Where can I find a free list of current Standard Metropolitan Statistical
Areas showing their total population and geogrpahical area?

Here is a list of all metropolitan areas ranked by population from the
2000 Census:

"Census 2000 PHC- T- 3. Ranking Tables for Metropolitan Areas: 1990
and 2000
Table 3: Metropolitan Areas Ranked by Population: 2000" (Internet
release date: April 2, 2001)
U.S. Census Bureau
http://www.census.gov/population/cen2000/phc-t3/tab03.pdf

If you want the table in Excel or ASCII format, you can find it on
this page:

"Ranking Tables for Metropolitan Areas: Population in 2000 and
Population Change from 1990 to 2000 (PHC-T-3)"
U.S. Census Bureau
http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/phc-t3.html

Please note that the term SMSA (standard metropolitan statistical 
area) has been replaced by the term MSA (metropolitan statistical 
area), and has also been placed within the catch-all term MA
(metropolitan
area):

"Appendix II: Metropolitan Areas: Concepts, Components, and
Population"
U.S. Census Bureau
http://www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/01statab/app2.pdf

The geographical areas covered by each MA are contained in the
following list:

"Metropolitan Areas and Components, 1999, with FIPS Codes" (last
revised January 28, 2002)
U.S. Census Bureau
http://www.census.gov/population/estimates/metro-city/99mfips.txt

- justaskscott-ga


Search strategy used on http://www.census.gov/ - 

Searched for "SMSA".

Browsed for subject "Metropolitan Area".

Clicked on "United States Census 2000" on home page, and on "Rankings
and Comparisons" on United States Census 2000 page.

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Request for Answer Clarification by davidakruger-ga on 16 Oct 2002 12:58 PDT

The statistical date is great but I was also looking for geogrpahical
area in a map format.  Got Maps?

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Clarification of Answer by justaskscott-ga on 16 Oct 2002 15:13 PDT

I think this is what you're looking for:

"1999 Metropolitan Area Maps by State"
U.S. Census Bureau
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/mapGallery/stma99.pdf

[downloaded from - "1999 Metropolitan Areas Page Sized Maps"
U.S. Census Bureau
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/mapGallery/mapage.html ]