History of Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the most populous city of the Arkansas|State of Arkansas. It is also the county seat of Pulaski County, Arkansas|Pulaski County and had a city population of 184,564 in the 2005 census estimates.{{cite web | year = June 21 2006 | url = http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/tables/SUB-EST2005-04-05.csv | title = Annual Estimates of the Population for All Incorporated Places in Arkansas | format = Comma-separated values|CSV | work = 2005 Population Estimates | publisher = U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division | accessdate = November 16 | accessyear = 2006}} It and North Little Rock, Arkansas are co-principal cities of the six-county Little Rock-North Little Rock, Arkansas Metropolitan Statistical Area, an area with a population of 652,834 people, according to 2006 census estimates. The MSA is in turn included in the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Pine Bluff, Arkansas Combined Statistical Area, which had a population of 829,032 in the 2006 census estimates.
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.
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