| Louisiana
Industry |
| Industrial
Capacity |
Louisiana
has the greatest concentration of crude oil refineries, natural
gas processing plants and petrochemical production facilities
in the Western Hemisphere. |
| Petroleum
and Petroleum Refining |
Louisiana
is America's third largest producer of petroleum and the third
leading state in petroleum refining. |
| Offshore
Oil Production |
Louisiana
pioneered offshore oil and gas exploration and drilling. The
first well ever drilled out of sight of land was off the Louisiana
coast. Most of the techniques used in offshore oil exploration
around the world today were developed in Louisiana. |
| Natural
Gas |
Louisiana
is America's second largest producer of natural gas. It supplies
slightly more than one-quarter of the total U.S. production.
|
| Agriculture
|
Louisiana
is among the top ten states in the production of sugar cane
(2nd), sweet potatoes (2nd), rice (3rd), cotton (5th) and pecans
(5th). |
| Ports
|
Louisiana
has the nation's farthest inland port for sea-going ships (Baton
Rouge) and America's only port capable of handling superships
(the Superport). More than 25 percent of the nation's waterborne
exports are shipped through the state's five major ports. |
| Chemicals
|
Louisiana
produces 25 percent of the nation's petrochemicals. Total value
of Louisiana chemical shipments is more than $14 billion a year.
|
| Space
Program |
Louisiana
built the huge first-stage Saturn C-5 rocket used in the Apollo
program to land men on the moon and is the sole producer of
the giant external fuel tanks used in the Space Shuttle program.
|
| Commercial
Fishing |
Louisiana's
commercial fishing industry produces 25 percent of all the seafood
in America. It holds the record for the greatest catch ever,
1.9 billion pounds in one year. |
| Shrimp
|
More
shrimp are caught in Louisiana waters than in any other place
in America. |
| Oysters
|
Louisiana's
oyster production is the highest in the U.S. |
| Freshwater
Fishing |
Louisiana
has the biggest and most diversified freshwater fisheries production
in America. |
| Coastline
and Marshes |
Because
of its many bays and sounds, Louisiana has the longest coastline
(15,000 miles) of any state and 41 percent of the nation's wetlands.
|
| Furs
|
Louisiana
produces more furs (1.03 million pelts a year) than any other
state. The catch includes nutria, muskrat, mink, otter and beaver.
|
| Matches |
Louisiana
produces 60 million wooden matches a day, half of the nation's
entire production. |
| Hospitals
|
Louisiana
had the first charity hospital in America. Its present charity
hospital system is one of the most comprehensive in the U.S.
|
| Grain
Exports |
Louisiana
is the nation's largest handler of grain for export to world
markets. More than 40 percent of the U.S. grain exports move
through Louisiana ports. |
