Basic Facts about The City of New Orleans

New Orleans is the the largest city in Louisiana and the oldest city in southern United States. It is a leading business, cultural and industrial center and one of the largest ports in the the US. It is also a major vacation destination with Mardi Gras and the Jazz Festival being the largest tourist times.

  New Orleans is located in the southeastern corner of Louisiana which is approximately 90 miles upriver from the mouth of the Mississippi River.  The metropolitan area encompasses 4,190 square miles or 10,850 square kilometers and includes the parishes ( in other parts of the U.S. this would be known as "counties") of Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Tammany and St. John. The largest suburbs, are Metairie, and Kenner, which lies just west of the city and has a combined population of  over 240,000. The fastest growing area in the state of Louisiana is St. Tammany Parish which lies north of Lake Pontchartrain.

New Orleans Weather

Weather-Tropical-hot and humid. Clear skies 30% of the time, partly cloudy 33%, cloudy skies 37%. Annual rainfall: 57 in/145 cm. Daily afternoon thunderstorms mid June through September; 2-3 days of steady rain most likely December-March. Annual snowfall: 0.2 in/0.5 cm. Average temperatures: Jan 47-62 Fahrenheit/8-17 Celsius; Feb 50-65 F/10-18 C; Mar 55-71 F/13-22 C; Apr 61-77 F/16-25 C; May 68-83 F/20-28 C; Jun 74-88 F/23-31 C; Jul 76-90 F/24-32 C; Aug 76-90 F/24-32 C; Sep 73-86 F/23-30 C; Oct 64-79 F/18-26 C; Nov 55-70 F/13-21 C; Dec 48-64 F/9-18 C.

City Holidays-2003 1 Jan, New Year’s; 17 Jan, Martin Luther King Day; 21 Feb, Presidents’ Day; 12 Feb, Mardi Gras; 21 Apr, Good Friday; 29 May, Memorial Day; 4 Jul, Independence Day; 4 Sep, Labor Day; 11 Nov, Veterans Day; 23 Nov, Thanksgiving; 25 Dec, Christmas.

Sales or Use Tax-Sales tax for Louisiana is 4%; for Orleans Parish add 5%. (Visitors from foreign countries are eligible for tax-free shopping at participating retail outlets.) Hotel occupancy tax is 11%.

Crime-Every city is a potentially dangerous city. New Orleans is a good example of a town that if you're not careful you could find yourself in a dangerous block. But these neighborhoods are found everywhere and often adjacent to each other. If you stay on busy thoroughfares and streets, particularly when outside the main tourist areas, you can significantly reduce the chance of you becoming a crime victim. Even the French Quarter can be dangerous at night, so stay with the crowds. If you want to see a particular piece of the town, book a tour. It's the only way to see what you want and be reasonably safe. 

Emergency Number-911.

Area code: 504.

Time/Temperature-For the time and weather, call 504-828-4000. Time Zone-Central Standard Time. Six hours behind Greenwich Mean Time. Daylight Saving Time is observed from the first Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October.

Business Attire and Practices-New Orleans can be very hot and muggy during the spring and summer seasons (which start around March and continue through September), so the underlying principle for dress is “keep cool.” In most corporate settings, businessmen can wear a very lightweight sports coat, tie and light cotton slacks. You can remove it with permission only, so please ask! It's considered rude here to do so with your hosts permission. Businesswomen, too, dress for the heat, so in most cases the dark power suit can be left at home. Bear in mind, also, that even formal business lunches may be held in extremely informal settings.