Louisiana

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State of Louisiana
État de Louisiane  (French)
Flag of Louisiana State seal of Louisiana
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): Bayou State • Creole State • Pelican State (official)
Sportsman's Paradise • The Boot
Motto(s): Union, Justice, Confidence
State song(s): ""Give Me Louisiana"
"You Are My Sunshine"
"State March Song"
"Gifts of the Earth""
Map of the United States with Louisiana highlighted
Official languageNo official language
Spoken languagesAs of 2010[1]
DemonymLouisianian (French: Louisianais)
CapitalBaton Rouge
Largest cityNew Orleans[2][3][4]
Largest metroGreater New Orleans
AreaRanked 31st
 • Total52,378.13 sq mi
(135,382 km2)
 • Width130 miles (210 km)
 • Length379 miles (610 km)
 • % water15
 • Latitude28° 56′ N to 33° 01′ N
 • Longitude88° 49′ W to 94° 03′ W
PopulationRanked 25th
 • Total4,684,333 (2017 est.)[5]
 • Density93.6/sq mi  (34.6/km2)
Ranked 24th
 • Median household income$45,992[6] (45th)
Elevation
 • Highest pointDriskill Mountain[7][8]
535 ft (163 m)
 • Mean100 ft  (30 m)
 • Lowest pointNew Orleans[7][8]
−8 ft (−2.5 m)
Before statehoodTerritory of Orleans
Admission to UnionApril 30, 1812 (18th)
GovernorJohn Bel Edwards (D)
Lieutenant GovernorBilly Nungesser (R)
LegislatureState Legislature
 • Upper houseState Senate
 • Lower houseHouse of Representatives
U.S. SenatorsBill Cassidy (R)
John Kennedy (R)
U.S. House delegation5 Republicans
1 Democrat (list)
Time zoneCentral: UTC −6/−5
ISO 3166US-LA
AbbreviationsLA, La.
Websitelouisiana.gov
Louisiana state symbols
Flag of Louisiana.svg
Seal of Louisiana.svg
Living insignia
BirdBrown pelican
Dog breedCatahoula Leopard Dog
FishWhite perch
FlowerMagnolia
InsectHoneybee
MammalBlack bear
ReptileAlligator
TreeBald cypress
Inanimate insignia
BeverageMilk
FossilPetrified palmwood
GemstoneAgate
InstrumentDiatonic accordion
State route marker
Louisiana state route marker
State quarter
Louisiana quarter dollar coin
Released in 2002
Lists of United States state symbols

Louisiana (pronounced /lōō-ē'zē-ăn'ə/)[9] is a state in the Southern United States of America. It had a population of about 4,533,372 people in 2010. The state has a total area of about 51,885 sq mi (134,382 km2). Louisiana is the 25th largest state by population and the 31th largest state by area. Louisiana is also known by its nickname, The Pelican State. The land that would become Louisiana was bought in the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Louisiana became a state on April 30, 1812. It was the 18th state to become part of the United States. The people who live in the state are known as Louisianans.[10] The state's capital is Baton Rouge, and its largest city is New Orleans.

Louisiana has coastal plains, marshs, and low ridges. All of the state is in the Sun Belt. Louisiana is in a sub tropical region, and has a diverse ecosystem. The climate of Louisiana Louisiana has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa). It has long, hot, humid summers and short, mild winters.

One third of the adults in Louisiana are obese. This is the highest rate in the United States.[11]

Louisiana was settled by France and the influence of French culture is still a big part of Louisiana today. The French Quarter in New Orleans is one of the best known attractions in the state. It is known today for its special culture, unique food, as well as the holiday Mardi Gras which is most famous in New Orleans.

Louisiana was very badly damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Much of the New Orleans area lies below sea level making flooding a serious problem.

Cities[change | change source]

Rank City Parish Population (2017)
1 New Orleans Orleans 391,495
2 Baton Rouge East Baton Rouge 227,715
3 Shreveport Caddo 194,920
4 Lafayette Lafayette 127,626
5 Lake Charles Calcasieu 76,848
6 Bossier City Bossier 68,485
7 Kenner Jefferson 67,089
8 Monroe Ouachita 49,297
9 Alexandria Rapides 47,832
10 Houma Terrebonne 34,024

Related pages[change | change source]

References[change | change source]

  1. ↑ "United States". Modern Language Association. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
  2. ↑ "New Orleans a 'ghost town' after thousands flee Gustav: mayor", AFP, August 31, 2008, archived from the original on May 16, 2013
  3. ↑ "Expert: N.O. population at 273,000". WWL-TV. August 7, 2007. Archived from the original on September 26, 2007. Retrieved August 14, 2007.
  4. ↑ "Relocation". Baton rouge. Connecting U.S. Cities. May 3, 2007. Archived from the original on February 9, 2014.
  5. ↑ "Louisiana: Population estimates". U.S. Census Bureau. July 1, 2017. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Median Annual Household Income". The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Elevations and Distances in the United States". United States Geological Survey. 2001. Archived from the original on October 15, 2011. Retrieved October 21, 2011.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Elevation adjusted to North American Vertical Datum of 1988.
  9. ↑ The Tormont Webster's Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary. United States of America: Tormont Publications Inc. 1990. p. 998. ISBN 2921171325. Retrieved February 26, 2011.
  10. ↑ "WordNet Search - 3.0". wordnetweb.princeton.edu. 2011 [last update]. Retrieved February 26, 2011. Check date values in: |year= (help)
  11. ↑ "Obesity and Overweight for Professionals: Data and Statistics: U.S. Obesity Trends | DNPAO | CDC". cdc.gov. 2011 [last update]. Retrieved February 27, 2011. Check date values in: |year= (help)


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