Louisiana (LA) is located in the southern part of the United States on the Gulf Coast. The state’s economy relies on oil and gas production and the chemical industry. Louisiana is known for its unique culture and cuisine, and popular attractions include the Mardi Gras festivities in New Orleans. The capital of Louisiana is Baton Rouge, and the largest city is New Orleans.
-
Table of Contents
Quick Facts
Name Louisiana Abbreviation LA Capital Baton Rouge Largest city New Orleans (Population: 364 136) Current time 9:15 Time zone CST (UTC-6), the state follows daylight saving time CDT (UTC-5) Population 4,657,785 (#25 most populous US state) Area 52,271 mi² (#31 largest US state) Admitted to the Union April 30, 1812 (#18 state to join) ⭐ Capital of Louisiana
The capital of Louisiana is Baton Rouge, founded in 1699. It was named by French explorers of the area led by Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville, who spotted a hunting ground between the territory of the Houma and Bayagoula Indian tribes marked by a red bar. It was ‘le bâton rouge’, meaning ‘the red pole’ in French, which marked the boundary between the Indian tribes. Baton Rouge first became the capital in 1849. Between 1862 and 1882, the authorities moved to New Orleans, then returned to Baton Rouge.
🏙️ Largest City in Louisiana
The largest city in Louisiana is New Orleans, with a population of 364,136 in 2023. The second largest city is Baton Rouge, with a population of 219,573, and the third is Shreveport, with a reported population of 177,959.
🕒 Time in Louisiana
The current time in Louisiana is [timezone=”America/Chicago” format=”G:i”]. The entire state is governed by Central Standard Time (CST, UTC-6) and transitions to Daylight Saving Time CDT (UTC-5) from March to November.
🧑🤝🧑 Population of Louisiana
As of 2023, Louisiana had a population of 4,657,785, ranking it as the 25th most populous state in the United States.
📍 Area of Louisiana
Louisiana’s total area is 52,271 mi², of which 44,430 mi² is land and 7,841 mi² is water. Louisiana is the 31st largest state in the USA.
-
Fun Facts About Louisiana
🧩 Louisiana Neighboring States
Louisiana is bordered by three US states, Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north and Mississippi to the east. In addition, it has a long coastline with the Gulf of Mexico to the south 397 mi.
📅 Date of Louisiana Statehood
Louisiana was admitted as the 18th state into the Union on April 30, 1812, when it was transformed from the original Orleans Territory.
📛 Nickname of the State of Louisiana
Louisiana’s official nickname is “The Pelican State”, which it got because of the brown pelican, which is the official bird of the state. Louisiana has a pelican on its flag and seal, and a popular basketball team from New Orleans bears its name.
Louisiana is also somewhat cryptically nicknamed ‘The Bayou State’. The word “bayou” comes from the language of the native inhabitants and refers to the slow-moving water in the swampy areas that are typical of the state.
⛰️ Highest Mountain in Louisiana
At just 535 ft, Driskill Mountain is the highest point in Louisiana and the fourth lowest peak of any US state.
🏞️ Rivers in Louisiana
The longest river in Louisiana is the Mississippi River with a total length of 2,318 mi. It is followed by the Red River (1,361 mi), the Ouachita River (548 mi), the Sabine River (510 mi), and the Pearl River (444 mi).
🎓 Universities in Louisiana
The largest university in the state is Louisiana State University, which was founded in 1860 in Baton Rouge and is attended by around 37,000 students. In second place is the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with around 19 thousand enrolled students and in third place is Tulane University with around 14 thousand students.
✉️ Louisiana ZIP Codes
Louisiana has dedicated ZIP code ranges of 700xx-701xx, 703xx-708xx and 710xx-714xx. You can look up the ZIP code for any address on the USPS website, see the article ZIP Codes in the USA for more information.
-
Weather in Louisiana
The best time to visit Louisiana is in the fall, when temperatures are more comfortable than in the summer.
Spring in Louisiana is warm and humid, with temperatures usually between 68°F and 82°F. Rainfall and heavy thunderstorms are frequent and typical of southern states.
