Chapter Four- Political Economy

New Orleans is home to one of the world's busiest ports. The region is also a major center of oil refining and petrochemical production. New Orleans is home to the regional headquarters of several major energy companies including Chevron, Royal Dutch Shell and ENI. The energy sector supports numerous engineering and design firms. The offshore and onshore petroleum and natural gas production sector provides numerous white collar jobs.

The Federal Government is a significant employer in the area. The New Orleans region is home to NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility, the National Finance Center, the U.S. Navy's Space and Naval Warefare (SPAWAR) Systems Command and the U.S. Fifth Court of Appeals.

Aerospace manufacturing is an important part of the economy. Martin Marietta manufactures aerospace components for NASA. New Orleans also includes a globally competitive manufacturing industry. Also, some of the top private employers are shipbuilding companies.

Other prominent elements of the economy are higher education, the large health care industry, the prominent tourism industry, and research and technology.

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