Louisiana lies wholly within the gulf portion of the Coastal Plain, which is one of the principal natural regions, or physiographic provinces, of the United States. The Gulf Coastal Plain can be divided into three subregions, or sections, all of which lie partly within Louisiana. They are, from east to west, the East Gulf Coastal Plain, the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, and the West Gulf Coastal Plain.

The Mississippi Alluvial Plain in Louisiana extends from the Louisiana-Arkansas border in the north to the Gulf of Mexico in the south and parallels the main channel of the Mississippi River. In Louisiana the region is commonly referred to as “the Delta,” a term that, in local usage, is not confined to the delta at the mouth of the Mississippi River. Largely a low-lying and swampy area, the Mississippi Alluvial Plain has an average width of about 80 km (about 50 mi) and slopes gently southward from 35 m (115 ft) on the Louisiana-Arkansas border to sea level at South Pass, one of the delta’s chief channels at the mouth of the Mississippi River. Near New Orleans, parts of the plain lie below sea level.

Along the banks of the Mississippi and other rivers are natural levees, which have been built up from river silts deposited by floods. The levees rise as much as 4.5 m (15 ft) above the general level of the surrounding plain, although most are about 2 to 3 m (about 6 to 10 ft) high. The levees, some of which are very wide, include some of the state’s best farmland. Because of the protection from flooding afforded by their greater elevation, the levees are also used for transportation purposes. Many levees have been further heightened for flood control purposes. In the Mississippi Alluvial Plain away from the levees are vast poorly-drained areas, generally called backswamps. However, when drained and cultivated, as in the northeast, the backswamps are productive farmlands.

The West Gulf Coastal Plain, west of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, occupies the western half of Louisiana. Hilly regions, often with steep bluffs 90 m (300 ft) high, mark the transitional zone between this region and the Mississippi Alluvial Plain. The northern and north central areas of this region are primarily areas of rolling hill country, much of it still heavily forested. The most prominent features of the hill country include Driskill Mountain and the Kisatchie Hills. Farther south are extensive areas of prairie, or grassland, which lie mainly along the southeastern bank of the middle course of the Calcasieu River. In the southern part of the West Gulf Coastal Plain, marshlands rim the coast and extend inland as much as 30 km (20 mi). They are generally separated from the Gulf by low sandy ridges called cheniers.

The East Gulf Coastal Plain, a small area east of the Mississippi, is similar to its counterpart in western Louisiana. Steep bluffs as much as 90 m (300 ft) above sea level occur in the Tunica Hills of West Feliciana Parish. The rest of the region is lower in elevation with numerous steep bluffs, clear springs, pine forests, and deep ravines.

Louisiana’s long and irregular coastline extends along the Gulf of Mexico from the Pearl River on the east to the Sabine River on the west. It has an overall length of 639 km (397 mi). Including all bays, inlets, and promontories, it has a total length of 12,430 km (7,721 mi), behind only Alaska and Florida in length of marine shore. In both eastern and western Louisiana, the coast is generally marshy. The Mississippi River has over thousands of years created numerous deltas besides the current “bird foot” delta. These previous deltas and other parts of the coastline are eroding inland as they have been deprived of the huge quantities of mud and silt previously deposited by the river. Also along the coast and extending offshore and inland are underground salt domes which, when they create rises along the marshy coast, are termed “islands.”

The three largest cities in the state are New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Shreveport. One of the principal cities of the South, New Orleans is the chief commercial and transportation center and port of Louisiana and one of the two leading industrial centers in the state.

Louisiana has a unique multicultural and multilingual heritage. Originally part of New France, Louisiana is home to many speakers of Cajun French and Louisiana Creole French. African American/Franco-African, and French/French Canadian form the two largest groups of ancestry in Louisiana's population.

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Official Website for the State of Louisiana

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