Gulf Coast of the United States

Gulf Coast
States that border the Gulf of Mexico are shown in red.
States that border the Gulf of Mexico are shown in red.
Country United States
States Alabama
 Florida
 Louisiana
 Mississippi
 Texas
Principal citiesHouston
Tampa
Mobile
New Orleans
Pensacola
Gulfport
Tallahassee
Largest cityHouston
Largest metropolitan areaGreater Houston
Population
 • Total64,008,345[1]

The Gulf Coast of the United States, also known as the Gulf South or the South Coast, is the coastline along the Southern United States where they meet the Gulf of Mexico. The coastal states that have a shoreline on the Gulf of Mexico are Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, and these are known as the Gulf States.[2]

The economy of the Gulf Coast area is dominated by industries related to energy, petrochemicals, fishing, aerospace, agriculture, and tourism. The large cities of the region are (from west to east) Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Houston, Galveston, Beaumont, Lake Charles, Lafayette, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Gulfport, Biloxi, Mobile, Pensacola, Panama City, St. Petersburg, and Tampa. All are the centers or major cities of their respective metropolitan areas and many of which contain large ports.

  1. ^ "Gulf States 2020". Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  2. ^ For example: "Gulf Coast Energy Outlook" (PDF) (Spring 2017 ed.). Center for Energy Studies. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 14, 2018. Retrieved April 13, 2018 – via Economics & Policy Research Group., p. 1 (" Unless stated otherwise, Gulf Coast hereafter specifically refers to the states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida").