New Orleans, Louisiana

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

:For information on the events of Hurricane Katrina, see effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans.

Related Topics:
Hurricane Katrina - Effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

New Orleans, Louisiana

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

New Orleans (local pronunciations: {{IPA|/nuːˈɔɹliːnz/}}, {{IPA|/nuːˈɔɹliːənz/}}, or {{IPA|/nuːˈɔɹlənz/}}) (French: La Nouvelle-Orléans, pronounced in standard French accent) is a major port city and the largest city in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in southeastern Louisiana along the Mississippi River, just south of Lake Pontchartrain, and is coextensive with Orleans Parish. The city was devastated by Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent flooding in August 2005. As efforts continue to rescue survivors, drain floodwaters, clean up debris, and restore infrastructure, the city remains off limits to most of its residents.

Related Topics:
French - U.S. state - Louisiana - Mississippi River - Lake Pontchartrain - Hurricane Katrina - August 2005

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

New Orleans is a Southern city known for its multicultural heritage (especially French, Spanish and African American influences) and its music and cuisine. It is a world-famous tourist destination thanks to its many festivals and celebrations; the most notable annual events are Mardi Gras ("Fat Tuesday"), Jazz Fest, Southern Decadence, and college football's Sugar Bowl. The most recent U.S. census put New Orleans's population at 484,674 and the population of Greater New Orleans at 1,337,726.

Related Topics:
Southern - Multicultural - French - Spanish - African American - Music - Cuisine - Tourist - Festival - Mardi Gras - Jazz Fest - Southern Decadence - Sugar Bowl - U.S. census - Greater New Orleans

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

New Orleans was founded by the French in 1718 and has played an important role in the history of the United States. The place and surronding area was first discovered by Spanish conqueror Alonso Alvarez de Pineda in 1518. The city was named in honor of Philip II, Duke of Orléans, who was regent and ruler of France when the city was founded, in perfect parallelism with the naming of New York City in honor of James, Duke of York, heir to the throne of England.

Related Topics:
1718 - Alonso Alvarez de Pineda - 1518 - Philip II, Duke of Orléans - Regent - France - New York City - James, Duke of York - England

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It is a major port city due to its location near the Gulf of Mexico and along the Mississippi River, making it a hub for goods which travel to and from Latin America. The petroleum industry is also of great importance to the New Orleans economy; many oil rigs are located in the Gulf. The Port of South Louisiana (which includes the port of N.O.) is based in the New Orleans metropolitan area and is the fourth largest port in the world in terms of raw tonnage, and among the largest U.S. ports for several major commodities, including cement and coffee.

Related Topics:
Port - Gulf of Mexico - Latin America - Petroleum - Oil rigs - Port of South Louisiana

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The city's several nicknames describe various characteristics of the city, including the "Crescent City" (describing its shape around the Mississippi River), "The Big Easy" (a reference by musicians to the relative ease of finding work in the city), and "The City that Care Forgot" (associated with the easy going, carefree nature of many of the local residents). The city's unofficial motto, "Laissez les bons temps rouler" ("Let the good times roll") describes the party-like attitude of many residents.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The city's name is often abbreviated NOLA. Residents of the city are referred to as New Orleanians.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~