Geography of Louisiana

Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States. It has a total tidal shoreline of 7,721 miles.
General Features

Louisiana is a state situated in the western south-central United States. It is bordered on the north by Arkansas, on the east by Mississippi, on the south by the Gulf of Mexico, and on the west by Texas. The geographic center of the states is in Avoyelles Parish.

The landscape of Louisiana is divided into three geographic land areas:

East Gulf Coastal Plain: The region lying to the east of the Mississippi River is called the East Gulf Coastal Plain. The land is marshy and rises slightly in the north to rolling hills.

Mississippi Alluvial Plain: Stretching along the Mississippi River from Arkansas in the north to the Gulf of Mexico in the south, the Mississippi Alluvial Plain consists of ridges and hollows. The Mississippi Delta lying at the mouth of the Mississippi River consists of silt deposited by the river and is the most fertile area of Louisiana.

• West Gulf Coastal Plain: The region towards the west of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain is known as the West Gulf Coastal Plain. The area towards the south, along the gulf, is composed of barrier beaches. The northern section comprises marshlands, known as the Louisiana Prairies. Driskill Mountain, the highest point in the state, lies just forty miles from the Arkansas state line.

Area	51,843 square miles
Land Area	43,566 square miles
Water Area	8,277 square miles
Mean Elevation	30 meters
Highest Point	Driskill Mountain (163 meters)
Lowest Point	New Orleans (-2.1336 meters)
Geographic Center	Avoyelles Parish

Climate

Louisiana is characterized by a humid subtropical climate with long, hot, humid summers and short, mild winters. The highest temperature recorded in Louisiana is 46 °C; it was registered in Plain Dealing on August 10, 1936. The lowest temperature in the state -27°C, recorded on February 13, 1899 at Minden. There is occasional snowfall in the northern region of the state.

During summers, tropical storms, tornadoes, and hurricanes are frequent, especially along the coast. Tropical Storm Allison, the Audrey Hurricane, Hurricane Betsy, and Hurricane Andrew are some of the most devastating hurricanes that battered the state.

Mountains

Louisiana has many high mountain peaks and summits. Driskill Mountain is the highest mountain peak in the state followed by Gentry Hill, and Jordan Mountain.

The other major mountain ranges in Louisiana include:

Mossy Hill Bedstead Hill Merritt Mountain Buckenham Hill Chalk Hills McAlpine Hill Bogue Chitto Mountain GiLI>Sampusand Hill Dough Hills

Riveddens Hill

There are a number of rivers and other smaller streams in Louisiana.

The major rivers in the state are:

• Atchafalaya River
• Mississippi River
• Ouachita River
• Red River
• Sabine River
• Comite River
• Pearl River
• Tickfaw River
• Tangipahoa River

Lakes

Constituting a natural system of navigable waterways in the state are the numerous lakes and reservoirs.

The major lakes are:

• Lake Pontchartrain
• Lake Maurepas
• Toledo Bend Reservoir
• Grand Lake
• White Lake
• Calcasieu Lake
• Catahoula Lake