The Coastal Plains region of Texas covers the eastern and southern part of the state.  It is the largest region in Texas, covering 1/3 of the entire state.  The Coastal Plains can be divided into five subregions.  It is also home to more Texans than any other region, being the most densely populated of all the regions. 

Basic Features

The Gulf Coast stretches from Port Arthur to Brownsville. The coast region is a nearly level plain. Farther inland, the coastal plains are rolling and hilly. Coastal prairies extend from the Sabine River to the Lower Rio Grande Valley. The region has many streams and rivers flowing through it to the Gulf of Mexico. To the northeast of the Coastal Plains, a heavy growth of trees forms the Piney Woods region of the state. 

Borders

The Coastal Plains region extends across northeastern Texas. It continues into the states of Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. 

The western border of this region stretches along a curving line from the Red River south and west to the Rio Grande. The Balcones Fault forms this border. A fault is a crack in the crust of the Earth. Between Del Rio and the Austin area, this fault produces an escarpment, or steep cliff. In some places, the Balcones Escarpment rises sharply as much as 1,000 feet. 

The southern and western edge of Texas’s Coastal Plains is the Rio Grande. This river forms the border between Texas and Mexico. The Gulf of Mexico makes up much of the eastern edge of this region. For 624 miles, the Gulf of Mexico washes the Texas shore and its seven barrier islands.

Land

The Coastal Plain gradually slopes toward the Gulf of Mexico. At is western edge, the land is nearly 1,000 feet above sea level. Along the coast, the land is often low and marshy, with shallow bays and inlets. 

Vegetation and Other Features

The Coastal Plain covers a very large area  consisting of dense forests, grassy prairies with rich soil and bayous. Patterns of vegetation and other features set sections of the Coastal Plain apart from others.

The area along the Gulf Coast above Buffin Bay is a rich prairie - the Coastal Prairie. Today this prairie supports a large cattle industry. Fruit and vegetable crops grow well here.

North and east of this Coastal Prairie is the Piney Woods region. It includes many different species of pine trees. To the west of the Piney Woods is an area of forest that includes the Post Oak Belt and the Eastern Cross Timbers. These are fingers of a forest belt that extends down into Texas from the north.

Economy

In the Coastal Plains region of Texas there are many job opportunities.  The soil and climate of the Gulf Coast Plain have made it a rich agricultural area.  Farmers grow crops like rice, cotton, corn and grains.    The coastal grasslands also support one of the largest livestock industries in Texas. Ranching of cattle, poultry and hogs are significant economic industries. The Gulf of Mexico is another valuable resource.  Fishing and shrimping are major sources of income for many Texans. The area produces many important minerals including coal, lignite, natural gas, granite and sand.

Oil is another resource, with offshore rigs providing many jobs for Texans.  The center of the Texas and U.S. oil-refining industry lies between Beaumont and Houston.  The area also has a large petrochemicals industry.  Petrochemicals are chemicals made from oil and natural gas and are used in most industries. Ports provide another boost to the economy of this region.  Some of the largest cities in this region are port cities: Houston, Corpus Christi, Beaumont, Galveston, and Port Arthur. Products are shipped in and out of these ports to destinations worldwide.

The Piney Woods and Post Oak Belt have a variety of trees including post oak, black jack oak, elm, pecan, walnut and hickory which contributes to lumber and timber industries  for the region.

Banking (Federal Reserve Bank in Dallas), trade, tourism and sports are other economic resources for the region.

The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway in Texas is an important state transportation system that enhances Texas’ economy.  75 million tons of goods are moved through the waterway annually, (3 million truckloads). This protects the coastal highways, and produces less emissions protecting the environment.

Human Features

There are many things to do along the Gulf Coast. People enjoy fishing and bird-watching there. In Harris County, the San Jacinto Battleground State Historical Park attracts tourists to the site of the battle that led to the independence of Texas. Nearby is the Battleship Texas, which is the only surviving battleship that served in both World War I and World War II. Near Navasota is Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historical Park. It contains a replica of the building in which the Texas Declaration of Independence was signed. 

The capital of Texas, Austin,  has much to see, including the state capitol and the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. In Waco, the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Texas Sports Hall of Fame are popular tourist attractions. The Alamo, the Spanish Missions, and the Riverwalk make San Antonio one of the top tourist attractions in the state. 

Cities

There are many large cities in the Coastal Plains that contribute to the region’s population and landscape.  Houston is the most populated city in Texas with over 2 million people.  San Antonio is the second largest populated city in the region with almost 1.5 million people. Other major cities include Galveston, Corpus Christi, Waco, Dallas.  Laredo in the southern Coastal Plains is the fastest growing city in Texas.

Climate/Weather 

The climate of the Coastal Plain is mild, with hot summers and cool winters with few hard freezes. This area receives the  most rainfall of all of the regions in Texas.  Precipitation is high averaging 30-55 inches per year.  This rain supports the forest areas mild weather.  Average annual high temperatures in the upper 90s are not unusual during the height of summer. 

Resources (Economics) of the Coastal Plains Region