New Orleans, one of North America's most distinctive and culturally diverse cities, located in southeastern Louisiana on the Mississippi River, about 180 km (about 110 mi) from the Gulf of Mexico. The city was founded in 1718 on the east bank of the Mississippi and south of Lake Pontchartrain. New Orleans, named for Philippe II, Duc d'Orléans, regent of France under Louis XV, has been a leading commercial center since its founding and has one of the most active ports in the United States. Since World War II (1939-1945), the city's rich cultural heritage has contributed to its emergence as a major international tourist center.

The French Quarter, also known as the Vieux Carré, is the site of the original settlement. Exotic houses and wrought-iron balconies reflecting French and Spanish architectural styles dominate this unique district's narrow streets. The French Quarter's central plaza is Jackson Square, which features a bronze statue of Andrew Jackson, who led the defense of New Orleans during the War of 1812 (1812-1815) and later became U.S. president. The square is surrounded by the Saint Louis Cathedral, built in 1794 and remodeled in 1851; the Cabildo and the Presbytère, former government buildings erected in the 18th century; and the Pontalba Buildings, large apartment buildings constructed in 1849. East of Jackson Square on Decatur Street is the French Market, home of numerous shops. On nearby Chartres Street stands the Ursuline Convent, which was founded by Ursuline nuns in 1734 and is thought to be the oldest building in the Mississippi Valley. On the eastern boundary of the French Quarter on Esplanade Avenue is the Old U.S. Mint, which was built in the 19th century and refurbished in 1981. A streetcar line parallels the Mississippi River and provides transportation from one end of the French Quarter to the other. Jazz is still a popular attraction on Basin and Bourbon streets, where this treasured American musical form first appeared and gained fame in the early 20th century.

Education began in New Orleans in 1727 when Ursuline nuns opened a convent school for girls. The parochial school system, which extends into the outlying metropolitan parishes, is now one of the largest in the United States. The city also has many institutions of higher learning including Tulane University, Loyola University, Xavier University of Louisiana, Dillard University, Southern University at New Orleans, the University of New Orleans, and Louisiana State University Medical Center. The Amistad Research Center at Tulane University is one of the finest facilities for the study of African American culture and history in the United States. New Orleans also has an extensive public library system.