147-546: Magnolia Springs State Park is a 1,070-acre (430 ha) Georgia state park located between Perkins and Millen in Jenkins County . The park was built as a project of the Civilian Conservation Corps and opened in 1939. The park is well known for its crystal clear springs that are estimated to flow 7 million US gallons (26,000 m) per day. The park also offers unique wildlife near
294-546: A primary language , while 7.82% (795,646) spoke Spanish, and 6.55% (666,849) spoke languages other than English or Spanish at home, with the most common of which were Vietnamese, Chinese, and Korean. In total, 14.38% (1,462,495) of Georgia's population age 5 and older spoke a mother language other than English. According to the Pew Research Center , the composition of religious affiliation in Georgia
441-413: A AAA rating. If Georgia were a stand-alone country, it would be the 28th-largest economy in the world, based on data from 2005. Atlanta Atlanta ( / æ t ˈ l æ n t ə / at- LAN -tə ) is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia . It is the seat of Fulton County , and a portion of the city extends into neighboring DeKalb County . With
588-616: A Jewish-American factory superintendent, was convicted of the murder of a 13-year-old girl in a highly publicized trial. He was sentenced to death but the governor commuted his sentence to life. An enraged and organized lynch mob took him from jail in 1915 and hanged him in Marietta . The Jewish community in Atlanta and across the country were horrified. On May 21, 1917, the Great Atlanta Fire destroyed 1,938 buildings in what
735-447: A blacksmith shop, a grocery store, and nothing else". A year later, the area around the milepost had developed into a settlement, first known as Terminus , and later Thrasherville , after a local merchant who built homes and a general store in the area. By 1842, the town had six buildings and 30 residents and was renamed Marthasville to honor Governor Wilson Lumpkin's daughter Martha. Later, John Edgar Thomson , Chief Engineer of
882-614: A city of the " New South " that would be based upon a modern economy and less reliant on agriculture. By 1885, the founding of the Georgia School of Technology (now the Georgia Institute of Technology ) and the Atlanta University Center , a consortium of historically Black colleges made up of units for men and women, had established Atlanta as a center for higher education. In 1895, Atlanta hosted
1029-531: A coastline on the Atlantic Ocean, Georgia is also vulnerable to hurricanes , although direct hurricane strikes were rare during the 20th century. Georgia often is affected by hurricanes that strike the Florida Panhandle , weaken over land, and bring strong tropical storm winds and heavy rain to the interior, a recent example being Hurricane Michael , as well as hurricanes that come close to
1176-492: A decreasing portion of the population, from a high of 67% in 1990 to 54% in 2010. From 2000 to 2010, Atlanta gained 22,763 white residents, 5,142 Asian residents, and 3,095 Hispanic residents, while the city's Black population decreased by 31,678. Much of the city's demographic change during the decade was driven by young, college-educated professionals: from 2000 to 2009, the three-mile radius surrounding Downtown Atlanta gained 9,722 residents aged 25 to 34 and holding at least
1323-587: A four-year degree, an increase of 61%. This was similar to the tendency in other cities for young, college educated, single or married couples to live in downtown areas. Between the mid-1990s and 2010, stimulated by funding from the HOPE VI program and under leadership of CEO Renee Lewis Glover (1994–2013), the Atlanta Housing Authority demolished nearly all of its public housing, a total of 17,000 units and about 10% of all housing units in
1470-649: A governor appointed by the king of Great Britain . The Province of Georgia was one of the Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution by signing the 1776 Declaration of Independence . The State of Georgia's first constitution was ratified in February 1777. Georgia was the 10th state to ratify the Articles of Confederation on July 24, 1778, and was
1617-690: A major role in Atlanta's economy, as the city claims the nation's third-largest concentration of Fortune 500 companies (tied for third with Chicago ). It also hosts the global headquarters of several corporations such as The Coca-Cola Company , The Home Depot , Delta Air Lines , Arby's , AT&T Mobility , Georgia-Pacific , Chick-fil-A , Church's Chicken , Dunkin Donuts , Norfolk Southern Railway , Mercedes-Benz USA , NAPA Auto Parts , Papa Johns , Porsche AG , Newell Brands , Rollins, Inc. , Marble Slab Creamery , and UPS . Over 75% of Fortune 1000 companies conduct business operations in
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#17327831764051764-780: A national leader in the civil rights movement . King joined with others to form the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in Atlanta in 1957 to provide political leadership for the Civil Rights Movement across the South. The civil rights riots of the 1956 Sugar Bowl would also take place in Atlanta after a clash between Georgia Tech 's president Blake R. Van Leer and Governor Marvin Griffin . On February 5, 1958, during
