New Orleans (French: La Nouvelle-Orléans) is a major United States port city and the largest city in Louisiana.
New Orleans is located in Southeastern Louisiana along the Mississippi River. The city is bordered by Lake Pontchartrain to the north and the Gulf of Mexico to the east and is coextensive with Orleans Parish. It is named after Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, Regent of France, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. New Orleans is known for its multicultural heritage as well as its music and cuisine and is considered the birthplace of jazz.
Its status as a world-famous tourist destination is due in part to its architecture, music, cuisine, its annual Mardi Gras, and other celebrations and festivals. The city is often referred to as "The most unique city in America."
The Greater New Orleans population was approximately 1.4 million people prior to the flooding caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 (the metro area has rebounded to 1.2 million since, according to the Census Bureau). The Greater New Orleans area is still Louisiana's largest urban center.[9] The population of the city itself was 484,674 according to the 2000 U.S. Census. A population analysis released in August 2007 estimated the population to be 273,000, 60% of the pre-Katrina population and an increase of about 50,000 since July 2006.[10] For more information, see the section on demographics below.
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