Louisiana
The US state where Meta's largest data center is located, generating substantial tax revenue.
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9/26/2026, 5:27:55 AM
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Summary
Louisiana, a state located in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States, is bordered by Texas, Arkansas, and Mississippi. It ranks 31st in area and 25th in population among U.S. states, with approximately 4.6 million residents. Louisiana is unique for its political subdivisions called parishes, which are equivalent to counties, a distinction shared only with Alaska. The state capital is Baton Rouge, and its most populous city is New Orleans. Louisiana's geography is defined by its southern coastline on the Gulf of Mexico and the Mississippi River, which forms much of its eastern boundary and creates its delta region. The state's lands were largely formed by sediment from the Mississippi River, resulting in extensive deltas, coastal marshes, and swamps that support a rich biodiversity. More elevated areas in the north feature diverse ecosystems like tallgrass prairie and pine forests, home to a wide array of plant species. Louisiana's strategic location at the confluence of the Mississippi River System and the Gulf of Mexico attracted indigenous peoples for millennia before European arrival in the 17th century. The French claimed the territory in 1682, and it later experienced Spanish rule before being sold to the U.S. in 1803 and admitted to the Union in 1812. The state's history is marked by an influx of settlers and immigrants, leading to an agricultural boom, particularly in cotton and sugarcane cultivation, which relied heavily on enslaved African labor. As a slave state, Louisiana was among the original members of the Confederate States of America. Louisiana's French heritage significantly influences its culture, language, and legal system, making it a multilingual and multicultural state. Its population reflects an admixture of French, Spanish, Acadian, Native American, West African, Filipino, and Vietnamese influences. While English became the sole language of instruction in schools in 1921, a policy of multilingualism was revived in 1974, and the state constitution upholds the right to preserve historic, linguistic, and cultural origins. Despite its rich cultural tapestry, Louisiana frequently ranks low in national health, education, and development metrics, often experiencing high rates of poverty and homicide, and was ranked as the least healthy state in the country in 2018. In a recent development, a Meta facility in Richland Parish, Louisiana, generated a significant tax surplus that provided substantial bonuses for local teachers, a success story attributed to Meta's partnership with regional energy provider Entergy.
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Wikipedia
View on WikipediaLouisiana
Louisiana (French: Louisiane; Spanish: Luisiana [lwiˈsjana]; Louisiana Creole: Lwizyàn) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is bordered by Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25th in population, with roughly 4.6 million residents. Reflecting its French heritage, Louisiana is the only U.S. state with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are equivalent to counties, making it one of only two U.S. states not subdivided into counties (the other being Alaska and its boroughs). Baton Rouge is the state's capital, and New Orleans, a French Louisiana region, is its most populous city with a population of about 363,000 people. Louisiana has a coastline with the Gulf of Mexico to the south; a large part of its eastern boundary is demarcated by the Mississippi River; and the mouth of the Mississippi or delta defines much of its lower topography. Much of Louisiana's lands were formed from sediment washed down the Mississippi River, leaving enormous deltas and vast areas of coastal marsh and swamp. These contain a rich southern biota, including birds such as ibises and egrets, many species of tree frogs—such as the state-recognized American green tree frog—and fish such as sturgeon and paddlefish. More elevated areas, particularly in the north, contain a wide variety of ecosystems such as tallgrass prairie, longleaf pine forest and wet savannas; these support an exceptionally large number of plant species, including many species of terrestrial orchids and carnivorous plants. Over half the state is forested. Louisiana is situated at the confluence of the Mississippi River System and the Gulf of Mexico. Its location and biodiversity attracted various indigenous groups thousands of years before Europeans arrived in the 17th century. Louisiana has eighteen Native American tribes—the most of any southern state—of which four are federally recognized and ten are state-recognized. The French claimed the territory in 1682, and it became the political, commercial, and population center of the larger colony of New France. From 1762 to 1801 Louisiana was under Spanish rule, briefly returning to French rule before being sold by Napoleon to the U.S. in 1803. It was admitted to the Union in 1812 as the 18th state. Following statehood, Louisiana saw an influx of settlers from the eastern U.S. as well as immigrants