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Physical Features: Second largest county; high, broken plateau in West Texas; draining to Pecos and tributaries; Imperial Reservoir, Lake Leon; sandy, clay, loam soils.

Economy: Oil, gas, agriculture, government/services, wind turbines.

History: Comanches in area when military outpost established in 1859. Settlement began after the Civil War. Created from Presidio County in 1871; organized in 1872; named for Pecos River, name origin uncertain.

Race/Ethnicity: (In percent) Anglo, 25.6; Black, 4.3; Hispanic, 68.8; Asian, 1.0; Other, 1.4; Two or more races, 1.2.

Vital Statistics, annual: Births, 203; deaths, 114; marriages, 81; divorces, 12.

Recreation: Old Fort Stockton, Annie Riggs Museum, stagecoach stop, scenic drives, Dinosaur Track Roadside Park, cattle-trail sites, archaeological museum with oil and ranch-heritage collections; Comanche Springs Water Carnival in summer.

Minerals: Natural gas, oil, gravel, caliche.

Agriculture: Cattle, alfalfa, pecans, sheep, goats, onions, peppers, melons. Market value $47.5 million. Aquaculture firm producing shrimp. Hunting leases.

FORT STOCKTON (8,558) county seat, distribution center for petroleum industry, government/services, agriculture, tourism, varied manufacturing, winery, prison units, spaceport launching small satellites; hospital; historical tours.

Iraan (1,236) oil and gas center, ranching, farming; hospital, museum; Alley Oop park, county park.

Other towns include: Coyanosa (178); Girvin (20); Imperial (246) center for irrigated farming; Sheffield (322) oil, gas center.

The cemetery at Iraan. Photo by Robert Plocheck.