Honestly, it's pretty hard to wrap your head around how big Texas really is until you’re sitting in a car, staring at an endless horizon in the Panhandle, realizing you’ve been driving for eight hours and you still haven't left the state. People joke that "everything is bigger in Texas," but when you look at the hard data, the joke starts to feel more like a warning.
If you’re looking for the exact number, the area of texas in square kilometers is approximately 695,662 square kilometers.
That is a massive footprint. To be precise, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Texas Almanac break it down further into land and water. The state covers about 676,587 square kilometers of solid ground and another 19,075 square kilometers of water. That water area alone—consisting of the Gulf Coast, massive reservoirs like Sam Rayburn, and winding rivers like the Rio Grande—is larger than some entire U.S. states.
Why the Area of Texas in Square Kilometers Matters
Most Americans think in square miles. In that "old school" measurement, Texas is 268,597 square miles. But the moment you step across the border into Mexico or talk to a friend in Europe, those miles don't mean much. Using square kilometers gives you a global perspective on just how much room the Lone Star State takes up on the planet.
Basically, if Texas were a country, it would be the 39th or 40th largest in the world. It’s bigger than France. It’s bigger than Afghanistan. It’s nearly double the size of Germany. You could drop the United Kingdom into Texas almost three times.
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Think about that for a second.
You've got different climates, different ecosystems, and even different time zones all contained within that 695,662 square kilometer block. While the eastern edge near Louisiana is lush with piney woods and swampy bayous, the western tip in El Paso is a high-altitude desert that actually sits in the Mountain Time Zone.
Comparing the Vastness
It's sorta funny to see how Texas stacks up against other places. Most people know it's the second-largest state in the U.S., trailing only Alaska. But Alaska is in a league of its own at over 1.7 million square kilometers.
California, the third-largest, covers about 423,967 square kilometers. So, Texas isn't just bigger than California; it's nearly 65% larger.
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Texas vs. The World
When we talk about the area of texas in square kilometers, the international comparisons are what really blow people’s minds.
- France: Roughly 643,801 $km^2$. Texas has it beat by over 50,000 kilometers.
- Japan: Roughly 377,975 $km^2$. You could almost fit two Japans inside Texas.
- Italy: Roughly 301,340 $km^2$. Texas is more than twice as large.
Driving from Orange (on the eastern border) to El Paso (on the western border) is a trip of about 1,420 kilometers. That is a longer distance than driving from London, England, to Rome, Italy. You’re crossing an entire "European continent's worth" of distance without ever needing a passport.
The Geography of the 695,662 Square Kilometers
You can't just treat the area of texas in square kilometers as one big, flat pancake. The state is divided into four major physical regions, each with its own personality.
- The Gulf Coastal Plains: This is where you find Houston and the humid, low-lying lands. It's the most populous part of the state.
- The North Central Plains: This area wraps around the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. It's prairie land, great for ranching.
- The Great Plains: This is the "Sea of Grass" that moves up into the Panhandle. It's where the wind never stops blowing.
- The Basin and Range Province: This is West Texas. It's where you find the Davis Mountains and Big Bend National Park. It’s rugged, rocky, and beautiful.
Texas has over 3,700 named streams and 15 major river systems. The Rio Grande is the longest, stretching along the border for 1,250 miles, or about 2,011 kilometers. All of this contributes to the total area of texas in square kilometers, including those 19,075 $km^2$ of water.
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Population Density and the "Empty" Space
Even though Texas has over 31 million people as of 2026, those people aren't spread out evenly. Most are packed into the "Texas Triangle"—the area between Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio/Austin.
When you look at the total area, the population density is roughly 45 people per square kilometer. Compare that to New Jersey, which has about 488 people per square kilometer. Texas has a lot of "elbow room." You can drive through counties in the West like Loving County or Brewster County and not see another soul for miles.
Actionable Insights for Travelers or Researchers
If you're planning to navigate this massive area, or if you're researching land for business, keep these "Texas-sized" facts in mind:
- Respect the Drive: If you're moving between major cities, don't underestimate the time. Driving from Houston to Amarillo is 965 kilometers. That’s an 9 to 10-hour day depending on traffic.
- Climate Variations: Because the state is so big, the weather in the north is nothing like the south. It can be snowing in Dalhart (the Panhandle) while people are wearing shorts in Brownsville (the Rio Grande Valley).
- Logistics Matter: For businesses, the area of texas in square kilometers means logistics and shipping are huge industries. The state has more miles of public highway than any other state.
To get a true sense of the scale, you really need to look at a topographical map that highlights the transition from the coastal plains to the western mountains. It helps you visualize why the state is divided the way it is.
Next Step: You should check out the official Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) maps or the Texas General Land Office website for detailed GIS data if you need precise boundary measurements for a specific county or region.