Map of Ouachita County, Arkansas

Ouachita County (/ˈwɑːʃɪtɑː/ WAH-shi-tah) is a county located in the south central part of the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 22,650.

The county seat is Camden. Ouachita County is part of the Camden, AR Micropolitan Statistical Area. Formed on November 29, 1842, the county is named for the Ouachita River.

Ouachita County overview:
Name:	Ouachita County
FIPS code:	05-103
State:	Arkansas
Founded:	November 29, 1842
Seat:	Camden
Largest city:	Camden
Total Area:	740 sq mi (1,900 km²)
Land Area:	733 sq mi (1,900 km²)
Total Population:	22,650
Population Density:	31/sq mi (12/km²)
Time zone:	UTC−6 (Central)
Summer Time Zone (DST):	UTC−5 (CDT)

Ouachita County location map. Where is Ouachita County?

Ouachita County location on the U.S. Map. Where is Ouachita County. — Location of Ouachita County in the the United States.

Ouachita County location on the Arkansas map. Where is Ouachita County. — Location of Ouachita County in Arkansas.

History

Until the late 20th century, the county was a Democratic Party stronghold, aided by the state’s having disenfranchised most African Americans at the turn of the century. As in much of the rest of the South, conservative whites, who constitute the majority of the population in the county, have shifted into the Republican Party. In 1972, U.S. President Richard M. Nixon became the first Republican presidential nominee in the 20th century to win a majority in Ouachita County. Much later, in the 2008 presidential election, U.S. Senator John McCain won the county by nearly ten percentage votes over Senator Barack Obama, following President George W. Bush’s victory over Senator John F. Kerry in 2004.

The politically influential Pryor family is based here; they include two U.S. senators, David Pryor (serving 1978–1997) and his son Mark Pryor (elected 2002). The elder Pryor also served as a former governor of Arkansas and US Congressman. The county is served by a daily newspaper, The Camden News.

Ouachita County Road Map

Ouachita CountyStreet Map. — Street map of Ouachita County, Arkansas. Source: OpenStreetMap (OSM)

Ouachita CountyMap — Ouachita Countypolitical map.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 740 square miles (1,900 km), of which 733 square miles (1,900 km) is land and 7.0 square miles (18 km) (0.9%) is water.