Greater New Orleans is a metropolitan area in south-east Louisiana, centered around the city of New Orleans, Louisiana.

East Bank

The bulk of the City of New Orleans proper, as well as many major suburbs, are an area known as the "East Bank", as it is on the side of the Mississippi River with the Eastern half of the United States. (Due to its twists, the river divides the metro area closer to north/south geographically than east/west.)

The largest suburb of New Orleans is adjacent Metairie, up river from the city.

Other East bank suburbs include Kenner (site of the area's main airport, Louis Armstrong International Airport), Jefferson, Harahan, and the other portions of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana on that side of the river.

Down river, Arabi, Chalmette, and Meraux are in the St. Bernard Parish, which is the southern portions of the metro area.

West Bank

Across the Mississippi, Algiers is legally part of the city of New Orleans, but has long maintained an element of separate identity.

The most important West Bank suburbs are in Jefferson Parish, including Gretna, Terrytown, Harvey, Marrero, Westwego, Bridge City, and Avondale.

In Plaquemines Parish is Belle Chasse, connected to Terrytown and Gretna by the major artery of the Belle Chase Highway.

North Shore

Other communities around Lake Pontchartrain have become homes for commuters who work in New Orleans since the construction of the Interstate Highways and the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway bisecting the center of the lake.

Such communities on the North Shore of the lake include Slidell, Covington, Mandeville all of which are located in rapidly-growing Saint Tammany Parish.

Other communities

The other communities are located in the parishes of Saint Charles, Saint James, and Saint John the Baptist. Some of these other communities considered to be within the Greater New Orleans include La Place, Reserve, Violet.

External links

• East Jefferson Online Community - Includes current events, history and organizational information.