Louisiana summers are humid and very hot, with temperatures ranging from 81°F to 90°F on most days. High humidity adds to the feeling of heat, with torrential rain and heavy thunderstorms common. Louisiana is at increased risk of hurricanes in the summer.
Autumn in Louisiana is warm with normal temperatures ranging from 68°F to 77°F. The rain gradually stops, with October being one of the driest months, creating favorable conditions for travel. This is helped by the relatively low risk of hurricanes.
Winters in Louisiana are mild with normal temperatures between 50°F and 59°F. While rain is quite common in the winter months, snow showers are very rare.
🌡️ Average Temperatures and Precipitation in Louisiana
-
Things to Do in Louisiana
1️⃣ French Quarter in New Orleans
The French Quarter is the oldest and most famous neighborhood in New Orleans, the largest city in the state of Louisiana. The neighborhood is known for its unique colonial architecture, characterized by balconies and narrow streets.
The most famous building is St. Louis Cathedral, which was completed in the mid-19th century. An authentic experience of the district also known as Vieux Carré includes listening to traditional jazz and sampling Creole cuisine.
2️⃣ National WWII Museum
The National World War II Museum in New Orleans is one of the most important of its kind in the world. The museum features interactive exhibits, authentic war artifacts, and testimonials from veterans of the war. The museum details several periods of the conflict, including battlefields in Europe and the Pacific. An interesting attraction in the park is the 4D war documentary Beyond All Boundaries with actor Tom Hanks as the narrator.
3️⃣ Tabasco Factory
Avery Island near the Gulf of Mexico is where the world-famous Tabasco sauce has been made since 1868. Fans of spicy food can visit the museum and the factory to learn about the history of the brand. The tour includes a demonstration of the production of the sauce and the opportunity to taste different types of Tabasco.
4️⃣ Cajun Encounters Swamp Tour
If you like adventure and don’t lack courage, stop in the town of Slidell near New Orleans. Here, Cajun Encounters hosts unique tours of the Louisiana swamps, where you can see alligators, turtles and other animals. Experienced instructors will take care of your safety and interesting interpretation.
5️⃣ Mardi Gras World
The Mardi Gras Carnival is one of the most famous symbols of New Orleans, which is always flooded with thousands of dancers at the end of winter. Mardi Gras World is where the masks and floats for the festival are made. The museum on the banks of the Mississippi River offers an interesting insight into the traditions and behind-the-scenes preparations. Visitors to the museum can thus experience the festive atmosphere even outside its season.
6️⃣ Louisiana State Capitol
The State Capitol in the capital city of Baton Rouge is one of the most important buildings in all of Louisiana. Its construction in the Art Deco architectural style began in December 1930, with a grand opening held in May 1932.
Due to its relatively late construction, with a height of 450 ft it is the tallest of all U.S. Capitols. During a tour of the building, visitors can look out onto the observation deck, where they can see all of Baton Rouge and the surrounding area.
7️⃣ Audubon Zoo
The Audubon Zoo is one of the finest zoos in the country, opening its doors in 1914 and named in honor of French-American ornithologist John James Audubon. Today, it is home to around two thousand animals including lions, elephants, alligators and turtles.
The zoo is divided into several thematic zones according to the environment in which the animals naturally occur. Part of the garden is dedicated to interactive programs and children’s attractions, making it an ideal stop for families.
8️⃣ Bourbon Street in New Orleans
The street with the telling name Bourbon Street is synonymous with New Orleans nightlife. Located in the heart of the city, it is lined on both sides with bars, clubs and restaurants. You’ll experience a unique atmosphere on it during the traditional Mardi Gras festival, when thousands of revelers fill it.
The most famous drink in New Orleans is the Hurricane, which consists of rum, passion fruit juice, lemon juice and grenadine.
9️⃣ Whitney Plantation
Whitney Plantation is a plantation west of New Orleans that focuses on the history of slavery and the lives of the slaves who worked on it. Visitors to the plantation can see authentic buildings including the main house and the cabins where slaves lived. The museum places a strong emphasis on the personal stories and fates of slaves, which helps to better understand the history of the Southern state.
