About New Orleans

New Orleans (, , or by locals, by many non-locals, and in ) is a major U.S. port and the largest city in Louisiana. New Orleans is the center of the New Orleans Metropolitan Area, the largest metro area in the state.

New Orleans is located in southeastern Louisiana, straddling the Mississippi River. It is coextensive with Orleans Parish, meaning that the boundaries of the city and the parish are the same. It is bounded by the parishes of St. Tammany (north), St. Bernard (east), Plaquemines (south) and Jefferson (south and west). Lake Pontchartrain, part of which is included in the city limits, lies to the north and Lake Borgne lies to the east.

The city is named after Philippe II, Duc d'Orléans, Regent of France, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. It is well known for its multicultural and multilingual heritageCultures well represented in New Orleans' history include African American, Creole, Cajun, French, German, Irish, Italian, Jewish, Latino, Spanish, and Vietnamese. cuisine, architecture, music (particularly as the birthplace of jazz),

and its annual Mardi Gras and other celebrations and festivals. The city is often referred to as the "most unique" city in America.Institute of New Orleans History and Culture at Gwynedd-Mercy CollegeBehind the Scenes: Hurricane on the BayouNew Orleans: A Choice Between Destruction and Reparations, by David Billings, The Fellowship of Reconciliation, November/December 2005Bring New Orleans BackSpike Lee offers his take on Hurricane Katrina, by Damian Dovarganes, Associated Press, July 14 2006

The State of Louisiana ( or , , Category: help - :IPA|pronounced ) is a state located in the southern region (Deep South) of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state divided into parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties. The largest parish by population is Jefferson Parish, and the largest by land area is Cameron Parish.

Some Louisiana urban environments have a multicultural, multilingual heritage, being so strongly influenced by an admixture of 18th century French, Spanish and African cultures that they have been considered somewhat exceptional in the U.S. Before the American influx and statehood at the beginning of the 19th century, the territory of current Louisiana State had been a Spanish and French colony. In addition, the pattern of development included importing numerous Africans in the 18th century, with many from the same region of West Africa, thus concentrating their culture.