The purpose of this volume is to introduce students to the physical and cultural landscapes of Louisiana. Its focus is on human interactions with the physical environment that people occupy. Louisiana Geography opens with a chapter that introduces the discipline of geography, the importance of the Mississippi River in the development of Louisiana's physical and cultural landscapes, and various geographical foundations such as location, boundaries and parishes. Chapters 2 through 6 considers the natural environment of the state, identifying the processes that have created the landforms, soils, vegetation and climate and their interrelationships. Chapters 7 and 8 turn to the human element - Native American and European settlement patterns and the wide variety of cultural landscapes they created. Chapters 9 and 10 look specifically at the relationship between natural resources and human activities in the state, dealing with the economic geography and the petroleum industry. The final chapter, 11, focuses on population patterns - the trends and issues that confront rural and urban Louisiana. This second edition of Louisiana Geography contains numerous visual features throughout the text that are designed to assist and stimulate students, including numerous maps, diagrams, photographs, and tables.