Oil barons in Stetsons, rodeos, big hairdos, NASA’s Johnson Space Center and its frequently borrowed line: “Houston, we have a problem..." - you’ll find it all here in Houston, mega-city of Texas. Home to more Fortune 500 companies than any other US city except New York, Houston's economic powerhouse is based on energy (oil and gas), manufacturing, aeronautics, and transportation. Houstonians are, on the whole, incredibly polite, warm, welcoming and fiercely proud of being Texan. They are highly sociable and it won’t be long before you’re invited over for a barbeque and a frozen margarita. With nearly one-third of Houston’s residents foreign-born, the city boasts a diverse culture. Its thriving downtown theatre district, plethora of museums and galleries, fantastic shopping malls, and varied residential areas from the arty area of Montrose to the luxury homes of River Oaks, make Houston an easy place to call home. On the downside, smog (and poor air quality) can be a real problem here; Houston is a city designed for (very big) cars. While park n’ ride systems and car-pooling have been encouraged and a downtown metro was recently installed, its wider public transport infrastructure is in dire need of an upgrade. What is special or unique about your city? Considered the world's energy capital, Houston is nicknamed "The Bayou City", after its Buffalo Bayou, a marshy body of water that runs through the heart of the city. With many visitors and residents from all over the world, Houston is the most international city in Texas -- and quite possibly the most diverse metropolis in the entire southern USA. Houston is both a center of cutting-edge science and a home to the arts. In this city, you'll find the world-renowned Texas Medical Center, Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston Symphony, Houston Philharmonic, Houston Ballet and Houston Opera. In addition, Houston hosts the world's largest livestock show and rodeo each year.