
Louisiana’s mineral resources are important to its economy. They are nonrenewable; that is, these resources are not replaced by nature once they are extracted (taken) from the environment. Oil, natural gas, salt, sulphur, and lignite are mineral resources found in Louisiana.
What are Louisiana’s major natural resources?
Oil and natural gas are among Louisiana’s top commercial resources, but for travelers, the Bayou State’s natural attractions are pure gold. In Louisiana you can visit with llamas and camels in a wildlife sanctuary, jog along the Mississippi River in a city park, stroll through a forest of ancient oak trees or cast you line for a trophy bass.
What are the biggest economic activities in Louisiana?
Activities such as boating, watersports, hiking, bird watching, camping and nature photography are very popular in Louisiana. In many rural communities, wetland-related eco-tourism, including swamp tours, is an extremely important economic activity with great potential for growth.
What was the Louisiana agriculture and natural resources 2018 publication number?
Articles 2018 Louisiana Summary: Agriculture and Natural Resources 2018 Louisiana Summary: Agriculture and Natural Resources Kurt Guidry, Gould, Frances I. LSU AgCenter Download pub2382 Ag Summary 2018_FULLpdf / 11.92MB Publication ID: 2382 Agriculture: Backbone of Louisiana’s Economy
How big is the fishing industry in Louisiana?
The fishing industry is very important to the state’s economy. With greater than 1.1 billion pounds of fish and shellfish harvested annually, domestic and commercial landing statistics indicate that Louisiana provides more fishery landings than any other state in the conterminous United States (USDOC 1996) (figure 3).

What is the most important natural resource of Louisiana?
Petroleum, coal, and chemical products are the leading manufactures, and Louisiana ranks among the top states in the production of both petroleum and natural gas.
Which is the most valuable resource produced in Louisiana?
Tree farming, catalyzed by conservation efforts, is now the most valuable agricultural activity. Louisiana is among the top timber producers in the country. The vast majority of the state's trees are softwoods (pines), harvested primarily for making wood pulp and plywood.
What is the most abundant resource in Louisiana?
WaterWater, both above and below ground, is Louisiana's most abundant resource. Approximately 11% of the total surface area of the state is composed of water bodies.
Is Louisiana rich in natural resources?
Louisiana has an abundance of natural resources, including 40% of the coastal wetlands of the lower 48 states.
What are natural resources in Louisiana?
Louisiana's top natural resources include fertile soil, natural gas, and oil. Louisiana is also the biggest U.S. producer of salt.
What is mined in Louisiana?
Louisiana is the leading producer of salt (from stocks ascending into the shallow subsurface), and produces common clay, construction and industrial sand and gravel, crushed stone (mostly sandstone), gypsum, lime, and natural gemstones.
What is Louisiana's biggest cash crop?
At the national level, the value of production for field crops was up 21 percent, at $159 billion, from 2019. Corn, at $61.0 billion, was the leading field crop followed by soybeans at $46.1 billion and all hay at $17.3 billion.
What is Louisiana best known for?
What is Louisiana Known For? Louisiana is famous for its Cajun and Creole cuisine, Mardi Gras celebrations, diverse cultural heritage, bayous, jazz music, and as the birthplace of American blues. The state also has strong French colonial influences.
Is there oil in Louisiana?
Louisiana accounts for about 9% of U.S. total marketed natural gas production and holds about 8% of the nation's natural gas reserves. Louisiana's 14 oil refineries account for nearly one-fifth of the nation's refining capacity and can process about 3.2 million barrels of crude oil per day.
Is Louisiana rich or poor?
Lousiana is the second-poorest state in the country, with 17.4% of its population at or below the poverty line. Louisiana also has the second-highest rate of childhood poverty, with 26.8% of its children living at or below the poverty line. Louisiana's median household income is $50,935, the third-lowest in the nation.
Is Louisiana one of the richest states?
Economic Outlook Rank Louisiana is currently ranked 20th in the United States for its economic outlook.
Is there coal in Louisiana?
Louisiana's coal and lignite-fired electric generating plants provide slightly more than 20% of the state's total utility summer generating capability. Coal's share is about 16.2% and lignite 3.9%. Six coal-fired electric generating units are presently operating.
What does Louisiana produce the most of?
The most valuable crop is soybeans, followed by cotton and sugarcane. Louisiana is among the top ten states in production of sugar cane, sweet potatoes, rice, cotton, and pecans. As for “specialty” commodities, the state ranks number one in the nation for production of crawfish, shrimp, alligators, and oysters.
What is the number one commodity in Louisiana?
At the national level, the value of production for field crops was down 5 percent, at $135 billion, from 2018. Corn, at $52.9 billion, was the leading field crop followed by soybeans at $31.2 billion and all hay at $18.2 billion.
What is Louisiana best known for?
What is Louisiana Known For? Louisiana is famous for its Cajun and Creole cuisine, Mardi Gras celebrations, diverse cultural heritage, bayous, jazz music, and as the birthplace of American blues. The state also has strong French colonial influences.
What is Louisiana's biggest industry?
In Louisiana, petroleum and coal products manufacturing is the largest industry, accounting for 8.1% of the state's total GDP of $256.9 billion. The industry's annual economic output totals $20.8 billion, a 5.0% increase over the last five years.
What is Louisiana's way of life?
Many Louisiana communities depend on agriculture, forestry, fisheries and wildlife for local jobs and their economic well-being. However, for those who work in it day in and day out, agriculture, forestry and fisheries are far more than a business, a major job contributor and an economic engine. It truly is a way of life. Families have lived on many of these farms, forest lands or fishing villages for generations following a preferred way of life even though it means hard work, many hours, high risk and sometimes low incomes.
Why is LSU AgCenter important?
These conditions make the discovery and adoption of new agricultural technology developed by the LSU AgCenter more important than ever to our state's producers. Agriculture is a highly sophisticated segment of the national and world economy, becoming increasingly so every year. That is the reason we at the LSU AgCenter continue to support agriculture and consumers with factual information provided by a well-trained faculty of extension agents, specialists and research scientists.
What crop is in decline in 2019?
The 2019 growing and harvest season was a struggle for most producers. Wet conditions in the spring and during planting along with high river levels caused difficulty for many commodities and either forced acreage to be shifted to other commodities or totally left unplanted. The difficult start to the growing season along with intermittent wet weather throughout the production and harvest seasons resulted in most of the state's major row crop commodities experiencing lower yields in 2019 as compared to the previous year. Per acre yields were down for corn, grain sorghum, rice, soybeans and sugarcane. In addition to lower yields, soybean acres were markedly lower in 2019, falling below 1 million acres for the first time in many years. Wet conditions and flooding at planting and early in the production year forced many acres to be lost or simply left unplanted. For sugarcane, adverse weather conditions in 2019 only helped to further the damage that was caused to the stubble crop from the extremely wet harvest in 2018. While cotton yields were up in 2019, they were only up marginally as wet, and unfavorable conditions in 2019 likely limited the potential of that crop as well.
Is LSU an agricultural center?
Those of us in the LSU AgCenter, with its major branches the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service and the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, are proud to be part of Louisiana's agricultural industry. We are committed to serving that industry and the citizens across the state of Louisiana in the years ahead.