🔟 Preservation Hall Concert Hall
Preservation Hall is a landmark music hall in downtown New Orleans that has been playing traditional jazz continuously since 1961. Tickets for authentic performances by local musicians can be purchased on the concert hall’s website. The concerts are usually quite short, but they are all the more intense for it.
-
Largest Cities in Louisiana
The table below shows the ten largest cities in the state of Louisiana in 2023, the source of the data is the United States Census Bureau, a federal agency whose main job is to count the population.
City County Population 1 New Orleans Orleans 364,136 Map of New Orleans 2 Baton Rouge East Baton Rouge 219,573 Map of Baton Rouge 3 Shreveport Caddo, Bossier 177,959 Map of Shreveport 4 Lafayette Lafayette 121,467 Map of Lafayette 5 Lake Charles Calcasieu 79,633 Map of Lake Charles 6 Kenner Jefferson 63,333 Map of Kenner 7 Bossier City Bossier 62,738 Map of Bossier City 8 Monroe Ouachita 46,616 Map of Monroe 9 Alexandria Rapides 43,466 Map of Alexandria 10 Houma Terrebonne 31,733 Map of Houma -
Sports Teams in Louisiana
🏒 Ice Hockey (NHL)
Louisiana is not represented in the National Hockey League (NHL).
🏈 American football (NFL)
Louisiana’s only representative in the NFL is the New Orleans Saints, which began play in the 1967 season and is part of the NFC South Division. The club colors are old gold, black, and white. The team’s home stadium is the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
🏀 Basketball (NBA)
The state of Louisiana has been represented in the NBA basketball since the 2002 season by the New Orleans Pelicans, who are part of the Southwest Division in the Western Conference. The team plays all of its home games at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. The Pelicans have chosen navy blue, gold and red as their club colors.
⚾ Baseball (MLB)
There is no team in Louisiana that plays MLB.
⚽ Soccer (MLS)
There is no team from Louisiana in the MLS league.
-
Louisiana State Symbols
All of Louisiana’s official state symbols are found in local laws, and only a selection are listed below.
State Flag of Louisiana
The Louisiana flag was adopted in its current form on July 1, 1912, and consists of a dark blue field supplemented by the state seal motif. This is a pelican cherishing three birds in a nest, which complements the state motto “Union Justice Confidence”. In 2010, the pelican’s image on the flag was modified to make it more visible as it feeds the chicks with its own blood.
Great Seal of Louisiana
The Great Seal of State has been one of the official symbols of Louisiana since 1812, with the current design adopted in 2006. As with the flag, the pelican, which is the seal’s main motif, has been modified. The pelican plucks its breast feathers to draw blood to feed its young.
State Bird
Not surprisingly, the brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) has also been the official bird symbol of Louisiana since 1958. The pelican is commonly found throughout the Gulf Coast.
State Flower
The official state flower of Louisiana since 1900 is the magnolia, which is found throughout the state, with abundant sites along the Mississippi River, for example.
State Fish
In 1993, the white crappie (Pomoxis annularis), which is found in open freshwater or slow-moving rivers, expanded the list of state symbols.
State Tree
The official state tree of Louisiana since 1963 has been the bald cypress (Taxodium distichum). The largest specimen found is located in Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge near St. Francisville, measures 96.0 ft in height, has a circumference of 56.0 ft, and is estimated to be 1,500 years old.
State Mammal
The Louisiana black bear (Ursus americanus luteolus) has been considered the official state mammal since 1992 and is most commonly found in the Mississippi River Valley and Atchafalaya River Basin.
State Reptile
In 1983, the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) became the official state reptile of Louisiana. The longest individual ever caught is reported to have measured 584 cm, and was caught on Marsh Island off the coast of Louisiana.
State Colors
Louisiana’s official statutory colors since 1972 have been blue, white, and gold.
State Fruit
Louisiana is a major producer of strawberries, so the fruit became one of the state’s symbols, first for a single year in 1983 and then permanently since 2001.
Contribute with Your Question or Personal Experience