Louisiana Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ==Geography== [[File:PinesnakeSaenz_nr-page.jpg|thumb|[[Louisiana pinesnake]]]] [[File:Louisiana wetlands aerial view.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of Louisiana's wetland habitats]] [[File:Lone Oak in Saint Bernard Parish.jpg|thumb|A field of yellow wildflowers in [[St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana|St. Bernard Parish]] ]] [[File:Honey Island Swamp, Louisiana (paulmannix).jpg|thumb|[[Honey Island Swamp]]]] [[File:Bald Eagle Nest Trail at South Toledo Bend State Park.jpg|alt=Sign upon a trail in the woods|thumb|Entrance to the Bald Eagle Nest Trail at [[South Toledo Bend State Park]]]] [[File:Bogue Chitto River.jpg|thumb|[[Bogue Chitto State Park]]]] [[File:Louisiana geographic map-en.svg|thumb|Geographic map of Louisiana]] Louisiana is bordered to the west by [[Texas]]; to the north by [[Arkansas]]; to the east by [[Mississippi]]; and to the south by the [[Gulf of Mexico]]. The state may properly be divided into two parts, the uplands of the north (the region of [[North Louisiana]]), and the [[Mississippi Alluvial Plain|alluvial]] along the coast (the [[Central Louisiana]], [[Acadiana]], [[Florida Parishes]], and [[New Orleans metropolitan area|Greater New Orleans]] regions). The alluvial region includes low swamp lands, coastal marshlands and beaches, and [[barrier islands]] that cover about {{convert|12350|sqmi|km2}}. This area lies principally along the Gulf of Mexico and the [[Mississippi River]], which traverses the state from north to south for a distance of about {{convert|600|mi|-1|abbr=on}} and empties into the Gulf of Mexico; also in the state are the [[Red River of the South|Red River]]; the [[Ouachita River]] and its branches; and other minor streams (some of which are called [[bayous]]). The breadth of the alluvial region along the Mississippi is 10–60 miles (15–100 km), and along the other rivers, the alluvial region averages about 10 miles (15 km) across. The Mississippi River flows along a ridge formed by its natural deposits (known as a [[levee]]), from which the lands decline toward a river beyond at an average fall of six feet per mile (3{{spaces}}m/km). The alluvial lands along other streams present similar features. The higher and contiguous hill lands of the north and northwestern part of the state have an area of more than {{convert|25000|sqmi|km2}}. They consist of prairie and woodlands. The elevations above sea level range from 10 feet (3{{spaces}}m) at the coast and swamp lands to 50–60 feet (15–18{{spaces}}m) at the prairie and alluvial lands. In the uplands and hills, the elevations rise to [[Driskill Mountain]], the highest point in the state only 535 feet (163{{spaces}}m) above sea level. From 1932 to 2010 the state lost 1,800 square miles due to rises in sea level and [[erosion]]. The [[Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority]] (CPRA) spends around $1{{spaces}}billion per year to help shore up and protect Louisiana [[shore]]line and land in both federal and state funding.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21727099-has-lessons-americas-climate-change-policy-louisiana-fights-sea-and-loses|title=Louisiana fights the sea, and loses|newspaper=The Economist|date=August 26, 2017|access-date=August 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170828163535/https://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21727099-has-lessons-americas-climate-change-policy-louisiana-fights-sea-and-loses|archive-date=August 28, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Rebuild or retreat? The future of Louisiana's coastline in jeopardy|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/louisiana-coastline-60-minutes-2020-12-22/|url-status=live|access-date=December 23, 2020|website=CBS News|date=December 22, 2020 |archive-date=December 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201223014649/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/louisiana-coastline-60-minutes-2020-12-22/}}</ref> Besides the waterways named, there are the [[Sabine River (Texas-Louisiana)|Sabine]], forming the western boundary; and the [[Pearl River (Mississippi-Louisiana)|Pearl]], the eastern boundary; the [[Calcasieu River|Calcasieu]], the [[Mermentau River|Mermentau]], the [[Vermilion River (Louisiana)|Vermilion]], [[Bayou Teche]], the [[Atchafalaya River|Atchafalaya]], the [[Boeuf River|Boeuf]], [[Bayou Lafourche]], the Courtableau River, Bayou D'Arbonne, the Macon River, the [[Tensas River|Tensas]], [[Amite River]], the [[Tchefuncte River|Tchefuncte]], the [[Tickfaw River|Tickfaw]], the [[Natalbany River]], and a number of other smaller streams, constituting a natural system of navigable waterways, aggregating over {{convert|4000|mi|km}} long. The state also has political jurisdiction over the approximately {{convert|3|mi|km|adj=on}}-wide portion of [[subsea]] land of the [[Outer continental shelf|inner continental shelf]] in the Gulf of Mexico. Through a peculiarity of the [[political geography]] of the United States, this is substantially less than the {{convert|9|mi|km|adj=on}}-wide jurisdiction of nearby states Texas and Florida, which, like Louisiana, have extensive Gulf coastlines.