Louisiana map, USA

History of Louisiana

Louisiana , or as it is also called, the Pelican State, appeared on the US political map in April 1812. Almost 300 years earlier, the Spaniards began to explore the territory. The first map of the area was created by the navigator Alonso Alvarez de Pineda . In 1682, the explorer Cavelier de La Salle reached these lands and declared them French property. He named the colony Louisiana. New Orleans, founded in 1718, became the capital.

In 1803, the United States bought the state from Napoleon Bonaparte for $15 million. Rigid orders were immediately established there, there was a division along racial lines. Black people became slaves. Their mistreatment led to a major uprising in 1811, but the rebels were crushed. In 1849, Baton Rouge was named the state capital. Agriculture developed rapidly in the territory, and the port in New Orleans became the second largest in the country.

Location of the state of Louisiana on the US map

The state of Louisiana on the map is located in the south of the country. Its administrative center is the city of Baton Rouge, it is located in the southeastern part of the region.

Location map of Louisiana in the US.

Louisiana on the US map is located below, in the southern part of the country. Its area covers 135,382 km ² (52,271 sq. miles), of which 112,927 km ² (43,601 sq. miles) is land. The state borders on the following objects:

• in the west – with Texas;
• in the north – with Arkansas;
• in the east – from the Mississippi;
• in the south – with the Gulf of Mexico.

A map of Louisiana clearly shows that the region is divided into two parts: northern and southern, and each has its own territorial features.

Relief of Louisiana

The entire state lies within the borders of the Atlantic Lowlands. The height of the relief of Louisiana averages 30 m. The lowest points are in New Orleans and its surrounding areas. Here, the height indicator is 2 m below sea level. The peak point of the state is mountain (or rather highlands) Driskill, which rises only 163 m above sea level.

The relief of Northern Louisiana is hilly plains, low highlands. This site covers about 65,000 km ² (25,097 sq. miles) and is mostly covered by forests and prairies.

The territory of South Louisiana is an alluvial region that includes low-lying swamps, coastal marshes and beaches. This also includes barrier islands. Such relief covers Central Louisiana, Acadiana , the parishes of Florida, and the regions of New Orleans. This area is located mainly along the Gulf of Mexico and the Mississippi River. The width of the alluvial region near the Mississippi reaches 15-100 km and about 15 km in the regions of other rivers (Red River Ouachita with tributaries).

Water bodies

The largest river that runs through Louisiana is the Mississippi. On the map, it crosses the region from north to south for 970 km and flows into the Gulf of Mexico. There are more than 20 rivers in the state, of which the following are the largest:

• Red;
• Ouachita ;
• Sabina;
• Pearl;
• Calcasieu ;
• Mermentau ;
• Vermilion ;
• Bayou-Tech .

The total length of waterways is about 6400 km. There are still two lakes in the state: Peigneur and Pontchartrain , as well as the Caddo Reservoir .

Climate

The local climate belongs to the humid subtropical type. It has a long hot and humid summer that lasts from June to September. The average temperature of this period is +32 °C, often the thermometer mark rises to +32-37 °C, which, combined with high humidity, gives a feeling of +49 °C.

Winter here is short and mild. The average temperature in the southern part is +19 °C, and in the north – +15 °C. Night lows are almost always above zero – from +3 to +8 °C. Sometimes frosts occur, and the thermometer mark drops to -7 ° C. Snow is rare.

It rains almost all year round, but is especially frequent from April to September. On average, Louisiana has more than 60 days of thunderstorms. Tropical cyclones occur frequently in the region, and about 27 tornadoes occur annually. Low-lying areas near New Orleans are particularly affected.

Major cities of Louisiana on the map

New Orleans

A large port city located on the banks of the Mississippi at about 169 km, if you move up the river from the Gulf of Mexico. The area, together with the water area, is 907 km ² (350 sq. miles), of which 468 km ² (181 sq. miles) is land. Slightly more than half of the area is at sea level or slightly higher, the rest is lowland.

Baton rouge

The administrative center of the state of Louisiana covers 205 km ² (79 sq. miles), of which land – 199.3 km ² (77 sq. miles). The city is located on the banks of the Mississippi River in Florida County (southeast of the region). The distance to New Orleans is 127 km. The settlement is located at a low altitude above sea level, which ranges from 17 to 19 m.

Shreveport

The city is centered in northwest Louisiana and is the center of the Arc-La-Tex region . Distance from the state capital – 400 km. The total area of the settlement is 317 km ² (122 sq. miles), of which land covers 277 km ² (84 sq. miles). Shreveport is located on a hill overlooking the Red River.

Lafayette

The locality is located in southern Louisiana, in the Acadiana region . Its borders go to the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. The height of the relief varies between 11-15 m above sea level. The area of the city is 144 km ² (56 sq. miles).