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<p><b>New Orleans</b> is a <a href="/pages/w/143274302351421">major United States</a> <a href="/pages/w/134363246598491">port</a> and the <a href="/pages/w/116149578400088">largest city</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Orleans_Metropolitan_Area" class="wikipedia">metropolitan area</a> in the state of <a href="/pages/w/112822538733611">Louisiana</a>.</p><p>The population of the city was 343,829 as of the <a href="/pages/w/104097652960274">2010 U.S. Census</a>. The <a href="/pages/w/104089466295263">New Orleans metropolitan area</a> (New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area) had a population of 1,167,764 in 2010 and was the 46th largest in the <a href="/pages/w/112463092102121">United States</a>. The <a href="/pages/w/135825303114637">New Orleans–Metairie–Bogalusa Combined Statistical Area</a>, a larger trading area, had a 2010 population of 1,452,502. Before <a href="/pages/w/109481212402991">Hurricane Katrina</a>, Orleans Parish was the most populous <a href="/pages/w/135388796494280">parish</a> in Louisiana. As of 2015, it ranks third in population, trailing neighboring <a href="/pages/w/115862388461013">Jefferson Parish</a>, and <a href="/pages/w/131871566848976">East Baton Rouge Parish</a>.</p><p>It is well known for its distinct <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_architecture%23America" class="wikipedia">French and Spanish Creole architecture</a>, as well as its cross-cultural and multilingual heritage. New Orleans is also famous for its cuisine, music (particularly as the birthplace of <a href="/pages/w/108166409205738">jazz</a>), and its annual celebrations and festivals, most notably <i><a href="/pages/w/1707728429534344">Mardi Gras</a></i>, dating to French colonial times. The city is often referred to as the "most unique" in the United States.</p>