Galveston Bay is a central feature of the Greater Houston metropolitan area. The bay serves an essential economic role as home of the Houston Ship Channel and a large fishing industry, and is also an important destination for recreation and coastal wildlife. Covering approximately , the estuary extends inland from the coast and has a maximum width of . Important regional communities, including Galveston and Texas City, are located along the bay. While the City of Houston proper does not adjoin the bay, its limits do extend southward to encompass the NASA Johnson Space Center and the community of Clear Lake.