Louisiana

Louisiana is a southern US state on the Gulf of Mexico, unique for its French and Creole heritage, vibrant cuisine and the city of New Orleans. Its capital is Baton Rouge, while New Orleans is the largest and most famous city. Nicknamed the Pelican State, it has a culture unlike any other in the country.

Louisiana is low and watery, shaped by the Mississippi River and its delta, with vast bayous, swamps and wetlands along the Gulf Coast. The land is prone to flooding and hurricanes, and the coastline is steadily eroding. The climate is humid subtropical.

Louisiana is a cultural melting pot of French, Spanish, African, Acadian and Caribbean influences, expressed in Cajun and Creole cooking, jazz born in New Orleans, and the world-famous Mardi Gras celebration. It is the only state organized around parishes and influenced by French civil law.

Claimed by France and named for King Louis XIV, the territory was sold to the US in the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, and Louisiana became the 18th state in 1812. Its plantation economy, port of New Orleans and distinctive culture have shaped a singular identity.