Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas and the eighteenth-largest city in the United States. As of the 2006 U.S. Census estimate, Fort Worth had a population of 653,320. The city is the second-largest cultural and economic center of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area (commonly called the Metroplex), the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. with a population of 6.8 million in sixteen counties.

Established originally in 1849 as a protective Army outpost at the foot of a bluff overlooking the Trinity River, the city of Fort Worth today still embraces its western heritage and traditional architecture and design more than its more contemporary neighbor, Dallas.

When oil began to gush in West Texas, Fort Worth was at the center of the wheeling and dealing. In July 2007, advances in horizontal drilling technology made vast natural gas reserves in the Barnett Shale available directly under the city, helping many residents receive royalty checks for their mineral rights. Today the City of Fort Worth and many residents are dealing with the benefits and issues associated with the natural gas reserves under ground.

Fort Worth's downtown has Sundance Square, named after the infamous Sundance Kid. Sundance Square is a 16 block entertainment center for the city. The Square has buildings with tall windows, as well as brick-paved streets and sidewalks, and landscaping that many consider to be very delightful. Many restaurants, nightclubs, boutiques, museums, live theatres, cineplex movie theaters, and art galleries are in the Square.

Some significant buildings include Fort Worth Convention Center - an 11,200 seat multi-purpose arena. Bass Performance Hall, Burnett Plaza, the tallest building between Dallas and Los Angeles, standing at 573 feet. The Omni Fort Worth Hotel will be the first new downtown hotel construction in over 20 yeas. It's estimated height is around 547 ft. and 34 stories, making it the new second tallest building in Fort Worth. The Tower, formerly the Bank One Tower, severely damaged in the March 28, 2000 tornado, it was converted into a residential tower in 2004. The Tower now has a new facade and a new top feature that makes it the 4th tallest building in the city. City Center Development features two twin towers. One is the 38 story D.R. Horton Tower (1984), and the other is the 33 story Wells Fargo Tower (1982). From the top, they are shaped like pinwheels.

The Fort Worth Stockyards Historic District offer a taste of the old west and the Chisholm Trail at the site of the historic cattle drives and rail access. The District is filled with restaurants, clubs, gift shops and attractions such as daily longhorn cattle drives through the streets, historic reenactments, the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame and Billy Bob's, the world's largest country and western music venue.

Fort Worth was the fastest growing large city in the United States from 2000-2006 and was voted one of "America's Most Livable Communities."

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