New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area, (New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner) has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population of 1,360,436 as of 2000. The city/parish alone has a population of 343,829 as of 2010.The city is named after Philippe d' Orléans, Duke of Orléans, Regent of France, and is well known for its distinct French Creole architecture, as well as its cross cultural and multilingual heritage.Cultures well represented in New Orleans' history include African American, Creole, Cajun, French, German, Irish, Italian, Jewish, Latino, Spanish, and Vietnamese. New Orleans is also famous for its cuisine, music (particularly as the birthplace of jazz), and its annual celebrations and festivals, most notably Mardi Gras. The city is often referred to as the "most unique"The term "most unique" is grammatically incorrect, as the word "unique" is a superlative. See for example: Merriam-Webster Dictionary of American Usage, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, Inc., 1994. Fowler, Henry, A Dictionary of Modern English Usage, Oxford: Oxford University Press, USA, 2003. Nicholson, Margaret, A Dictionary of American English Usage, New York: Oxford University Press, 1957. city in America.

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