Geography of Alexandria-Louisiana
Alexandria, Louisiana, the seat of Rapides Parish. It is on the Red River about 170 miles (274 km) northwest of New Orleans. The dense pine forests of central Louisiana are important to Alexandria's economy. From them comes wood for lumber, pulp, furniture, and related products. The city is a processing and trading center, serving farmlands where cotton, rice, soybeans, and sugarcane are grown. Alexandria was first settled in 1785 and incorporated in 1819. During the Civil War, in 1864, it was burned by Union troops.
Population: 46,342.