<ref name="Tulanian2008">{{Cite journal |last = Rivet |first = Ryan |title = Petroleum Dynamite |newspaper = Tulanian |publisher = [[Tulane University]] |pages = 20–27 |date =Summer 2008 |access-date = September 7, 2009 |url = http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/ODE/Tulanian/ |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100613042932/http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/ODE/Tulanian/ |archive-date = June 13, 2010 |url-status = dead |df = mdy-all }}</ref> The southern coast of Louisiana in the United States is among the fastest-disappearing areas in the world. This has largely resulted from human mismanagement of the coast (see [[Wetlands of Louisiana]]). At one time, the land was added to when spring floods from the Mississippi River added sediment and stimulated marsh growth; the land is now shrinking. There are multiple causes.<ref name="Keddy 2010">{{cite book|last=Keddy|first=Paul|title=Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation|year=2010|publisher=Cambridge University Press|location=Cambridge|isbn=978-0-521-51940-3|page=497}}</ref><ref>Ricardo A. Olea and James L Coleman., Jr. (2014), A synoptic examination of causes of land loss in southern Louisiana as they relate to the exploitation of subsurface geologic resources. Journal of Coastal Research, v. 30, no. 5, p. 1025–1044.</ref> Artificial levees block spring flood water that would bring fresh water and sediment to marshes. Swamps have been extensively logged, leaving canals and ditches that allow salt water to move inland. Canals dug for the oil and gas industry also allow storms to move sea water inland, where it damages swamps and marshes. Rising sea waters have exacerbated the problem. Some researchers estimate that the state is losing a landmass equivalent to 30 football fields every day. There are many proposals to save coastal areas by reducing human damage, including restoring natural floods from the Mississippi. Without such restoration, coastal communities will continue to disappear.<ref>Boesch, D. F., Josselyn, M. N., Mehta, A. J., Morris, J. T., Nuttle, W. K., Simenstad, C. A., and Swift, D. P. J. (1994). "Scientific assessment of coastal wetland loss, restoration and management in Louisiana", ''Journal of Coastal Research'', Special Issue No. 20.</ref> And as the communities disappear, more and more people are leaving the region.<ref name="Tidwell(2003)">Tidwell, Michael. ''Bayou Farewell: The Rich Life and Tragic Death of Louisiana's Cajun Coast''. Vintage Departures: New York, 2003 {{ISBN|978-0-375-42076-4}}.</ref> Since the coastal [[wetlands]] support an economically important coastal [[fishery]], the loss of wetlands is adversely affecting this industry. The [[Gulf of Mexico dead zone|Gulf of Mexico 'dead zone']] off the coast of Louisiana is the largest recurring [[Hypoxia (environmental)|hypoxic]] zone in the United States. It was {{convert|8776|sqmi|km2}} in 2017, the largest ever recorded.<ref>{{cite news |title=New Jersey-Size 'Dead Zone' Is Largest Ever in Gulf of Mexico |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2017/08/gulf-mexico-hypoxia-water-quality-dead-zone/ |work=National Geographic |date=August 2, 2017 |access-date=July 16, 2020 |archive-date=December 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201214155002/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2017/08/gulf-mexico-hypoxia-water-quality-dead-zone/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> ===Geology=== {{Main|Mississippi River Delta}} The oldest rocks in Louisiana are exposed in the north, in areas such as the [[Kisatchie National Forest]]. The oldest rocks date back to the early [[Cenozoic Era]], some 60 million years ago.<ref>{{cite book |last=Spearing |first=D. |year=1995 |title=Roadside Geology of Louisiana |publisher=Mountain Press Publishing Company |location=[[Missoula, Montana]] |pages=5–19 }}</ref> The youngest parts of the state were formed during the last 12,000 years as successive deltas of the Mississippi River: the [[Maringouin, Louisiana|Maringouin]], [[Bayou Teche|Teche]], [[St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana|St. Bernard]], [[Bayou Lafourche|Lafourche]], the modern Mississippi, and now the [[Atchafalaya River|Atchafalaya]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Coleman |first1=J. M. |author2=H. H. Roberts |author3=G. W. Stone |date=1998 |title=Mississippi River Delta: an overview |journal=Journal of Coastal Research |volume=14 |pages=698–716 }}</ref> The sediments were carried from north to south by the Mississippi River. Between the tertiary rocks of the north, and the relatively new sediments along the coast, is a vast belt known as the [[Pleistocene]] Terraces. Their age and distribution can be largely related to the rise and fall of sea levels during past ice ages. The northern terraces have had sufficient time for rivers to cut deep channels, while the newer terraces tend to be much flatter.