Biloxi ( ) is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2000 census recorded the population as 50,644. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County.

The city is part of the Gulfport-Biloxi metropolitan area and the Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. Pre-Katrina, Biloxi was the third largest city in Mississippi; but with its population losses following that storm, Hattiesburg now has that distinction.

The beachfront of Biloxi lies directly on the Mississippi Sound, with barrier islands scattered off the coast and into the Gulf of Mexico.

Keesler Air Force Base lies within the city and is home to the 81st Training Wing and the 403rd Reserve Wing of the U.S. Air Force.

Geography

Biloxi is located at (30.412029, -88.927829)GR: 1 and has an elevation of GR: 3.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 46.5 mi²(120.5 km² ). 38.0 mi² (98.5 km²) of it is land and 8.5 mi² (22.0 km²) of it is water. The total area is 18.27% water.

Colonial era

The history of Biloxi, Mississippi, spans more than 300 years.

The first permanent settlement in French Louisiana was founded at Fort Maurepas, now in Ocean Springs, Mississippi and referred to as Old Biloxi, in 1699 under the direction of Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville, with Louisiana separated from Spanish Florida at the Perdido River near Pensacola (founded 1559 & again 1698).

The name of Biloxi in French was "Bilocci" (with "fort Maurepas"), and the name was sometimes translated into English as "Fort Bilocci" on maps updated circa year 1710/1725.

In 1720, the administrative capital of French Louisiana was moved to Biloxi (or Bilocci) from Mobile (or Mobille). French Louisiana (part of New France) was known in French as La Louisiane in colonial times, but in modern times is called "La Louisiane française" to distinguish from the modern state of Louisiana (also "Louisiane" in French).

Due to fears of tides and hurricanes in the 1700s, the capital of French Louisiana was later moved by colonial governor Bienville, in 1723, from Biloxi to a new inland harbor town named La Nouvelle-Orléans (New Orleans), built for the purpose in 1718-1720.

In 1763, France had to cede French Louisiana east of the Mississippi River, except for New Orleans, to Great Britain. At that same time, the king Louis XV of France sold Louisiana west of the Mississippi, including New Orleans, to Spain.

Subsequent history

British rule persisted from 1763 to 1779, and then Spanish rule from 1779 to 1798. Despite this, the character of Biloxi remained mostly French."Biloxi: A Historic & Cultural Overview". City of Biloxi historical pamphlet, 2003. In 1811, Biloxi came under United States of America control as part of the Mississippi Territory. Mississippi, and Biloxi with it, were then admitted to the union in 1817.