The State
of Louisiana is located in the southern region of the United States
of America.
The capital of Louisiana is Baton Rouge. The largest city and metropolitan
area is New Orleans. The largest parish by population is Jefferson Parish
and largest by land area is Cameron Parish Louisiana is the only state
divided into parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties.
Louisiana's cities have a multicultural and multilingual heritage, more
strongly influenced by 18th century French, Spanish, and African cultures
than most cities in the US. Originally part of New France, South Louisiana
is home to many speakers of Cajun French and Louisiana Creole French.
African American/Franco-African, and French/French Canadian form the two
largest groups of ancestry in Louisiana's population.
Namesake Louisiana (New France) was named after Louis XIV, King of France from 1643-1715. When René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle claimed the territory drained by the Mississippi River for France, he named it La Louisiane, meaning "Land of Louis". Louisiana was once part of the Louisiana Territory which once stretched from present-day New Orleans to across the present day Canadian border. The territory was acquired in 1803 by the United States by way of the Louisiana Purchase. Part or all of 15 states were formed from the territory. An alternative explanation of the name is that Louisiana is a combination of Louis XIV and his wife Anna of Austria. This, however, is false. While his mother was Anne of Austria, Louis XIV was married to Marie-Thérèse.
Nickname(s):
Bayou State
Child of the Mississippi
Creole State
Pelican State
Sportsman's Paradise
Sugar State
Motto(s):
Union, justice, and confidence
Union, justice et confiance
Lunyon, justis et confyans
