Little Rock, Arkansas

Little Rock is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Arkansas and the county seat of Pulaski County. The city's population was estimated at 184,422 in 2005. Little Rock, North Little Rock and Conway are co-principal cities of the Little Rock–North Little Rock–Conway Metropolitan Statistical Area, an area with a population of 666,401 people, according to 2007 census estimates. The MSA is in turn included in the Little Rock–North Little Rock–Pine Bluff Combined Statistical Area, which had a population of 841,325 in the 2007 census estimates. As of 2007 according to the US census, Little Rock now has a population of 187,452.

Located near the geographic center of Arkansas, Little Rock derives its name from a small rock formation on the south bank of the Arkansas River called la Petite Roche ("the little rock"). The "little rock" was used by early river traffic as a landmark and became a well-known river crossing.