Explore Galveston Island

Population: 59,070

Geography: Barrier reef island, 32 miles long, two miles wide.

Location: 50 miles from Houston.

Government: City council-manager system. Six council members elected from single-member districts and mayor elected-at-large.

Climate: Semitropical; averaging 57 degrees F in winter months and 81 degrees F in summer months.

Time Zone: Galveston is in the Central time zone.

Accommodations: Accommodations range from luxury resorts and economy hotels/motels to campsites and recreational vehicle parks. Take a look at Galveston.com's accommodations guide.

Special Events: From Mardi Gras and Dickens on the Strand to ethnic festivals and specialty shows, Galveston has year-round events to please every penchant and add more vacation variety. Check out Galveston.com's annual events calendar.

Religion: More than 50 churches and two synagogues representing every major religious denomination.

Health Care: The integrated health care network of the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) includes eight on-campus hospitals and a network of 143 campus- and community-based specialty and primary care clinics; Shriners Burns Institute, a $40 million facility for the care of severely burned children, affiliated with UTMB.

Primary Education: Galveston Independent School District covers 94.82 square miles, including all of Galveston Island and a portion of the Bolivar Peninsula. The district has nine elementary schools, three middle schools, one high school and an alternative school. There are eight private schools on Galveston Island.

Higher Education: Texas A&M University at Galveston; Galveston College; University of Texas Medical Branch (four schools and two institutes).

Taxes: Taxes are paid in the City of Galveston to five entities ­ city, county, school district, community college and navigation district. There is no state property or income tax. The city tax rate is .5494 per $100 valuation; the school rate is 1.52/$100 and the Navigation District rate is .03961.

For additional Galveston Island information, visit the Official Website of The City of Galveston at www.cityofgalveston.org, or the Official Website of The Galveston Island Convention and Visitors Bureau at www.galvestoncvb.com.