Chapter 10

The Southern Coastlands: On The Subtropical Margin

The Southern Coastlands span from Texas (Rio Grande river) to North Carolina. The warm waters from the Gulf of Mexico gives the region a subtropical environment. Southern Louisiana's cities: Baton Rouge, Lake Charles, Houma and New Orleans are part of the subtropical coastlands. Mild winter temperatures, hot summers, abundant precipitation and a long growing season (average 10 months) are an integral part of agriculture.

Louisiana and the other southern coastlands have been the most vulnerable places that have experienced hurricanes. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 was the second deadliest hurricane to hit Louisiana. 2,000 people died in the 1893 Number 10 hurricane. There were 1,577 deaths and $81 billion in damages from Hurricane Katrina. 

In 2010, Louisiana was the third largest exporter of rice ($333M). Sugarcane, soybeans and corn are other top crops. Louisiana is also a leading petroleum production state. It is the third petroleum producer and the second natural gas producer in the United States.

Sources:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vSdXlK7AH8Y/Ts_7bJ5ju6I/AAAAAAAAAEs/PSDFPAdy8NE/s1600/Southern+Coastlands+map.jpg

Regional Landscapes of the United States and Canada. Birdsall, Stephen; Palka, Eugene; Malinowski, Jon; Price, Margo.

http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/research/lahur.pdf

http://www.planetdiary.com/jpeg05/katrina3.jpg