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Holland |first=W.C. |date=1944 |title=Physiographic divisions of the Quaternary lowlands of Louisiana |journal=Proceedings of the Louisiana Academy of Sciences |volume=8 |pages=10–24 }}</ref> [[Salt dome]]s are also found in Louisiana. Their origin can be traced back to the early [[Gulf of Mexico]] when the shallow ocean had high rates of evaporation. There are several hundred salt domes in the state; one of the most familiar is [[Avery Island, Louisiana]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kniffen |first1=F. B. |author2=S. B. Hilliard |date=1988 |title=Louisiana: Its Land and People |edition=Revised |publisher=Louisiana State University Press |location=Baton Rouge |pages=66–68 }}</ref> Salt domes are important not only as a source of salt; they also serve as underground traps for oil and gas.<ref>{{cite book |last=Spearing |first=D. |year=1995 |title=Roadside Geology of Louisiana |publisher=Mountain Press Publishing Company |location=[[Missoula, Montana]] |pages=19–30 }}</ref> ===Flora and fauna=== {{See also|Fauna of Louisiana}} ===Climate=== {{See also|List of ecoregions in Louisiana|List of Louisiana hurricanes (2000–present)|Effects of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans}} Louisiana has a [[humid subtropical climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''Cfa''), with long, hot, humid summers and short, mild winters. The subtropical characteristics of the state are due to its low latitude, low lying topography, and the influence of the Gulf of Mexico, which at its farthest point is no more than {{convert|200|mi|-1|abbr=on}} away. Rain is frequent throughout the year, although from April to September is slightly wetter than the rest of the year, which is the state's [[wet season]]. There is a dip in precipitation in October. In summer, thunderstorms build during the heat of the day and bring intense but brief, tropical downpours. In winter, rainfall is more frontal and less intense. Summers in southern Louisiana have high temperatures from June through September averaging {{cvt|90|F}} or more, and overnight lows averaging above {{cvt|70|F}}. At times, temperatures in the 90s{{nbsp}}°F{{nbsp}}({{convert|90|-|99|F|C|disp=out}}), combined with [[dew points]] in the upper 70s{{nbsp}}°F{{nbsp}}({{convert|75|-|79|F|C|disp=out}}), create sensible temperatures over {{convert|120|°F|°C|abbr=on}}. The humid, thick, jungle-like heat in southern Louisiana is a famous subject of countless stories and movies. Temperatures are generally warm in the winter in the southern part of the state, with highs around New Orleans, Baton Rouge, the rest of southern Louisiana, and the Gulf of Mexico averaging {{convert|66|°F}}. The northern part of the state is mildly cool in the winter, with highs averaging {{convert|59|°F}}. The overnight lows in the winter average well above freezing throughout the state, with {{convert|46|°F}} the average near the Gulf and an average low of {{convert|37|°F}} in the winter in the northern part of the state. On occasion, cold fronts from low-pressure centers to the north, reach Louisiana in winter. Low temperatures near {{convert|20|°F}} occur on occasion in the northern part of the state but rarely do so in the southern part of the state. [[Snow in Louisiana|Snow]] is rare near the Gulf of Mexico, although residents in the northern parts of the state might receive a dusting of snow a few times each decade.<ref>{{cite web|date=December 31, 2012|title=When It Snowed in New Orleans|url=https://www.myneworleans.com/when-it-snowed-in-new-orleans/|access-date=2021-11-04|website=My New Orleans|language=en-US|archive-date=November 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104201511/https://www.myneworleans.com/when-it-snowed-in-new-orleans/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=110,000 customers left without power in Texas and Louisiana as major snowstorm moves across the South|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/11/weather/southern-snowstorm-outages-monday/index.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-11-04|website=CNN|archive-date=November 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104201509/https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/11/weather/southern-snowstorm-outages-monday/index.