New Orleans is one of the most major U.S. ports and the largest city in the state of Louisiana. New Orleans is the heart of the New Orleans Metropolitan Area, the largest metro area in the state.
New Orleans is located in southeastern Louisiana, on both sides of the Mississippi River. The boundaries of the city and Orleans Parish are the same. It is encircled by the parishes of St. Tammany (north), St. Bernard (east), Plaquemines (south) and Jefferson (south and west). Lake Pontchartrain is included in the city limits and lies to the north, were Lake Borgne lies to the east.
The city is named after Philippe II, Duc d'Orléans, Regent of France.It is well known for its multicultural and multilingual heritage, cuisine, architecture, music (mainly as the birthplace of jazz), and its annual celebrations and festivals, particularly Mardi Gras. The city is often referred to as the "most unique" city in America.