Southwest Louisiana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Southwest Louisiana
Region
West Acadiana
Five-parish Southwest Louisiana region (Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, and Jefferson Davis) highlighted in red.
Country	United States
State	Louisiana
Largest city	Lake Charles
Population  (2020)
• Total	313,951

Southwest Louisiana (often called SWLA) is a special area in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It includes five different areas called parishes, which are like counties in other states. These parishes are Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, and Jefferson Davis.

In 2020, about 313,951 people lived in this five-parish region. The biggest city in Southwest Louisiana is Lake Charles, which is also the center of its main metropolitan area. This part of Louisiana is also very similar in geography and culture to Southeast Texas.

Some of these parishes, like Calcasieu, Cameron, and Jefferson Davis, are also part of a larger region called Acadiana. Acadiana is known for its French and Acadian culture. The state of Louisiana officially recognized Acadiana in 1971.

What is Southwest Louisiana?

Sometimes, the name "Southwest Louisiana" is used to describe a larger area. This bigger area includes places that are further east than the five parishes we just talked about.

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette

A good example of this is the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. This university is in Lafayette, which is about 40 miles east of the main Southwest Louisiana region. But for many years, until 1998, it was called the University of Southwestern Louisiana. Its sports teams were even known as "Southwestern."

Other Organizations

You might also find other groups that use "Southwest Louisiana" in their names, even if they are based in Lafayette. For example, the Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Festival and the Greater Southwest Louisiana Mardi Gras Association are both located in or near Lafayette. This shows how the name can sometimes refer to a wider cultural area.