from the West Indies, Germany, and Ireland. It experienced an agricultural boom, particularly in cotton and sugarcane, which were cultivated primarily by slaves from Africa. As a slave state, Louisiana was one of the original seven members of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. Louisiana's unique French heritage is reflected in its toponyms, dialects, culture, demographics, and legal system. Relative to the rest of the southern U.S., Louisiana is multilingual and multicultural, reflecting an admixture of Louisiana French (Cajun, Creole), Spanish, French Canadian, Acadian, Saint-Domingue Creole, Native American, and West African cultures (generally the descendants of slaves purchased in the 18th century); more recent migrants include Filipinos and Vietnamese. In the post–Civil War environment, Anglo-Americans increased the pressure for Anglicization, and in 1921, English was shortly made the sole language of instruction in Louisiana schools before a policy of multilingualism was revived in 1974. English in Louisiana has a wide variety of different sub-dialects, including Cajun English, New Orleans English and other variants of Southern American English. Dropping of postvocalic \r\ is common, especially in the southern half of the state. Louisiana has never had an official language, and the state constitution enumerates "the right of the people to preserve, foster, and promote their respective historic, linguistic, and cultural origins." Based on national averages, Louisiana frequently ranks low among U.S. states in terms of health, education, and development, with high rates of poverty and homicide. In 2018, Louisiana was ranked as the least healthy state in the country, with high levels of drug-related deaths. It also has had the highest homicide rate in the United States since at least the 1990s.
Web Search Results
- Louisiana (LA). | Geography and Cartography | Research Starters | EBSCOhost
RESEARCH STARTER # Louisiana (LA). Louisiana (LA) is a southeastern U.S. state known for its rich cultural heritage, vibrant cities, and diverse landscapes. The state is renowned for its unique blend of French, African, Spanish, and Native American influences, which are evident in its music, cuisine, and festivals. New Orleans, Louisiana's largest city, is famous for its lively Mardi Gras celebrations, jazz music, and historic French Quarter. The state's geography includes bayous, swamps, and the Mississippi River, contributing to its ecological diversity. [...] Located in the Deep South and bordering the Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana is situated between Texas and Mississippi and to the south of Arkansas. The Mississippi River, a commercial gateway for the United States, flows through the entire length of the state and into the Gulf of Mexico. Louisiana became the eighteenth state to join the Union on April 30, 1812, and is one of the country's largest producers of cotton, sugarcane, and rice. Tourism is among Louisiana's largest industries, and the state's rich history and its intriguing geographic features make it a popular destination for tens of millions of visitors each year. [...] Energy Production: Louisiana is one of the top five producers of natural gas in the nation. Its ports handle a significant portion of the country's liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports as well as coal exports. The state also has several major oil refineries, making up almost one-fifth of the total US refining capacity. Louisiana is a major energy consumer as well. Agriculture: Louisiana is one of the nation's largest producers of cotton, sugarcane, rice, and aquaculture. Corn, soybeans, hay, sorghum, and wheat are also grown on the state's fertile farmland. Forestry is another major land-based industry. Louisiana is also one of just a few US states to produce alligator hides.
- Louisiana
Louisiana is situated at the confluence of the Mississippi River System and the Gulf of Mexico. Its location and biodiversity attracted various indigenous groups thousands of years before Europeans arrived in the 17th century. Louisiana has eighteen Native American tribes—the most of any southern state—of which four are federally recognized and ten are state-recognized. The French claimed the territory in 1682, and it became the political, commercial, and population center of the larger colony of New France. From 1762 to 1801 Louisiana "Louisiana (New Spain)") was under Spanish rule, briefly returning to French rule before being sold by Napoleon to the U.S. in 1803. It was admitted to the Union in 1812 as the 18th state. Following statehood, Louisiana saw an influx of settlers from the [...] State in the United States | Louisiana Louisiane (French) Luisiana (Spanish) Lwizyàn (Louisiana Creole) | [...] | 4,618,189 | −0.8% | | Sources: 1910–2020 | The majority of the state's population lives in southern Louisiana, spread throughout Greater New Orleans, the Florida Parishes, and Acadiana, while Central and North Louisiana have been stagnating and losing population. From the 2020 U.S. census, Louisiana had an apportioned population of 4,661,468. Its resident population was 4,657,757 as of 2020. In 2010, the state of Louisiana had a population of 4,533,372, up from 76,556 in 1810.
