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New Orleans has long seduced with its Caribbean colour, sultry Southern heat, sweet-tasting cocktails and voodoo potions. The unofficial state motto, laissez les bons temps rouler (let the good times roll), pretty much says it all. Then in August 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck, toppling levees, flooding much of the city and drastically changing everything.
Called by some 'The City That Care Forgot,' New Orleans has a well-earned reputation for excess and debauchery. It's a cultural gumbo of African, Indian, Cajun and Creole influences. Katrina caused a mass exodus and roughly 40% of New Orleans' residents have reportedly returned, but only time will tell how the city will ultimately repopulate.
Travel Warning: Recovering From Katrina
New Orleans continues to clean up and rebuild after hurricane Katrina. The city is safe and slowly recovering; the main tourist areas were largely spared, but other parts of the city still bear scars: abandoned neighbourhoods and heaps of debris. Check the City of New Orleans website for details of the recovery.
severity: Mid-level alert
Fast Facts
Population
1,200,000
Currency
Name: US Dollar
Code: USD
Symbol: US$
Electrical Plugs
110V 60Hz
Languages Spoken
Essential: English
Time Zones
GMT/UTC -6 (Central Time)
Country Dialing Code
+1
Weights & Measures
Imperial
New Orleans - Pick & Mix Chapters
Download the free Getting Started chapter or buy individual chapters from our New Orleans guide, in our online Shop.
› Go to the New Orleans download page.
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