Louisiana was one of the states of the United States of America, located in the mid-south adjacent to Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, and the Gulf of Mexico. It was the 18th state admitted to the Union in 1812. Its capital up to Doomsday was Baton Rouge. The state was reconstituted on March 15, 1987, with the new state capital in Lafayette. Despite its status as a state, Louisiana is in fact an independent country. The state is divided into three parishes - Lafayette, Monroe and Lake Arthur - and the state government is headquartered in Lafayette.