A major port city on the banks of the Mississippi River, St Louis is an independent city and the second largest city in the state of Missouri. Known as the 'Gateway to the West', St Louis is situated on the western border of Missouri and has close ties with Illinois.
St Louis covers an area of 66 square miles and has an estimated population of 308,000, with over 2.8 million in the surrounding Greater St Louis metropolitan area, which is the biggest metro area in Missouri and the 19th biggest in the nation. The city was founded in 1764 and was named after King Louis IX of France.