Louisiana is located in the southern region of the United States. It is also known as the “Bayou State” for its many bayous. Before its establishment as a state in April 30, 1812, the territory had been a Spanish and French colony. The culture is a rich and unusual mix, most notable of which are those of the Creoles and Cajuns. It is home to 4,492,076 (2009 est.).* The capital city is Baton Rouge while the largest city is New Orleans.
Music is an important part of culture in Louisiana. The Cajun fiddles, German accordions, and Afro-Caribbean drums all transformed the music scene. Four musical types are native to Louisiana: Creole, music, Cajun music, swamp blues and swamp pop. Over time New Orleans jazz, also known as Dixieland, New Orleans blues and gospel music developed from the local traditional music.
The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimated the gross state product of Louisiana to be at $222 billion as of 2008.** The chief agricultural outputs of Louisiana are cotton, soybeans, poultry and eggs, sugarcane, dairy products, rice, cattle and seafood. The industrial products are chemicals, petroleum, coal, processed foods, paper, and transportation equipment. The rich culture of Louisiana, particularly in the New Orleans area, draws people from all over the world, making tourism a significant player in the local economy.
As of August 2010, the estimated unemployment rate for the state of Louisiana was at 7.6%.***
| Unemployment Agency | Website | Phone Number | State |
| Workforce Commission | Louisiana Website | 225-342-3111 | Louisiana Unemployment Benefits |
Below is a list of the 50 largest employers in Louisiana:****
| Employer | City |
| OCHSNER CLINIC FOUNDATION | Jefferson |
| LOUISIANA STATE UNIV HEALTH | New Orleans |
| FIRST WEILLER CANCER CTR LSU | Shreveport |
| NORTHROP GRUMMAN SHIP SYSTEMS | Avondale |
| WILLIS KNIGHTON HEALTH SYSTEM | Shreveport |
| LSU HEALTH SCIENCES CTR | Shreveport |
| EAST JEFFERSON HOSPITAL | Metairie |
| LAFAYETTE GENERAL MEDICAL CTR | Lafayette |
| LSU MEDICAL CENTER | New Orleans |
| OUR LADY-LAKE REGIONAL MEDICAL | Baton Rouge |
| TULANE UNIVERSITY | New Orleans |
| WILLIS-KNIGHTON HEALTH SYSTEM | Shreveport |
| US POST OFFICE | New Orleans |
| WILLIS-KNIGHTON HEALTH SYSTEM | Shreveport |
| UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS | New Orleans |
| HORSESHOE HOTEL BOSSIER CITY | Bossier City |
| OUR LADY OF THE LAKE REHAB CTR | Baton Rouge |
| HARRAH’S NEW ORLEANS CASINO | New Orleans |
| NORTH OAKS HEALTH SYSTEM | Hammond |
| LAFAYETTE INFORMATION SVC DEPT | Lafayette |
| ALLIED HEALTH CARE INC | Pineville |
| AMERICAN NURSING SVC INC | Metairie |
| HOTEL AT L’AUBERGE DU LAC | Lake Charles |
| HOTEL AT HARRAH’S NEW ORLEANS | New Orleans |
| WEST TELEMARKETING | Baton Rouge |
| GM SHREVEPORT ASSEMBLY PLANT | Shreveport |
| HOTEL AT ISLE OF CAPRI | Westlake |
| NEW ORLEANS POLICE SUPT | New Orleans |
| BLUE CROSS & BLUE SHIELD | Baton Rouge |
| CHRISTUA SCHUMPERT HEALTH SYS | Shreveport |
| FLOWER DE GAS | Franklinton |
| HARRAH’S LAKE CHARLES | Lake Charles |
| LAKE CHARLES MEM HOSPITAL | Lake Charles |
| NASA MICHOUD | New Orleans |
| NORTH OAKS SENIOR CARE | Hammond |
| PARAGON CASINO | Marksville |
| PUBLIC HEALTH OFC | Baton Rouge |
| ST. TAMMANY PARISH SHERIFF | Covington |
| WEST JEFFERSON MEDICAL CTR | Marrero |
| CHRISTUS ST. FRANCES CABRINI | Alexandria |
| CHRISTUA SCHUMPERT HEALTH | Shreveport |
| CHRISTUS SCHUMPERT HIGHLAND | Shreveport |
| DIAMOND JACK’S CASINO | Bossier City |
| FOSTER POULTRY FARMS | Farmerville |
| JEFFERSON PARISH SHERIFF | Gretna |
| UNIVERSITY OF LA LAFAYETTE | Lafayette |
| ST. FRANCIS MEDICAL CTR | Monroe |
| DOW CHEMICAL CO | Hahnville |
| EXXON MOBIL CHEMICAL CO | Baton Rouge |
| LA STATE PENITENTIARY | Angola |
Sources:
* http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/22000.html
** http://www.bea.gov/regional/gsp/action.cfm
*** http://data.bls.gov:8080/PDQ/servlet/SurveyOutputServlet;jsessionid=6230298f30877b106f61
**** http://www.acinet.org/acinet/oview6.asp?soccode=&stfips=22&from=State&id=11&nodeid=12