From the Census Bureau, estimated 2003 population was 4,496,334 persons, 63% of the people are White, and 32.5% are Black or African American persons. From the 2000 Census, New Orleans is the largest City, with 484,674 persons, Baton Rouge is second with 227,818 persons, Shreveport is third with 200,145 persons, and Lafayette is fourth with 110,257 persons. Louisana grew by 5.9% between 1990 and 2000, and had 102.6 people per square mile in year 2000.
Louisiana, the Pelican State, has a colorful history and was named in honor of King Louis XIV. A strong French influence is still evident throughout the state. The capital city is named Baton Rouge, French for "red stick," because the French-Canadian explorer Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville visited the area in 1699 and observed a red cypress post. The city of New Orleans is known for its Mardi Gras and jazz festivals. |