- Louisiana | Geography, History, Map, Population, Cities, & Facts | Britannica
Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Map of Louisiana # Louisiana Britannica AI Icon Louisiana is a state in the southern United States. It is bordered by Arkansas to the north, Mississippi to the east, and Texas to the west. The Gulf of Mexico lies to the south. Louisiana's climate is subtropical because of its location on the Gulf of Mexico. The capital of Louisiana is Baton Rouge. It is located in the southeast-central part of the state, at the head of deepwater navigation on the Mississippi River. Baton Rouge became the state capital in 1849. The city's growth accelerated in 1909 with the arrival of the Standard Oil Company, and it grew more after World War II with the expansion of petrochemical industries. [...] Admitted to the union in 1812 as the 18th state, Louisiana commands a once strategically vital region where the waters of the great Mississippi-Missouri river system, draining the continental interior of North America, flow out into the warm, northward-curving crescent of the Gulf of Mexico. It is not surprising that seven flags have flown over its territories since 1682, when the explorer René-Robert Cavelier, sieur (lord) de La Salle, placed a wooden cross in the ground and claimed the territory in the name of France’s Louis XIV. The consequent varieties of cultural heritage run like bright threads through many facets of the social, political, and artistic life of the state. [...] With parts of its land lying farther south than any portion of the continental United States except southern Texas and the Florida peninsula, and with New Orleans, its largest city, lying on roughly the same parallel as Cairo, New Delhi, and Shanghai, Louisiana owes much of its complex personality to its geographic position. The subtropical climate of the state has provided the magnificent brooding scenery of the coastal bayous, and the lush, dank vegetation of its shores conceals a wealth of petroleum and natural gas. The fertile soil covering much of the terrain made Louisiana a rich agricultural area by 1860, with flourishing sugarcane and cotton plantations. A lumber boom occurred at the turn of the 20th century, and Louisiana underwent rapid industrialization after World War II.
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Louisiana is a state in the Deep South of the United States, known for its unique culture, which blends French, African, and American influences
- Louisiana Pictures and Facts | National Geographic Kids
Louisiana is bordered by Arkansas in the north, Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico in the east, the Gulf of Mexico in the south, and Texas in the west. The state can be divided into three geographic regions. The East Gulf Coastal Plain is the low land east of the Mississippi River. It’s marshy near the river and becomes hilly in the north. The Mississippi Alluvial Plain runs west of the Mississippi River from Arkansas in the north down to the Gulf of Mexico. Ridges topped by fields called frontlands run along the river, and fields called backlands (with very fertile silt and clay) slope away. Wetlands cover the southern coastline. [...] ### NATURAL RESOURCES Louisiana’s top natural resources include fertile soil, natural gas, and oil. Louisiana is also the biggest U.S. producer of salt. ### FUN STUFF —Famous folks from the Pelican State include civil rights activist Madam C.J. Walker, talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, and many jazz and blues performers such as Fats Domino, Louis Armstrong, and Jelly Roll Morton. —Louisiana is known for its unique Creole (a mix of Spanish, French, African, and other) cuisine, including Jambalaya—a mixture of spicy rice, meat, and seafood. [...] The city of New Orleans was founded in 1718, and just a few years later many African people were brought to the city as slaves. The mix of African, French, and Spanish influences gave Louisiana, and particularly the city of New Orleans, a unique culture. In 1861, during the Civil War, Louisiana left the Union. It rejoined the United States in 1868. Today the Chitimacha, Coushatta, Jena Band of Choctaw Indians, and Tunica-Biloxi tribes still live in this state. ### WHY’S IT CALLED THAT? Louisiana was named after King Louis XIV when the land was claimed for France in 1682. Louisiana is called the Pelican State because of its state bird. ### GEOGRAPHY AND LANDFORMS Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
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