Lousiana

1. Geography

Louisiana, one of the southern states of the United States, bordered on the north by Arkansas; on the east by Mississippi; on the south by the Gulf of Mexico; and on the west by Texas. It has an area of 128,593 sq km (49,650 sq mi) and is roughly L-shaped. Elevations range from 2.4 m below sea level at New Orleans to a maximum of only 163 m at the summit of Mount Driskill in the northern part of the state. It’s made up of three lowland regions: the West Gulf Coastal Plain, the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, and the East Gulf Coastal Plain. Louisiana has a humid subtropical climate, with hot summers and mild winters.

2. Population

The population of Louisiana is 4,496,334. The main of population concentrate are in the northern and southern parts of the state. Whites made up 67.3 % of the population and blacks 30.8 %. Other population groups are Native Americans, Vietnamese, Chinese, people of Asian Indian background, and people of Filipino and Latino origin.The capital city is New Orleans (population about 500,000). The state’s major cities are Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Lafayette and Kenner.

3. Resources, products and industries

Louisiana is extremely rich in mineral resources, of which oil and natural gas are by far the most important. Other significant minerals include salt, sulphur, lime, high-silica glass sands, stone, gravel, and clay.The principal agricultural crops are cotton, soya beans, rice, and sugar cane, although other farm products include hay, sweet potatoes, or corn.Leading manufactured goods are chemicals and allied products, transport equipment, petroleum and coal products, paper, processed foods, and metals.There is also forestry industry and fishing industry.

4. History

1519 - Alvarez de Pineda discovers mouth of the Mississippi.
1682 - Robert Cavalier, Sieur de la Salle, erects a cross at the mouth of the Mississippi River after descending the river from the Great Lakes and claims the territory for Louis XIV of France, for whom Louisiana is named.
1718 - New Orleans is founded and named for Phillippe Duc D'Orleans
1723 - New Orleans became the capital of Louisiana.
1812 - Louisiana is admitted to the Union.
1861 - Louisiana secedes from the Union and after a brief period as a republic, joins the Confederacy.
1868 - Louisiana is re-admitted to the Union.
1915 - The name "Jazz" is given to music of New Orleans origin.
1963 - Tulane University accepts five black students, the first in its history.
1973 - A team of surgeons performs Louisiana's first heart transplant.
1987 - Louisiana celebrates the 175th anniversary of its admission into the Union

5. Important people

Zachary Taylor - US President; only US President born in Louisiana.
Shaquille O’Neal - Basketball star and actor.
John Goodman - Actor.
Melvin Thomas - First National League player to hit 400 home runs.
Ellen DeGeneras – Actress.
Louis David Armstrong – Musician
Britney Spears - Pop singer
Tim McGraw - Country Singer
John James Audubon - Naturalist and painter
Jimmie Davis - Politician