Country | United States |
Population | 1434625 |
Area | 504.64 sq mi (1,307.00 km2) |
Time Zone | UTC−6 (CST) |
Coordinates | 29.42412, -98.49363 |
Highest elevation | 650 ft (198 m) |
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City Description
San Antonio, officially the City of San Antonio, is a vibrant metropolis in Texas, and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio, which is the third-largest metropolitan area in Texas. According to the 2020 US census, it has a population of 2.6 million people, making it the seventh-most populous city in the United States, the second-largest in the Southern United States, and the second-most populous in Texas after Houston.
Founded in 1718 as a Spanish mission and colonial outpost, San Antonio became the first chartered civil settlement in Texas in 1731. The city was part of the Spanish Empire, then the Mexican Republic from 1821 to 1836. Celebrating its 300th anniversary on May 1, 2018, San Antonio is the oldest municipality in Texas.
Located at the southwestern corner of the Texas Triangle, San Antonio sits about 80 miles (129 km) from Downtown Austin along the Interstate 35 corridor. This combined metropolitan region, San Antonio–Austin, has a population of approximately 5 million people. The city is named after Saint Anthony of Padua, in honor of whose feast day a 1691 Spanish expedition named it.
San Antonio is home to five 18th-century Spanish frontier missions, including The Alamo and San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, which were designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites in 2015. Major attractions include the River Walk, the Tower of the Americas, SeaWorld San Antonio, the Alamo Bowl, and Marriage Island. Entertainment options feature Six Flags Fiesta Texas and Morgan’s Wonderland amusement parks. According to the San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau, the city attracts about 32 million tourists a year.
The city has a rich sports culture, being home to the five-time NBA champion San Antonio Spurs and hosting the annual San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, one of the largest events of its kind in the U.S.
San Antonio is a significant hub for the U.S. Armed Forces, with numerous facilities including Fort Sam Houston, Lackland Air Force Base, Randolph Air Force Base, Kelly Air Force Base, Camp Bullis, and Camp Stanley. Fort Sam Houston hosts the Brooke Army Medical Center, an essential medical facility.
Economically, San Antonio is robust with four Fortune 500 companies and the South Texas Medical Center, which is the only medical research and care provider in the South Texas region. The city is also known for its cultural diversity, being the largest majority-Hispanic city in the United States, with 64% of its population being Hispanic.
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