Which States Border Louisiana?
Louisiana became part of the union in 1812 as the 18th state. It is bordered to the north by Arkansas, Texas to the west, and Mississippi to the east while the Gulf of Mexico lies to the south. The state occupies a strategic location in the United States due to the Mississippi and Missouri river systems.
Louisiana and Arkansas
The boundary between the two states begins at the point where the 330 north latitude intersects the boundary between Texas and Louisiana and then extends on that latitude to the Mississippi River. The border follows the land surveys of the two states. There have never been disputes between the two states over the common boundary.
Mississippi
The boundary between Mississippi and Louisiana extends to the west channel of the Pearl River and the down the channel to the Gulf of Mexico. The boundary has witnessed serious disputes between the residents of the two states since the early 1900s. The dispute was centered on oyster fishing in Lake Borge. The matter was submitted to the Supreme Court for determination. In settling the dispute the US Supreme Court took into account the Peace Treaty of 1763 between France, England, and Spain where Spain acquired the Louisiana Territory from France, and England acquired the territories of Florida from Spain. The Treaty of 1800 was taken into account where Spain ceded the territory to France and the cessation of territory from France to the United States in April 1803. The matter was ruled in favor of Louisiana and it was declared that the Isle of Orleans was part of the state of Louisiana.
Texas
The border between the two states was previously set out in the treaty between Spain and the US in 1819 and then reaffirmed by a treaty between the US and the United Mexican States which had just gained Independence from Spain. Following the independence of Texas from Mexico, the border was confirmed in a convention held on April 25, 1838. The border subsequently led to numerous disputes between the two states. The US Supreme Court later settled the matter.
