Facts About Louisiana
 Louisiana State flag |
Louisiana: The Name
An early French explorer, Robert de LaSalle, named Louisiana for Louis XIV, King of France.
State Bird
The state bird is the Brown Pelican, and the state flower of Louisiana, the Magnolia.
State Flag of Louisiana
The official flag of Louisiana has a solid blue background with the coat-of-arms of the state, the pelican feeding its young, in white in the center, with a ribbon beneath, also in white, containing in blue the motto of the state, "Union, Justice and Confidence".
Parishes ... Not Counties
Louisiana does not have "counties", but instead has 64 "parishes". It is bordered by Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, Mississippi to the east and the Gulf of Mexico to the south.
Government
Louisiana Governor's Mansion in Baton Rouge |
The executive branch is headed by an elected governor, currently Jon Bel Edwards, and the Louisiana Legislature consists of the House of Representatives (105 members) and Senate (39 members).
Area
Louisiana covers an area of 51,855 square miles. The highest point in the state is Driskill Mountain with an elevation of 535 feet above sea level.
It is 31st among the states in size, and the 25th most populous.
Population
Its population in 2016 was 4,682,000 residents. The most populous parish is East Baton Rouge parish.
Largest Cities
The Louisiana capitol is in Baton Rouge, and the largest city is New Orleans. Other large cities include Shreveport, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Monroe, Alexandria, Bossier City, Houma and Kenner.
Seal of the State of Louisiana
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Other Louisiana Facts
Louisiana amphibian - the green tree frog
State crustacean - crawfish
State mammal - Louisiana black bear
State freshwater fish - white perch (also known as sac-au-lait and white crappie)
State dog - Catahoula Leopard Dog
Official tree - bald cypress
State insect - honey bee
State wildflower - Louisiana Iris
State reptile - alligator
Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge The "New" Louisiana State Capitol was completed in March, 1932, in a mere 14 months and stands on a 27-acre tract. As the tallest state capitol in the United States, the building is 450 feet high with 34 floors. Twenty-five hundred rail cars were needed to bring in the limestone used on the exterior and the interior marbles which came from distant places, including Vermont and Italy. The cost to complete the building was a modest $5 million.
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The "Old" State Capitol on North Boulevard at the Mississippi River, downtown Baton Rouge, Louisiana (Staff Photo)
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read more about the Capitol, and view photographs, on Louisiana-Destinations