Louisiana State Overview

State of Louisiana general data

  • Time zone: 7 hours less than Italy
  • Capital: Baton Rouge
  • Main towns: Lafayette, Kenner, Metairie, New Orleans, Shreveport.
  • Area: 134.265 km²
  • Population: 4,700,000 inhabitants approximately.
  • Population density: 35 residents / km²
  • State abbreviation: LA
  • Entry into the United States: It joins the United States on April 30, 1812, it is the 18th state to join the union.

According to thembaprograms.com, Louisiana is part of the coastal plain of the gulf, which is crossed by the Mississippi. The average elevation of this region is 30m above sea level, with the highest point of 163m on Mount Driskill in the north of the state. Physically it is made up of four zones: the hill region, the alluvial plain, the prairie zone and the marshy coastal region. The hills area is located north of the Red River valley, north of Lake Pontchartrain. The alluvial plain, an agricultural region, was formed thanks to the Mississippi, Ouchita and Red rivers. The prairie is located in the southwest of the state and is dedicated to the intensive cultivation of rice. Finally, the marshy region extends along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.

The most important river in Louisiana is the Mississippi, which creates an impressive delta that has allowed the great agricultural development of this state. Other important rivers are the Ouachita, the Red, the Sabine and the Pearl. The state has many lakes including the Pontchartrain, Borgne, Maurepas, and Caddo.

Flora and fauna– The flora of the state has about 4500 different species. The Gulf of Mexico is bordered by treeless plains, while freshwater swamps have floating vegetation. At slightly higher altitudes there are evergreen oaks similar to holm oaks. North of the western grasslands and east of Lake Pontchartrain are pine trees. The northwestern corner of the state has drought-tolerant vegetation, consisting of pine, oak and carya. The floodplains of major rivers have strong woody plants in well-drained soils and cypresses in swamps.

Louisiana has always been rich in wildlife. Today, squirrels, turkeys, beavers, minks, possums and alligators are common. The otters, introduced in the 1930s, have been increasing and many armadillos have arrived from the southwest.

The climate of Louisiana is subtropical, being the state near the Gulf of Mexico, although in winter continental currents arrive from the Mississippi-Missouri valley. In general, it enjoys a climate with hot and humid summers, with afternoon thunderstorms, and temperate winters. The average annual temperature is 18 ° C in the north and 21 ° C in the southern region. In July there is an average of 28 ° C and in January of 10 ° C. Average annual rainfall is 1,140 mm. Between June and November, the region is hit by hurricanes.

Baton Rouge: capital of Louisiana

According to countryaah.com, Baton Rouge is the capital of the state of Louisiana. Baton Rouge is located within the state of Louisiana, on the banks of the Mississippi River, approximately 100km off the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Its climate is subtropical, with mild winters and summers but with a high rainfall index. The average annual temperature is 20 ° C, with averages of 11 ° C in January and 28 ° C in August.

It is an important center for the production of petrochemicals, distribution point for large quantities of soybeans, and sugar cane which are produced near the city.

Capital of Louisiana since 1849, the city is a popular tourist destination. The population grew dramatically after Hurricane Katrina, when many homeless people from New Orleans moved here. North of the city center is the 34-story State Capitol, built in 1932. It is the tallest capitol in the country; from the lookout on the 27th floor you can enjoy the view of the whole city.

the Old Governor’s Mansion, built in 1930 on the model of the White House. Today, mementos of former state governors are on display in this facility. To the southwest, the neo-Gothic Louisiana Old State Capitol dates back to 1849 and houses exhibits on the history of this state. Outside, it has a square overlooking the river, where you can visit the USS Kidd, a WWII destroyer. Further south, visitors can breathe some true pre-war climate at the 1791 Magnolia Mound Plantation, a still functioning 6-hectare plantation with a French Creole-style villa, other large mansions located in the ancient plantations are also worth a visit..

The most important museums in the city are: the Louisiana Museum of Science and Art, located in an old train station, the Planetarium, the Fire Brigade Museum; and the Anglo-American Art Museum. Also noteworthy are various art galleries, including the Taylor Clark Gallery.

History– According to topschoolsoflaw.com, the city of Baton Rouge was founded by the French in 1719, as a military outpost in the province of Louisiana. It is believed that its name derives from a red cypress that marked the hunting grounds of two tribes that inhabited the area when the French occupied it at the end of the 17th century. Since the Treaty of Utrecht (1713), numerous Acadian settlers, coming from Nova Scotia, settled in the region and passed into British hands after this treaty. In 1763 the city was ceded to Great Britain after the Seven Years War (1756-63), but in 1779 the Spaniards occupied it during the American War of Independence. In 1800, Napoleon again acquired the city as part of Louisiana, a province that was finally ceded to the United States in 1803.

During the Civil War, the city became an important bulwark due to its strategic value. Federal troops took the city in 1862 after a ferocious siege. After the civil war, the city acquired great economic importance, thanks to its importance as a commercial center, where the production of the oil, natural gas and salt fields of Louisiana was channeled. The city’s great growth began in 1909, when the Standard Oil Company built a petrochemical plant in Baton Rouge that attracted other companies in the industry during the following decades.

Louisiana State Overview