1911-529: A number of years at the park, serving as a partner in revealing and interpreting the history of Camp Lawton. In the summer of 2015, the park is opening a splash pad to ultimately take the place of the aging and underused swimming pool. The nearby Bo Ginn Aquarium and Fish Hatchery has been closed since 2010 after a short period of operation by the Jenkins County Development Authority, but it had also been closed twice before by
2058-581: A population of 510,823 living within the city limits, Atlanta is the eighth most populous city in the Southeast and 37th most populous city in the United States according to the 2020 U.S. census . It is the principal city of the much larger Atlanta metropolitan area , the core of which includes Cobb , Clayton and Gwinnett counties, in addition to Fulton and DeKalb. Metro Atlanta is home to more than 6.3 million people (2023 estimate), making it
2205-473: A postwar suburban layout. These include Collier Heights and Cascade Heights , historically home to much of the city's upper middle-class African-American population . Northwest Atlanta contains the areas of the city to west of Marietta Boulevard and to the north of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, including those neighborhoods remote to downtown, such as Riverside, Bolton and Whittier Mill. The latter
2352-531: A state-wide office. Julian Bond , a noted civil rights leader, was elected to the state House in 1965, and served multiple terms there and in the state senate. Atlanta Mayor Ivan Allen Jr. testified before Congress in support of the Civil Rights Act, and Governor Carl Sanders worked with the Kennedy administration to ensure the state's compliance. Ralph McGill , editor and syndicated columnist at
2499-696: A strategic hub for the distribution of military supplies. In 1864, the Union Army moved southward following the capture of Chattanooga and began its invasion of north Georgia . The region surrounding Atlanta was the location of several major army battles, culminating with the Battle of Atlanta and a four-month-long siege of the city by the Union Army under the command of General William Tecumseh Sherman . On September 1, 1864, Confederate General John Bell Hood decided to retreat from Atlanta, and he ordered
2646-531: A survey by the Williams Institute , Atlanta ranked third among major American cities, behind San Francisco and slightly behind Seattle , with 12.8% of the city's total population identifying as LGB. The Midtown and Cheshire Bridge areas have historically been the epicenters of LGBT culture in Atlanta. Atlanta formed a reputation for being a place inclusive to LGBT people after former mayor Ivan Allen Jr. dubbed it "the city too busy to hate" in
2793-470: A telegram to the state's Board of Regents requesting Georgia Tech not to engage in racially integrated events, Georgia Tech's president Blake R. Van Leer rejected the request and threatened to resign. The game went on as planned. In the 1960s, Atlanta became a major organizing center of the civil rights movement , with Martin Luther King Jr. , Ralph Abernathy , and students from Atlanta's historically Black colleges and universities playing major roles in
2940-473: A terminus east of the Chattahoochee River , which would be linked to Savannah. After engineers surveyed various possible locations for the terminus, the "zero milepost" was driven into the ground in what is now Foundry Street, Five Points . When asked in 1837 about the future of the little village, Stephen Harriman Long , the railroad's chief engineer said the place would be good "for one tavern,
3087-690: A training mission flown by a B-47 , a Mark 15 nuclear bomb , also known as the Tybee Bomb , was lost off the coast of Tybee Island near Savannah. The bomb was thought by the Department of Energy to lie buried in silt at the bottom of Wassaw Sound . By the 1960s, the proportion of African Americans in Georgia had declined to 28% of the state's population, after waves of migration to the North and some immigration by whites. With their voting power diminished, it took some years for African Americans to win
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#17327831764053234-404: A transportation hub, in 1991 UPS established its headquarters in the suburb of Sandy Springs . In 1992, construction finished on Bank of America Plaza , the tallest building in the U.S. outside of New York or Chicago. On February 19th, 2003, Georgia adopted its current state flag , resembling the state's first official flag. In 2024, it was announced that Atlanta would host multiple games during
3381-506: A variety of pines, oaks, hollies, cypress , sweetgum , scaly-bark and white hickories , and sabal palmetto . East Georgia is in the subtropical coniferous forest biome and conifer species as other broadleaf evergreen flora make up the majority of the southern and coastal regions. Yellow jasmine and mountain laurel make up just a few of the flowering shrubs in the state. White-tailed deer are found in nearly all counties of Georgia. The northern mockingbird and brown thrasher are among
