DE-3008404, SW DW-312 Louisiana, USA

Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its capital is Baton Rouge and the largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana became a U.S. State on April 30, 1812 and it is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties.

Louisiana was named after Louis XIV, King of France from 1643 to 1715. When René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle claimed the territory drained by the Mississippi River for France, he named it La Louisiane, meaning "Land of Louis”. Once part of the French Colonial Empire, the Louisiana Territory stretched from present-day Mobile Bay to just north of the present-day Canadian border, and included a small part of what is now southwestern Canada.  When Napoleon decided to sell this territory, it was bought by the United States in 1803.
 

Louisiana has a dark history with regards to slavery in the early days of its existence.  Even after slavery was abolished, Louisiana still had issues with discrimination and violence against Blacks and other minority groups.  These days of course, human rights are protected by legislation.

Oak Valley Plantation located New Orleans / Baton Rouge



Louisiana is often affected by tropical cyclones and is very vulnerable to strikes by major hurricanes, particularly the lowlands around and in the New Orleans area. The unique geography of the region, with the many bayous, marshes and inlets, can result in water damage across a wide area from major hurricanes. The area is also prone to frequent thunderstorms, especially in the summer.  In 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck and devastated southeastern Louisiana, where it breached and undermined levees in New Orleans, causing 80% of the city to flood. Most people had been evacuated, but the majority of the population became homeless. The city was virtually closed until October. It is estimated that more than two million people in the Gulf region were displaced by the hurricane and that more than 1,500 fatalities resulted in Louisiana alone.

The first postcard of the map of Louisiana came from Germany (26 March 2014) Postcrossing.  The second postcard shows a beautiful plantation mansion and came from Bootsmom (9 October 2014) Swap-bot.