Its motto: Union, Justice, Confidence.

Its nicknames: Bayou State, Pelican State, Sugar State.

A Sspicy Ppotpourri of People, Cultures, and Wildlife

Louisiana's lush landscapes are just as remarkable as Louisiana's culture, which is well known for its distinctive foreignness. Louisiana's language, folklore, and cuisine are strongly seasoned by other influences — Spanish, African, West Indian, American Indian — and each lends its own special accent to Louisiana's cultural potpourri.

The states unique character owes much to its lakes, bayous, lagoons, marshes, swamps — and above all, the majestic Mississippi River. As it snakes down from Arkansas, the Mississippi serves as Louisiana's eastern border, flowing past cottonfields, sweeping by the plantation homes, and swinging around New Orleans.

New Orleans began in 1718 as a neat square which French engineers laid out in the river's swampy curve and filled in with oyster shells and cypress logs — an area known today as French Quarter.

Here the French and Spanish built their charming houses and courtyards, intermarried, and over the years created the rich hybrid culture known as Creole. New Orleans remains diverse and intriguing — a city where life is one marvelous parade. During the world-famous Mardi Gras the city hosts colorful festivities that culminate in a raucous, gorgeous parade. Around the turn of the century, New Orleans became the birthplace of jazz, one of America's greatest contributions to music. And in this town, even such solemn occasions as funerals call for a parade, with a jazz band playing dirges on the way to the cemetry.

Although abundant in the swamps, bird life is most spectacular in Louisiana's coastal wetlands. Here migratory birds of every kind — waterfowl, shorebirds, songbirds, and birds of prey — gather to spend the winter months. At night, the birds' noisy honking, squawking, flapping, and splashing can be heard for miles around, mingled with choruses of croaking frogs and bellowing alligators. Such sounds epitomize Louisiana: a place both strange and wonderful.

Louisiana became the 18th state in 1812.

(”The USA Diversity of 50 States”)