3528-495: Is 112 °F (44 °C) in Louisville on July 24, 1952, while the lowest is −17 °F (−27 °C) in northern Floyd County on January 27, 1940. Georgia is one of the leading states in frequency of tornadoes , though they are rarely stronger than EF1 . Although tornadoes striking the city are very rare, an EF2 tornado hit downtown Atlanta on March 14, 2008, causing moderate to severe damage to various buildings. With
3675-443: Is 21 miles (34 km) southeast of Marietta , 27 miles (43 km) southwest of Alpharetta , 146 miles (235 km) southwest of Greenville, South Carolina , 147 miles (237 km) east of Birmingham, Alabama , and 245 miles (394 km) southwest of Charlotte, North Carolina . Despite having lost significant tree canopy coverage between 1973 and 1999, Atlanta now has the densest urban tree coverage of any major city in
3822-609: Is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States . It borders Tennessee to the northwest, North Carolina to the north, South Carolina to the northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, Florida to the south, and Alabama to the west. Of the 50 United States , Georgia is the 24th-largest by area and eighth most populous . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , its 2023 estimated population
3969-555: Is a growing population of Mexican ancestry throughout the region, with notable concentrations along the Buford Highway and I-85 corridor, and now extending into Gwinnett County. In 2013, Metro Atlanta had the 19th largest Hispanic population in the United States. The Atlanta area also has a fast growing Asian American population. The largest groups of Asian origin are those of Indian, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Pakistani and Japanese descent. Pew Research Center ranks
4116-470: Is dominant. The eastside is marked by historic streetcar suburbs , built from the 1890s to the 1930s as havens for the upper middle class. These neighborhoods, many of which contain their own villages encircled by shaded, architecturally distinct residential streets, include the Victorian Inman Park , Bohemian East Atlanta , and eclectic Old Fourth Ward . On the westside and along
4263-570: Is felt chiefly in the mountainous areas of the northern part of the state, which are farther away from the ocean and can be 4,500 feet (1,400 m) above sea level. The USDA plant hardiness zones for Georgia range from zone 6b (no colder than −5 °F (−21 °C)) in the Blue Ridge Mountains to zone 8b (no colder than 15 °F (−9 °C) ) along the Atlantic coast and Florida border. The highest temperature ever recorded
4410-561: Is metro Atlanta's largest employer. UPS , the world's largest courier company, operates an air cargo hub at Hartsfield-Jackson, and has their headquarters in neighboring Sandy Springs . Media is also an important aspect of Atlanta's economy. In the 1980s, media mogul Ted Turner founded the Cable News Network (CNN), Turner Network Television (TNT), HLN (HLN), Turner Classic Movies (TCM), The Cartoon Network, Inc. and its namesake television network , TruTV (truTV) and
4557-417: Is now named Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). The busiest and most efficient airport in the world, it accommodates more than a hundred million passengers annually. Employing more than 60,000 people, the airport became a major engine for economic growth. With the advantages of cheap real estate, low taxes, right-to-work laws and a regulatory environment limiting government interference,
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4704-624: Is now the Old Fourth Ward , resulting in one fatality and the displacement of 10,000 people. On December 15, 1939, Atlanta hosted the premiere of Gone with the Wind , the epic film based on the best-selling novel by Atlanta's Margaret Mitchell . The gala event at Loew's Grand Theatre was attended by the film's legendary producer, David O. Selznick , and the film's stars Clark Gable , Vivien Leigh , and Olivia de Havilland , but Oscar winner Hattie McDaniel , an African-American actress,
4851-427: Is one of Atlanta's designated Landmark Historical Neighborhoods. Vine City, though technically Northwest, adjoins the city's Downtown area and has recently been the target of community outreach programs and economic development initiatives. Gentrification of the city's neighborhoods is one of the more controversial and transformative forces shaping contemporary Atlanta. The gentrification of Atlanta has its origins in
4998-676: Is water. The city is situated in the Deep South of the southeastern United States among the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains . At 1,050 feet (320 m) above mean sea level, Atlanta has the highest elevation among major cities east of the Mississippi River . Atlanta straddles the Eastern Continental Divide . Rainwater that falls on the south and east side of the divide flows into
