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Geographical Links The Canadian River Lake Meredith National Recreation Area Palo Duro Canyon State Park Ogallala
Aquifer Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum
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The Texas Panhandle is the northwestern most geographical region of Texas. New Mexico limits its western border, as does Oklahoma to the north and east. It is situated on the southern High Plains region of the United States. The Texas Panhandle comprises the 26 northern most counties of Texas. Its eastern boundary is the 100th meridian, its northern boundary is at 36*, 30' latitude. Its western boundary is the 103rd meridian and the southern boundary is a line along the southern edge of Swisher County. Elevations of the Texas Panhandle vary from about 2,000 feet above sea level in southeast Childress County to about 4,700 feet above sea level in Dallam County in the northwest. The flat north and west regions of the Panhandle are referred to as the Llano Estacado, or Staked Plains. This plain is one of the largest and most completely flat areas of its size in the world. It is predominantly grassland. The southeastern part of the region is rolling hills and is covered by moderate amounts of vegetation. Mesquite is predominant. The population of the 25,610 square mile Texas Panhandle was estimated at 392,212 by the Texas State Data Center in 1995. This was an increase of 20,289 over the 371,923 measured by the US Bureau of the Census in 1990. The economy of the region is predominantly based on petroleum and agriculture. Within the last decade the Panhandle economy has become more diverse with additions such as services and high level technology. Increases in the communication and transportation infrastructure indicate the growing productivity and continuous diversification of the area. The Panhandle economy has been historically adaptable to the changes of the times. |
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