Capital: Baton Rouge

Governor: Murphy J. "Mike" Foster, R (to Jan. 2004)

Lieut. Governor: Kathleen Blanco, D (to Jan. 2004)

Senators: John B. Breaux, D (to Jan. 2005); Mary Landrieu, D (to Jan. 2003)

Secy. of State: W. Fox McKeithen, R (to Jan. 2004)

Treasurer: John Neely Kennedy, D (to Jan. 2004)

Atty. General: Richard P. Ieyoub, D (to Jan. 2004)

Organized as territory: March 26, 1804

Entered Union (rank): April 30, 1812 (18)

Present constitution adopted: 1974

Motto: Union, justice, and confidence

State Symbols:

Louisiana has a rich, colorful historical background. Early Spanish explorers were Alvárez Piñeda, 1519; Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, 1528; and Hernando De Soto in 1541. Sieur de la Salle reached the mouth of the Mississippi and claimed all the land drained by it and its tributaries for Louis XIV of France in 1682.

Louisiana became a French crown colony in 1731, was ceded to Spain in 1763, returned to France in 1800, and was sold by Napoleon to the U.S. as part of the Louisiana Purchase (with large territories to the north and northwest) in 1803.

In 1815, Gen. Andrew Jackson's troops defeated a larger British army in the Battle of New Orleans, neither side aware that the treaty ending the War of 1812 had been signed.

Louisiana is a leader in natural gas, salt, petroleum, and sulfur production. Much of the oil and sulfur comes from offshore deposits. The state also produces large crops of sweet potatoes, rice, sugar cane, pecans, soybeans, corn, and cotton.

Leading manufactured items include chemicals, processed food, petroleum and coal products, paper, lumber and wood products, transportation equipment, and apparel.

Louisiana marshes supply most of the nation's muskrat fur as well as that of opossum, raccoon, mink, and otter, and large numbers of game birds.

Major points of interest include New Orleans with its French Quarter and Superdome, plantation homes near Natchitoches and New Iberia, Cajun country in the Mississippi Delta region, Chalmette National Historical Park, and the state capital at Baton Rouge.

Nickname: Pelican State

Origin of name: In honor of Louis XIV of France

10 largest cities (1999 est.): New Orleans, 460,913; Baton Rouge, 210,667; Shreveport, 187,393; Lafayette, 116,806; Lake Charles, 72,173; Kenner, 71,567; Bossier City, 56,413; Monroe, 52,114; Alexandria, 45,959; New Iberia, 33,317

Land area: 43,566 sq mi. (112,836 sq km)

Geographic center: In Avoyelles Parish, 3 mi. SE of Marksville

Number of parishes (counties): 64

Largest parish by population and area: Orleans, 460,913 (1999 est.); Vernon, 1,328 sq mi.

State forests: 1 (8,000 ac.)

State parks: 30 (13,932 ac.)

Residents: Louisianan, Louisianian

1999 resident population est.: 4,372,035

1990 resident census population (rank): 4,219,973 (21). Male: 2,031,386; Female: 2,188,587. White: 2,839,138 (67.3%); Black: 1,299,281 (30.8%); American Indian: 18,541 (0.4%); Asian: 41,099 (1.0%); Other race: 21,914 (0.5%); Hispanic: 93,044 (2.2%). 1990 percent population under 18: 29.1; 65 and over: 11.1; median age: 30.9.