Corpus Christi is a coastal city and the county seat of Nueces County in the U.S. state of Texas. It is part of the region known as South Texas. In 2000, its population was 277,454; a 2004 estimate placed the population at 281,196, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the principal city of the three-county Corpus Christi Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger Corpus Christi-Kingsville Combined Statistical Area. The translation from Latin of the city's name is Body of Christ, given to the settlement by the Spanish, in honor of the Blessed Sacrament (Eucharist). The city has been nicknamed The Sparkling City by the Sea, particularly in literature promoting tourism. The city is home to Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, and is served by the Corpus Christi International Airport.----------------------The city is home to a number of popular destinations for both tourists and residents. In the southeast part of the city, near the Pharaoh Valley subdivision, is the Hans and Pat Suter Wildlife Refuge, on the western shore of Oso Bay. The nearby Pharaohs golf course also serves as a haven for coastal and migratory birds. Some of the most visited attractions are on North Beach, where the Texas State Aquarium and the USS Lexington Museum on the Bay are located. The USS Lexington was also part of the set for the 2000 film Pearl Harbor. Nearby is Corpus Christi's museum district. Located there are the Museum of Asian Cultures, Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History, the South Texas Institute for the Arts, and the Harbor Playhouse theatre, one of the oldest continually operating community theatres in the State. Heritage Park is also in the museum district, where a number of older restored houses can be found. The downtown area, of which the museum district is a part, is home to skyscrapers, companies, various shops, a very popular center of marinas, and Mirador de la Flor. Downtown also is home of the Texas Surf Museum, which explores the history of surfing and focuses on surf culture along Texas' 367-mile coast. Also in the city is the Corpus Christi Botanical Gardens and Nature Center which hosts gardening programs from time to time. ------------------------ Directly east of Corpus Christi are Padre Island and Mustang Island, home to various municipal, state, and national parks, most notably Padre Island National Seashore. The city is also near King Ranch, one of the world's largest ranches, upon which the movie Giant was based. ------------------------------- Yearly the city also celebrates the Buccaneer Days Carnival, which is typically held downtown. South Padre Island Drive (locally abbreviated as "S.P.I.D.", with the letters pronounced individually), is the city's main retail corridor, with two shopping malls, Sunrise Mall, Padre Staples Mall, and the soon to come Crosstown Commons, which will be the largest of them all and is expected to have many more major retailers and attendance. Also, a number of other large shopping centers, small strip centers, and restaurants can be found throughout the city.----------------------Famous People from Corpus Christi: Farrah Fawcett - Actress Selena Quintanilla-Perez - Late Tejano Superstar Eva Longoria - Gabrielle Solis on Desperate Housewives Bobby Labonte - NASCAR Nextel Cup driver and 2000 champion Terry Labonte - NASCAR Nextel Cup driver and 1984 + 1996 champion Lou Diamond Phillips - Actor Lori Singer - Actress Marc Singer - Actor Dabney Coleman - Actor Terrence McNally - Playwright Paula DeAnda - Musician Larry Norman - Musician, songwriter Brooks Kieschnick - Baseball player Amy Acuff - Athlete (High jump) Pepe Serna - Actor Freddy Fender - Musician Barbara Barrie - Actress Johnny Canales - Musician Burt Hooton - Baseball Player Allen Ludden - Game Show Host Todd Oldham - Fashion Designer and Host Melissa Hyde - Resort Manager, La Cascada San Antonio Raymond Berry - NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver