States on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, roughly bounded by Pensacola, Florida on the west... This article is about the region. ...

Notes