Texas is a state in the United States of America that is a country's constituent. It was added to the union as the 28th state in 1845, making it the oldest state in the nation. Texas is situated in the south-central part of the United States and, with the exception of Alaska, is the most populous state in the US in terms of land area. From north to south, the state runs for almost 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers), and from east to west, and it stretches for roughly the same distance.