Page "Gulf Coast of the United States" Paragraph 14

Other than the hurricanes, the Gulf Coast has redeveloped dramatically over the course of the 20th century.

The gulf coast is highly populated.

The petrochemical industry, launched with the major discoveries of oil in Texas and spurred on by further discoveries in the Gulf waters, has been a vehicle for development in the central and western Gulf which has spawned development on a variety of fronts in these regions.

Texas in particular has benefited tremendously from this industry over the course of the 20th century and economic diversification has made the state a magnet for population and home to more Fortune 500 companies than any other U. S. state.

Florida has grown as well, driven to a great extent by its long established tourism industry but also by its position as a gateway to the Caribbean and Latin America.

As of 2006, these two states are the second and fourth most populous states in the nation, respectively ( see this article ).

Other areas of the Gulf Coast have benefited less, though economic development fueled by tourism has greatly increased property values along the coast, and is now a severe danger to the valuable but fragile ecosystems of the Gulf Coast.