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 |
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.
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 January 30, 2023.
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