Haguenauis acommunein theBas-Rhindepartmentof France, of which it is asub-prefecture. It is second in size in the Bas-Rhinonly toStrasbourg, some 30km (19mi) to the south. To the north of the town, theForest of Haguenauis the largest undivided forest in France.
Haguenau was founded by German dukes and has swapped back and forth several times between Germany and France over the centuries, with its spelling altering between "Hagenau" and "Haguenau" by the turn. It was last German at the end ofWorld War I, then briefly part of the independentRepublic of Alsace-Lorrainebefore being annexed by France in 1919.
Haguenau is a rapidly growing town, its population having increased from 22,644 inhabitants in 1968 to 34,891 inhabitants in 2006.Haguenau'smetropolitan areahas grown from 43,904 inhabitants in 1968 to 64,562 inhabitants in 2006.