Louisiana

:For other senses of this word, see Louisiana (disambiguation).

Geography

See: List of parishes of Louisiana

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Topography

The surface of the state may properly be divided into two parts, the uplands, and the alluvial and coast and swamp regions. The alluvial regions, including the low swamps and coast lands, cover an area of about 20,000 square miles; they lie principally along the Mississippi River, which traverses the state from north to south for a distance of about 600 miles and ultimately emptying into the Gulf of Mexico, the Red River, the Ouachita River and its branches, and other minor streams. The breadth of the alluvial region along the Mississippi is from 10 to 60 miles, and along the other streams it averages about 10 miles. The Mississippi flows upon a ridge formed by its own deposits, from which the lands incline toward the low swamps beyond at an average fall of six feet per mile. The lands along other streams present very similar features. These alluvial lands are never inundated save when breaks occur in the levees by which they are protected against the floods of the Mississippi and its tributaries. These floods, however, do not occur annually, and they may be said to be exceptional. With the maintenance of strong levees these alluvial lands would enjoy perpetual immunity from inundation. The uplands and contiguous hill lands have an area of more than 25,000 square miles, and they consist of prairie and woodlands. The elevations above sea-level range from 10 feet at the coast and swamp lands to 50 and 60 feet at the prairie and alluvial lands. In the uplands and hills the elevations rise to Mount Driskoll, the highest point in the state at only 535 feet above sea level, located in northwest Louisiana.

Related Topics:
Mississippi River - Gulf of Mexico - Red River - Ouachita River

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Besides the navigable rivers already named (some of which are called bayous), there are the Sabine, forming the western boundary, and the Pearl, the eastern boundary, the Calcasieu, the Mermentau, the Vermilion, the Teche, the Atchafalaya, the Boeuf, the Lafourche, the Courtableau, the D'Arbonne, the Macon, the Tensas, the Amite, the Tchefuncte, the Tickfaw, the Natalbany, and a number of other streams of lesser note, constituting a natural system of navigable waterways, aggregating over 4,000 miles in length, which is unequalled in the United States and probably in the world. The state also has 1,060 square miles of land-locked bays, 1,700 square miles of inland lakes, and a river surface of over 500 square miles.

Related Topics:
Sabine - Pearl - Calcasieu - Mermentau - Vermilion - Teche - Atchafalaya - Boeuf - Lafourche - Courtableau - D'Arbonne - Macon - Tensas - Amite - Tchefuncte - Tickfaw - Natalbany

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Geology

The underlying strata of the state are of Cretaceous age and are covered by alluvial deposits of Tertiary and post-Tertiary origin. A large part of Louisiana is the creation and product of the Mississippi River. It was originally covered by an arm of the sea, and has been built up by the silt carried down the valley by the great river.

Related Topics:
Strata - Cretaceous - Alluvial - Tertiary - Mississippi River - Silt

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Near the coast, there are many salt domes, where salt is mined and oil is often found.

Related Topics:
Salt dome - Salt

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Owing to the extensive flood control measures along the Mississippi river and to natural subsidence, Louisiana is now suffering the loss of coastal land area. State and Federal government efforts to halt or reverse this phenomenon are under way; others are being sought.

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Highways

: See: List of Louisiana numbered highways

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Interstate highways:

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• Interstate 10
• Interstate 12
• Interstate 20
• Interstate 49
• Interstate 55
• Interstate 59

There are proposed plans to extend Interstate 69 to the Texas/Mexico border, which will go through north-eastern Louisiana. Also, Interstate 49 is slated to be expanded north into Arkansas and east along Interstate 10 to New Orleans, replacing part of U.S. Highway 90.

Related Topics:
Interstate 69 - Texas - Mexico - Interstate 49 - Arkansas - Interstate 10 - New Orleans - U.S. Highway 90

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United States highways:

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North-south routesEast-west routes

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• U.S. Highway 11
• U.S. Highway 425
• U.S. Highway 51
• U.S. Highway 61
• U.S. Highway 65
• U.S. Highway 165
• U.S. Highway 167
• U.S. Highway 71
• U.S. Highway 171
• U.S. Highway 371
• U.S. Highway 79

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• U.S. Highway 80
• U.S. Highway 84
• U.S. Highway 90
• U.S. Highway 190

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