Blank Louisiana map

What the outline shows

The outline shows the state boundary: the Sabine River and a straight meridian on the west against Texas, the 33rd parallel on the north against Arkansas, the Mississippi and Pearl rivers on the east against Mississippi, and a long, broken Gulf coast on the south with the Mississippi delta reaching out into the water. The coastal edge is intricate, with bays, barrier islands and marsh; it is drawn as the Census Bureau maps it. No parish lines, rivers or cities appear inside. Press Capital to mark Baton Rouge on the Mississippi, not New Orleans, which is about 80 miles downstream. Note that the state uses "parishes" for what other states call counties.

Portrait or landscape

Louisiana is about 280 miles east to west along the Gulf and about 240 miles north to south at the western edge, but the eastern part above Lake Pontchartrain is short, so the overall shape reads as wide. Print in landscape. That keeps the delta, the Florida Parishes east of the Mississippi and the toe of the boot at Cameron all at a size that can be labeled. In portrait the delta detail at the bottom right becomes cramped.

Five classroom exercises

1. Trace the Mississippi River entering at the northeast corner, forming the border with Mississippi, then crossing the state past Baton Rouge and New Orleans to the delta.
2. Draw the Red River from the Texas line at Shreveport southeast to join the Atchafalaya and Mississippi system near the centre of the state.
3. Mark the Sabine River as the southern half of the Texas border, and the straight line north of it to Arkansas.
4. Draw Lake Pontchartrain north of New Orleans and shade the Florida Parishes between it, the Pearl River and the Mississippi state line.
5. Place Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Shreveport, Lafayette and Lake Charles, and mark the Atchafalaya Basin between Baton Rouge and Lafayette.

How to recognise the Louisiana outline

• A boot or L shape, with the toe pointing west along the Gulf and the top rising to Arkansas.
• A ragged, feathered south coast with the Mississippi delta sticking out in the bottom right.
• A straight top edge and a mostly straight left edge that turns wavy where the Sabine takes over.
• A large lake, Pontchartrain, notched into the coastline near the east.

Answer key and related maps

• Louisiana map — the labeled version with capital, cities and borders; use it as the answer key.
• Printable Louisiana map — the same outline with cities, county lines and the capital printed on.
• Louisiana county map — all 64 parishes with their seats.
• Baton Rouge — the capital, upriver from New Orleans.
• Neighbours: Arkansas, Mississippi, Texas blank maps.
• Mississippi River, Gulf of Mexico and Gulf Coast region.
• All blank state maps and the printable US maps index.