Baton Rouge (French: Bâton-Rouge, pronounced /ˌbætən ˈruːʒ/ in English, and [bɑtɔ̃ ʀuʒ] (help·info) in French) is the capital city and the second largest city of Louisiana (it was the largest for a short period in 2006 after the evacuation of Hurricane Katrina decreased the population of New Orleans). It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish which contains 428,000 residents. The Greater Baton Rouge population is approximately 774,327.
Baton Rouge is located in the southeast portion of the state along the Mississippi River. It owes its location and its historical importance to its site upon Istrouma Bluff, the first bluff upriver from the Mississippi delta, which protects the city’s 227,017 residents from flooding and other natural disasters. In addition to the natural protection, the city sports a levee system stretching from the bluff southward to protect the riverfront and the southern agricultural areas.
Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, and port center of the American South. The Port of Baton Rouge is the ninth largest in the United States in terms of weight.[1]
The Baton Rouge region, like that of other capital cities in the United States, is called the "Capital Area."
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