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Kennell|first=Tiana|title=Weather update: Residents react, prepare for a week of snow in Shreveport, Bossier City|url=https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/weather/2021/02/15/weather-update-snow-day-forecast-february-shreveport-residents/6751883002/|access-date=2021-11-04|website=The Times|language=en-US|archive-date=November 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104201511/https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/weather/2021/02/15/weather-update-snow-day-forecast-february-shreveport-residents/6751883002/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=February 16, 2021|title=North Louisiana sees second snow storm of 2021; How residents are enjoying the weather|url=https://www.myarklamiss.com/community/north-louisiana-sees-second-snow-storm-of-2021-how-residents-are-enjoying-the-weather/|access-date=2021-11-04|website=KTVE - myarklamiss.com|language=en-US|archive-date=November 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104201511/https://www.myarklamiss.com/community/north-louisiana-sees-second-snow-storm-of-2021-how-residents-are-enjoying-the-weather/|url-status=live}}</ref> Louisiana's highest recorded temperature is {{convert|114|F|C}} in [[Plain Dealing, Louisiana|Plain Dealing]] on August 10, 1936, while the coldest recorded temperature is {{convert|-16|F|C}} at [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]] on February 13, 1899. Louisiana is often affected by [[tropical cyclone]]s and is very vulnerable to strikes by major [[Atlantic hurricane|hurricanes]], particularly the [[Upland and lowland|lowlands]] around and in the New Orleans area. The unique geography of the region, with the many bayous, marshes and inlets, can result in water damage across a wide area from major hurricanes. The area is also prone to frequent thunderstorms, especially in the summer.<ref name="Annual average number of tornadoes">{{cite web |url=http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/img/climate/research/tornado/small/avgt5304.gif |title=NOAA National Climatic Data Center |access-date=April 23, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111016174155/http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/img/climate/research/tornado/small/avgt5304.gif |archive-date=October 16, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> The entire state averages over 60 days of thunderstorms a year, more than any other state except Florida. Louisiana averages 27 [[tornado]]es annually. The entire state is vulnerable to a tornado strike, with the extreme southern portion of the state slightly less so than the rest of the state. Tornadoes are more common from January to March in the southern part of the state, and from February through March in the northern part of the state.<ref name="Annual average number of tornadoes"/> Louisiana is partially within the area of tornado activity called [[Dixie Alley]], and the state has tornadoes which tend to be unpredictable but localized.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mathewson |first=Kent |title=The Louisiana Field Guide: Understanding Life in the Pelican State |date=2014 |publisher=[[Louisiana State University Press]] |isbn=978-0-8071-5776-3 |editor-last=Orgera |editor-first=Ryan |chapter=The Geography of Louisiana |editor-last2=Parent |editor-first2=Wayne}}</ref> {| class="toc sortable" style="text-align: center; font-size: smaller;" |+ Average temperatures in Louisiana (°F/°C) |- ! || data-sort-type="number" | {{spaces|2}}Jan{{spaces|2}} || data-sort-type="number" | {{spaces|2}}Feb{{spaces|2}} || data-sort-type="number" | {{spaces|2}}Mar{{spaces|2}} || data-sort-type="number" | {{spaces|2}}Apr{{spaces|2}} || data-sort-type="number" | {{spaces|2}}May{{spaces|2}} || data-sort-type="number" | {{spaces|2}}Jun{{spaces|2}} || data-sort-type="number" | {{spaces|2}}Jul{{spaces|2}} || data-sort-type="number" | {{spaces|2}}Aug{{spaces|2}} || data-sort-type="number" | {{spaces|2}}Sept{{spaces|2}} || data-sort-type="number" | {{spaces|2}}Oct{{spaces|2}} || data-sort-type="number" | {{spaces|2}}Nov{{spaces|2}} || data-sort-type="number" | {{spaces|2}}Dec{{spaces|2}} || data-sort-type="number" | {{spaces|2}}Annual{{spaces|2}} |- ! [[Shreveport, Louisiana|Shreveport]]<ref name="Shreveport">{{cite web |url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=shv |title = NowData—NOAA Online Weather Data |publisher = National Weather Service Forecast Office, Shreveport, LA, [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] |access-date = February 21, 2012 |archive-date = June 27, 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150627103535/http://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=shv |url-status = live }}</ref> | {{cvt|47.0|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|50.8|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|58.1|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|65.5|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|73.4|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|80.0|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|83.2|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|83.3|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|77.1|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|66.6|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|56.6|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|48.3|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|65.9|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} |- ! [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]]<ref name="Shreveport"/><!