state of Louisiana

Louisiana Cities, Climate and Sights

The US state of Louisiana is found at the mouth of the Mississippi River, which enters the Gulf of Mexico. It borders the states of Arkansas to the north, Texas to the west and Mississippi to the east. The capital is Baton Rouge, a city near New Orleans, which is probably better known. It got its nickname “Pelican State” from the many pelicans that live in the mostly swampy areas of the state.

  • Liuxers: List of Federal school codes for educational institutions located in Louisiana. Includes FAFSA codes in the state of Louisiana.

The US state of Louisiana

state of Louisiana

At just over 134,000 km², Louisiana is about the size of England, which measures 130,000 km². See Louisiana counties list.

With more than 4 million inhabitants, however, this is not nearly as populated as England, on whose territory more than 50 million inhabitants have their home.

Funnily enough, Louisiana does not have an official language, for historical reasons some French is still spoken. Immigrants from France and Africa brought their mother tongues with them, long ago, but alongside Anglican there are still many French influences in the area.

The largest cities by population (rounded)

  1. New Orleans
  2. Baton Rouge
  3. Shreveport
  4. Lafayette
  5. Lake Charles

New Orleans

The city of New Orleans is located in South Louisiana on the Mississippi River and south of Lake Pontchartrain. It is one of the most important port cities in the United States of America and is also the largest city in Louisiana. It covers an area of 518 km2 and, according to the population census, around 490 thousand people live here. However, the entire agglomeration of New Orleans has a little over 1.3 million inhabitants. The climate in New Orleans is very favorable. Winters are mild with temperatures in January around 13 °C, while summers are warm with temperatures in July around 28 °C.

New Orleans was founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, who named it after the then most influential man in France – regent Philip II. Orleans. The city was a French colony until 1763, after which it was handed over to Spain. The following 40 years or so under Spanish rule marked the character of the city. Before the end of the eighteenth century, the city was twice affected by a massive fire, which destroyed the existing face of the city, and it had to be rebuilt. Therefore, in New Orleans are the oldest and most important historical monuments influenced by Spanish culture. In 1801, New Orleans was returned to France and two years later it was sold by Napoleon I to the United States of America. During the Civil War, the city was under siege by ships led by Admiral David Farragut, which lasted until April 25, 1862.

The city’s proximity to the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain made it important in the past, but now they pose a significant threat to it. The city is constantly threatened by floods, the most recent catastrophic floods here in 2005 killed around 1,300 people and destroyed a large part of the city. The flood occurred as a result of the ravages of Hurricane Katrina. In some places, the water reached up to 7.6 meters. The cost of repairs and damage caused by Hurricane Katrina has been estimated at $10-$25 billion. The city therefore protects itself from floods as best it can. For example, a very complex system of water pumps, drainage channels and dams. However, even they sometimes cannot avert an impending disaster. Many residents have left the city and do not have the courage to ever return, due to an uncertain future. Insurance companies refuse to insure property in a flood zone.

About a quarter of New Orleans residents today live at or below the poverty line, in substandard conditions. This is most evident in the black slums of the New Orleans suburbs. Of course, poverty is also associated with a higher rate of illiteracy, crime and crimes. Currently, the US is trying to help southern states break out of this vicious circle by supporting various state programs.

Despite all the difficulties, the city managed to preserve at least part of its unique atmosphere. In some places, you feel as if you are walking in the streets of Europe, because it was originally a French colony. The most famous historical district today is therefore the French Quarter. New Orleans is also known as the city of jazz, which you can hear almost everywhere. The most famous street is Bourbon Street, where people gather to listen to music, dance and drink alcohol on the street (public drinking is prohibited elsewhere in the US). You can reach the city across Lake Pontchartrain via the longest bridge in the world – the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. There are plenty of other places to head in New Orleans for fun or sightseeing. Go to the New Orleans Aquarium, Audubon Zoo, Louisiana Children’s Museum or Contemporary Arts Center, for example.

Climate and weather conditions

The climate in Louisiana is hot and humid in summer. The winters are also quite mild, apart from sporadic cold air breaks. Average annual temperatures are around 18°C ​​in the west and north and around 20°C in the south. In the high summer months in July and August, temperatures can sometimes reach 35 degrees. High humidity and frequent rainfall determine the continuously warm weather in the summertime. Due to its location on the Gulf of Mexico, the winters are also moderate. In late summer and early autumn, the coast is often hit by hurricanes.