HOUSTON'S DIVERSIFIED ECONOMY

     The discovery of oil at the famous Spindletop gusher in 1901 and the opening of the man-made Ship Channel in 1914 identified Houston as an energy capital. Currently, many of the major U.S. oil and gas companies are headquartered in Houston.

     A hub of leading-edge medical technology, Houston's Texas Medical Center is one of the largest health-care complexes in the world. It boasts 644 acres of medical care and research facilities.

     Houston is also home to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, one of NASA's largest research and development facilities.

     Foreign and national trade is an important Houston industry. The Port of Houston ranks as the second largest in the nation in total foreign tonnage transported each year. The 52 mile Ship Channel links Houston to 250 ports worldwide.