--Shreveport Regional Airport--> | {{cvt|46.3|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|50.3|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|57.8|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|65.6|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|73.9|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|80.4|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|82.8|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|82.5|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|76.5|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|66.0|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|56.3|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|48.0|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|65.5|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} |- ! [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]]<ref name="Shreveport" /> | {{cvt|48.5|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|52.1|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|59.3|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|66.4|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|74.5|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|80.7|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|83.2|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|83.2|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|78.0|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|68.0|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|58.6|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|50.2|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|66.9|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} |- ! [[Lake Charles, Louisiana|Lake Charles]]<ref name="Lake Charles">{{cite web |url = http://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=lch |title = NowData—NOAA Online Weather Data |publisher = National Weather Service Forecast Office, Lake Charles, LA, [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] |access-date = February 21, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160822005550/http://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=lch |archive-date = August 22, 2016 |url-status = live }}</ref><!--Lake Charles Regional Airport--> | {{cvt|51.8|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|55.0|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|61.4|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|68.1|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|75.6|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|81.1|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|82.9|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|83.0|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|78.7|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|70.1|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|61.1|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|53.8|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|68.6|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} |- ! [[Lafayette, Louisiana|Lafayette]]<ref name="Lake Charles" /><!--Lafayette Regional Airport--> | {{cvt|51.8|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|55.2|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|61.5|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|68.3|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|75.9|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|81.0|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|82.8|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|82.9|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|78.5|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|69.7|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|61.0|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|53.7|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|68.5|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} |- ! [[Baton Rouge, Louisiana|Baton Rouge]]<ref name="Baton Rouge">{{cite web |url = http://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=lch |title = NowData—NOAA Online Weather Data |publisher = National Weather Service Forecast Office, New Orleans/Baton Rouge, LA, [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] |access-date = February 21, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160822005550/http://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=lch |archive-date = August 22, 2016 |url-status = live }}</ref><!--Baton Rouge area--> | {{cvt|51.3|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|54.6|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|61.1|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|67.6|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|75.2|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|80.7|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|82.5|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|82.5|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|78.1|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|68.9|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|60.0|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|52.9|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|68.0|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} |- ! [[New Orleans]]<ref name="Baton Rouge" /><!