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Physical Features: Gulf Coastal Plain; flat, broken by bays; many different soils; drains to Colorado River, creeks, coast; South Texas Project Reservoir.

Economy: Nuclear power plant, petrochemicals, agribusiness.

History: Karankawa tribal area, Tonkawas in the area later. Anglo-Americans arrived in 1822. Mexican immigration increased after 1920. An original county, created 1836 from a Spanish municipality, named for canebrake; organized in 1837; settled by Austin colonists.

Race/Ethnicity: (In percent) Anglo, 43.8; Black, 11.2; Hispanic, 42.7; Asian, 2.0; Other, 1.4; Two or more races, 1.7.

Vital Statistics, annual: Births, 533; deaths, 407; marriages, 266; divorces, 114.

Recreation: Fishing, water sports, hunting, birding; historic sites, museums; Bay City rice festival in September.

Minerals: Oil and gas.

Agriculture: Cattle, rice, cotton, sorghum, soybeans; Some 33,000 acres irrigated. Market value $129.7 million. First in value of aquaculture.

BAY CITY (17,531) county seat; government/services, education, nuclear power plant; petrochemicals; agribusiness; hospital, junior college branch.

Palacios (4,619) tourism, seafood industry; hospital; Marine Education Center; public fishing piers; Bay Festival on Labor Day.

Other towns include: Blessing (965) historic sites; Cedar Lane (300); Collegeport (80); Elmaton (160); Markham (1,048); Matagorda (528); Midfield (305); Pledger (265); Sargent (900) retirement community, fishing, birding, commercial fishing, barbecue cookoff in April; Van Vleck (1,979); Wadsworth (160).

The South Texas Nuclear Power Plant east of Collegeport. Photo by Robert Plocheck.