Louisiana is known for:
- Mardi Gras
- Jazz music
- Creole and Cajun cuisine
- Salt mines
- Petroleum industry
Geography & Demographics
| State Abbreviation |
LA |
| State Capital |
Baton Rouge |
| State Size |
Total (Land + Water): 51,840 sq miles; Land Only: 43,562 sq miles |
| Number of Counties |
64 |
| Time Zone |
Central Time Zone |
| Bordering States |
Arkansas, Mississippi, Texas |
| Highest Point | Driskill Mountain, 535 feet |
| Tallest Building | Hancock Whitney Center in New Orleans, 697 feet |
| Largest Stadium | Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, capacity 102,321 |
| National Parks | None |
| State Population (2020) | 4,657,757 |
| State Population Density | 106.9 people / square mile |
| Area Codes |
225, 318, 337, 504, 985 |
| Top 5 Cities (2020 population) |
New Orleans (389,476)
Baton Rouge (219,052)
Shreveport (184,786)
Lafayette (126,535)
Lake Charles (78,433)
|
Government & Legislature
State Symbols
| State Bird |
Eastern brown pelican |
| State Crustacean | Crawfish |
| State Dog | Catahoula leopard dog |
| State Drink | Milk |
| State Flower |
Magnolia |
| State Fresh Water Fish | White perch |
| State Insect | Honeybee |
| State Mammal | Black bear |
| State Motto |
Union, justice, confidence |
| State Nickname |
Pelican State |
| State Reptile | Alligator |
| State Tree |
Bald cypress |
Sports Teams
| City |
Table Tennis Club |
| Abita Springs | Northshore Table Tennis Club |
Popular Tourist Attractions
- Aquarium of the Americas: Aquarium in New Orleans, Louisiana.
- Audubon Zoo: Zoo in New Orleans, Louisiana.
- Baton Rouge Zoo: Zoo in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
- Bourbon Street: Street in the heart of the French Quarter neighborhood in New Orleans, Louisiana.
- City Park New Orleans: Park in New Orleans, Louisiana.
- French Quarter: Downtown neighborhood in New Orleans, Louisiana.
- Garden District New Orleans: Neighborhood in New Orleans, Louisiana.
- Jackson Square: Historic park in the French Quarter neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana.
- Lake Pontchartrain: Lake in New Orleans, Louisiana.
- Lake Pontchartrain Causeway: Longest continuous bridge over water in the world, located at Lake Pontchartrain in New Orleans, Louisiana.
- Mardi Gras World: Tourist attraction in New Orleans, Louisiana.
- Myrtles Plantation: Historic plantation and bed & breakfast in St. Francisville, Louisiana.
- New Orleans Museum of Art: Art museum in New Orleans, Louisiana.
- Oak Alley Plantation: Historic plantation in Vacherie, Louisiana.
- Preservation Hall: Musical venue in the French Quarter neighborhood in New Orleans, Louisiana.
- St. Louis Cathedral: Cathedral in the French Quarter neighborhood in New Orleans, Louisiana.
- The National WWII Museum: Military history museum in New Orleans, Louisiana.
- Whitney Plantation: Museum devoted to slavery, located in Wallace, Louisiana.
UNESCO Heritage Sites
Festivals and Events
Top festivals and events in Louisiana. They are listed in approximate order of when they take place during the year.
| Festival / Event |
When |
Location |
| Mardi Gras | January to February | New Orleans |
| Louisiana Crawfish Festival | Late March or early April | Frederick J. Sigur Civic Center, Chalmette |
| Festival International de Louisiane | April | Lafayette |
| French Quarter Festival | April | French Quarter, New Orleans |
| New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival | Late April to early May | Fair Grounds Race Course, New Orleans |
| Louisiana Boulettes & Balloons Festival | May | Golden Meadow |
| Louisiana Pirate Festival | May | Lake Charles |
| Essence Festival | July | Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans |
| Red River Balloon Rally | July | Bossier City |
| Boucherie & Balloon Festival | October | Sorrento |
| Festival Acadiens et Créoles | October | Girard Park, Lafayette |
| Louisiana Renaissance Festival | November to December | Hammond |
| Natchitoches Christmas Festival | Late November to early January | Natchitoches |
Popular Iconic Louisiana Foods
Louisiana is famous for the following foods:
- Gumbo
- Shrimp Etoufee
- Po'Boy
- Muffuletta
- King Cake
- Beignet
- Pralines
- Jambalaya
- Grillades
- Ya-Ka-Mein
- Red Beans and Rice
- Crawfish Boil
- Boudin
Famous People Born In Louisiana
Pro Football Hall Of Fame Members
- Jim Taylor (Fullback. Inducted in 1976)
- Willie Davis (Defensive End. Inducted in 1981)
- John Henry Johnson (Fullback. Inducted in 1987)
- Terry Bradshaw (Quarterback. Inducted in 1989)
- Charlie Joiner (Wide Receiver. Inducted in 1996)
- Fred Dean (Defensive End. Inducted in 2008)
- Marshall Faulk (Running Back. Inducted in 2011)
- Aeneas Williams (Cornerback, Safety. Inducted in 2014)
- Ed Reed (Safety. Inducted in 2019)
- Johnny Robinson (Safety. Inducted in 2019)
- Alan Faneca (Offensive Guard. Inducted in 2021)
- Peyton Manning (Quarterback. Inducted in 2021)
Baseball Hall Of Fame Players
- Mel Ott (Right Fielder. Inducted in 1951)
- Bill Dickey (Catcher. Inducted in 1954)
- Ted Lyons (Pitcher. Inducted in 1955)
- Willard Brown (Center Fielder. Inducted in 2006)
- Lee Smith (Pitcher. Inducted in 2019)
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall Of Fame Players
- Bob Pettit (Center-Forward. Inducted in 1971)
- Bill Russell (Center. Inducted in 1975. Coach. Inducted in 2021)
- Willis Reed (Forward. Inducted in 1982)
- Elvin Hayes (Center-Forward. Inducted in 1990)
- Robert Parish (Center. Inducted in 2003)
- Clyde Drexler (Guard-Forward. Inducted in 2004)
- Joe Dumars (Guard. Inducted in 2006)
- Karl Malone (Forward. Inducted in 2010)
- Albert Pullins (Guard. Inducted in 2022)
Famous Actors And Actresses
- Ellen DeGeneres
- Jared Leto
- Tyler Perry
- Reese Witherspoon
Famous Singers
- Harry Connick Jr.
- Lil Wayne
- Hank Williams Jr.
Louisiana Fun Facts
- Louisiana was named in honor of King Louis XIV of France.
- Louisiana has the tallest state capitol building in the United States. It is 450 feet tall and has 34 stories.
- Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana is the longest continuous bridge over water in the world. It is 23.87 miles long and connects Metairie with Mandeville.
- Breaux Bridge is known as the "Crawfish Capital of the World."
- Rayne is known as the "Frog Capital of the World."
- The Saint Charles streetcar line in New Orleans is one of only two mobile national monuments in the United States. San Francisco cable cars are the other.
- The first documented Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans occurred in 1837. The first floats appeared 20 years later, in 1857.
- The first opera performed in America was on May 22, 1796, in New Orleans.
- Louisiana is the only state in the United States that follows the legal system established by Napoleon. The other 49 states follow English common law.
- In Louisiana, staging a "fake" wrestling or boxing match is prohibited. The penalty is loss of license.
- In 2007, Louisiana became the last state to ban cockfighting.
This page was last updated on July 10, 2023.
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