San Antonio (pronounce /ˌsænænˈtoʊnioʊ/) is the second-largest city in the state of Texas and the seventh largest city in the United States. Located in South Texas, the city is a cultural gateway into the American Southwest. San Antonio is the seat of Bexar County with a population just under 1.3 million as of the 2006 U.S. Census estimate, as well as the 4th fastest growing large city in the nation from 2000-2006 in terms of percentage. Its metropolitan area has a population of over 1.9 million and is the 28th-largest metropolitan area in the U.S.