--New Orleans Audubon--> | {{cvt|54.3|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|57.6|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|63.6|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|70.1|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|77.5|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|82.4|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|84.0|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|84.1|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|80.2|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|72.2|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|63.5|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|56.2|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} || {{cvt|70.3|F|C|abbr=values|disp=x|/}} |} ===Publicly owned land=== {{See also|List of Louisiana state parks|List of Louisiana state historic sites}}[[File:New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America Population Density and Low Elevation Coastal Zones (5457913950).jpg|thumb|283x283px|Population density and low elevation coastal zones in the Mississippi River Delta. The Mississippi River Delta is especially vulnerable to [[sea level rise]].]] Owing to its location and geology, the state has high biological diversity. Some vital areas, such as southwestern prairie, have experienced a loss in excess of 98 percent. The pine flatwoods are also at great risk, mostly from [[Wildfire suppression|fire suppression]] and [[urban sprawl]]. There is not yet a properly organized system of natural areas to represent and protect Louisiana's biological diversity. Such a system would consist of a protected system of core areas linked by biological corridors, such as Florida is planning.<ref>Florida Greenways Commission. 1994. Report to the Governor. Creating a statewide greenways system: For people{{spaces}}... for wildlife{{spaces}}... for Florida. Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Tallahassee, FL.</ref> Louisiana contains a number of areas which, to varying degrees, prevent people from using them.<ref>Lester, G. D., S.G. Sorensen, P. L. Faulkner, C. S. Reid and I. E. Maxit. 2005. ''Louisiana Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy''. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Baton Rouge, LA</ref> In addition to [[National Park Service]] areas and a [[United States National Forest]], Louisiana operates a system of [[List of Louisiana state parks|state parks]], [[List of Louisiana state historic sites|state historic sites]], one [[Louisiana State Arboretum|state preservation area]], one [[Alexander State Forest|state forest]], and many [[Wildlife Management Area]]s. One of Louisiana's largest government-owned areas is Kisatchie National Forest. It is some 600,000 acres in area, more than half of which is [[flatwoods]] vegetation, which supports many rare plant and animal species.<ref>{{cite web|last=Hyatt|first=Phil|date=November 20, 2020|title=Story of Kisatchie Botany|url=https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/kisatchie/landmanagement/resourcemanagement/?cid=fsbdev3_024695|access-date=November 20, 2020|archive-date=February 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210220154051/https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/kisatchie/landmanagement/resourcemanagement/?cid=fsbdev3_024695|url-status=live}}</ref> These include the [[Louisiana pinesnake]] and [[red-cockaded woodpecker]]. The system of government-owned [[Cypress dome|cypress swamps]] around [[Lake Pontchartrain]] is another large area, with southern [[wetland]] species including egrets, alligators, and sturgeon. At least 12 core areas would be needed to build a "protected areas system" for the state; these would range from southwestern prairies, to the Pearl River Floodplain in the east, to the Mississippi River alluvial swamps in the north. Additionally, the state operates a system of 22 state parks, 17 state historic sites and one state preservation area; in these lands, Louisiana maintains a [[Fauna of Louisiana|diversity of fauna]] and flora. ====National Park Service==== Historic or scenic areas managed, protected, or recognized by the National Park Service include: {{div col}} * [[Atchafalaya National Heritage Area]] in Ascension Parish; * [[Cane River National Heritage Area]] near Natchitoches; * [[Cane River Creole National Historical Park]] near Natchitoches; * [[Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve]], headquartered in New Orleans, with units in St. Bernard Parish, Barataria (Crown Point), and Acadiana (Lafayette); * [[Poverty Point National Monument]] at Delhi, Louisiana; and * [[Saline Bayou]], a designated [[National Wild and Scenic River]] near [[Winn Parish]] in northern Louisiana. {{div col end}} ====U.S. Forest Service==== * [[Kisatchie National Forest]] is Louisiana's only national forest. It includes more than 600,000 acres in central and northern Louisiana with large areas of flatwoods and longleaf pine forest.