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  3. Louisiana

LOUISIANA

Baton Rouge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277

New Orleans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289

Louisiana

The State in Brief

Nickname: Pelican State

Motto: Union, justice, and confidence

Flower: Magnolia

Bird: Eastern brown pelican

Area: 51,839.7 square miles (2000; U.S. rank: 31st)

Elevation: Ranges from eight feet below sea level to 535 feet above sea level

Climate: Subtropical and humid, with long, hot summers and short, mild winters

Admitted to Union: April 30, 1812

Capital: Baton Rouge

Head Official: Governor Kathleen Blanco (D) (until 2008)

Population

1980: 4,206,000

1990: 4,220,164

2000: 4,468,976

2004 estimate: 4,515,770

Percent change, 1990–2000: 5.9%

U.S. rank in 2004: 24th

Percent of residents born in state: 79.4% (2000)

Density: 102.6 people per square mile (2000)

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 228,528

Racial and Ethnic Characteristics (2000)

White: 2,856,161

Black or African American: 1,451,944

American Indian and Alaska Native: 25,477

Asian: 54,758

Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 1,240

Hispanic or Latino (may be of any race): 107,738

Other: 31,131

Age Characteristics (2000)

Population under 5 years old: 317,392

Population 5 to 19 years old: 1,050,637

Percent of population 65 years and over: 11.6%

Median age: 34 years (2000)

Vital statistics

Total number of births (2003): 65,020

Total number of deaths (2003): 42,676 (infant deaths,596)

AIDS cases reported through 2003: 7,592

Economy

Major industries: Chemicals, construction, mining, transportation equipment, trade, government, manufacturing

Unemployment rate: 5.5% (December 2004)

Per capita income: $26,048 (2003; U.S. rank: 44th)

Median household income: $34,307 (3-year average,2001-2003)

Percentage of persons below poverty level: 16.9% (3-year average, 2001-2003)

Income tax rate: Ranges from 2.0% to 6.0%

Sales tax rate: 4.0% (food sales exempt)