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kisatchie National Forest|url=https://www.natchitoches.com/listing/kisatchie-national-forest|url-status=live|access-date=2021-12-08|website=Natchitoches, Louisiana Travel & Tourism|date=October 29, 2013|language=en|archive-date=December 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211208005503/https://www.natchitoches.com/listing/kisatchie-national-forest}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Kisatchie National Forest – National Forest Foundation|url=https://www.nationalforests.org/our-forests/find-a-forest/kisatchie-national-forest|url-status=live|access-date=2021-12-08|website=National Forest Foundation|archive-date=December 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211209194903/https://www.nationalforests.org/our-forests/find-a-forest/kisatchie-national-forest}}</ref> ===Major cities=== {{See also|List of municipalities in Louisiana|List of Louisiana metropolitan areas|List of Louisiana locations by per capita income}} Louisiana contains 308 incorporated municipalities, consisting of four [[Consolidated city-county|consolidated city-parishes]], and 304 cities, towns, and villages. Louisiana's municipalities cover only 7.9% of the state's land mass but are home to 45.3% of its population.<ref>{{cite web|date=February 13, 2020|title=American FactFinder—Results|url=https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213114736/https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk|url-status=dead|archive-date=2020-02-13|access-date=September 26, 2020|website=archive.vn}}</ref> The majority of urban Louisianians live along the coast or in northern Louisiana. The oldest permanent settlement in the state is [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Nachitoches]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Natchitoches|url=https://www.louisianatravel.com/cities/natchitoches|access-date=September 26, 2020|website=Louisiana Official Travel and Tourism Information|archive-date=February 26, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140226054426/https://www.louisianatravel.com/cities/natchitoches|url-status=live}}</ref> Baton Rouge, the state capital, is the second-largest city in the state. The most populous city is New Orleans. As defined by the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], Louisiana contains nine metropolitan statistical areas. Major areas include [[Greater New Orleans]], [[Baton Rouge metropolitan area|Greater Baton Rouge]], [[Lafayette metropolitan area, Louisiana|Lafayette]], and [[Shreveport–Bossier City metropolitan area|Shreveport–Bossier City]]. {{Largest cities | country = Louisiana | stat_ref = Source:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/|title=U.S. Census Bureau Quick Facts|date=July 1, 2017|publisher=City Population|access-date=August 18, 2021|archive-date=December 27, 1996|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961227012639/https://www.census.gov/|url-status=live}}</ref> | list_by_pop = | div_name = | div_link = Parishes of Louisiana{{!}}Parish | city_1 = New Orleans, Louisiana{{!}}New Orleans | div_1 = New Orleans, Louisiana{{!}}Orleans | pop_1 = 383,997 | img_1 = New Orleans skyline-02.jpg | city_2 = Baton Rouge, Louisiana{{!}}Baton Rouge | div_2 = East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana{{!}}East Baton Rouge | pop_2 = 227,470 | img_2 = Baton Rouge skyline 2013.jpg | city_3 = Shreveport, Louisiana{{!}}Shreveport | div_3 = Caddo Parish, Louisiana{{!}}Caddo | pop_3 = 187,593 | img_3 = Shreveport LA, USA - panoramio (6).jpg | city_4 = Lafayette, Louisiana{{!}}Lafayette | div_4 = Lafayette Parish, Louisiana{{!}}Lafayette | pop_4 = 121,374 | img_4 = Downtown Lafayette LA 2021.jpg | city_5 = Lake Charles, Louisiana{{!}}Lake Charles | div_5 = Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana{{!}}Calcasieu | pop_5 = 84,872 | img_5 = | city_6 = Kenner, Louisiana{{!}}Kenner | div_6 = Jefferson Parish, Louisiana{{!}}Jefferson | pop_6 = 66,448 | img_6 = | city_7 = Bossier City, Louisiana{{!}}Bossier City | div_7 = Bossier Parish, Louisiana{{!}}Bossier | pop_7 = 62,701 | img_7 = | city_8 = Monroe, Louisiana{{!}}Monroe | div_8 = Ouachita Parish, Louisiana{{!}}Ouachita | pop_8 = 47,702 | img_8 = | city_9 = Alexandria, Louisiana{{!}}Alexandria | div_9 = Rapides Parish, Louisiana{{!}}Rapides | pop_9 = 45,275 | img_9 = | city_10 = Houma, Louisiana{{!}}Houma | div_10 = Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana{{!}}Terrebonne | pop_10 = 33,406 | img_10 = }} Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. 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