5145-549: The Atlanta Constitution , earned admiration by writing in support of the Civil Rights Movement. In 1970, newly elected Governor Jimmy Carter declared in his inaugural address that the era of racial segregation had ended. In 1972, Georgians elected Andrew Young to Congress as the first African American Congressman since the Reconstruction era . In 1980, construction was completed on an expansion of what
5292-421: The 1980 census , 1,584,303 people from Georgia claimed English ancestry out of a total state population of 3,994,817, making them 40% of the state, and the largest ethnic group at the time. Today, many of these same people claiming they are of "American" ancestry are actually of English descent, and some are of Scots-Irish descent; however, their families have lived in the state for so long, in many cases since
5439-503: The 1996 Summer Olympics . The Games impacted Atlanta's development growth into the 21st century, and significantly sparked investment in the city's universities, parks, and tourism industry. The gentrification of some of its neighborhoods has intensified in the 21st century with the growth of the Atlanta Beltline . This has altered its demographics , politics , aesthetics , and culture . For thousands of years prior to
5586-773: The 2020 United States census . This was an increase of 1,024,255, or 10.57% over the 2010 figure of 9,687,653 residents. As of 2010 , the number of illegal immigrants living in Georgia more than doubled to 480,000 from January 2000 to January 2009, according to a federal report. That gave Georgia the greatest percentage increase among the 10 states with the biggest undocumented immigrant populations during those years. Georgia has banned sanctuary cities . In 2018, The top countries of origin for Georgia's immigrants were Mexico , India , Jamaica , Korea , and Guatemala . There were 743,000 veterans in 2009. According to HUD 's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report , there were an estimated 10,689 homeless people in Georgia. In
5733-692: The 2026 FIFA World Cup , which further substantiated the economic investment and growth in the city and state. Beginning from the Atlantic Ocean, the state's eastern border with South Carolina runs up the Savannah River , northwest to its origin at the confluence of the Tugaloo and Seneca Rivers . It then continues up the Tugaloo (originally Tugalo) and into the Chattooga River , its most significant tributary . These bounds were decided in
5880-545: The American Civil War , were almost exclusively enslaved. The Great Migration of hundreds of thousands of blacks from the rural South to the industrial North from 1914 to 1970 reduced the African American population. Georgia had the second-fastest-growing Asian population growth in the U.S. from 1990 to 2000, more than doubling in size during the ten-year period. Indian people and Chinese people are
6027-990: The Apalachicola , the Chatot , the Yuchi , the Chiaha, the Chickasaw , the Okmulgee, the Shawnee and the Timucua . Today there are no federally recognized tribes in Georgia, but there are three state-recognized tribes. Many inhabitants of Georgia identify as being Native American alone (32,151 people in 2010 census and 50,618 in 2020) or Native American in combination with one or more other races (51,873 people in 2010 census and 163,423 in 2020). Many Georgians also reported belonging to various Native American tribes in 2010 census,
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6174-511: The BeltLine on the eastside , former warehouses and factories have been converted into housing, retail space, and art galleries, transforming the once-industrial areas such as West Midtown into model neighborhoods for smart growth , historic rehabilitation, and infill construction. In southwest Atlanta, neighborhoods closer to downtown originated as streetcar suburbs, including the historic West End , while those farther from downtown retain
6321-509: The Chattahoochee River near West Point . It continues downriver to the point where it joins the Flint River (the confluence of the two forming Florida's Apalachicola River ); the southern border goes almost due east and very slightly south, in a straight line to the St. Mary's River , which then forms the remainder of the boundary back to the ocean. The water boundaries are still set to be
6468-519: The Civil War , it was the last state to be readmitted to the Union on July 15, 1870. In the late 19th century, during the post- Reconstruction period, Georgia's economy underwent significant changes, driven by a coalition of influential politicians, business leaders, and journalists, notably Henry W. Grady , who promoted the " New South " ideology focused on reconciliation and industrialization . In
6615-513: The Civilian Conservation Corps between 1938 and 1942, were recovered from the spring run. The park has 26 tent/RV campsites, eight fully furnished cottages with central HVAC and satellite TV a, a 16-person Group Lodge with satellite TV and screened back porch, and a new History Center that currently displays some of the first artifacts excavated by the archaeology team from Georgia Southern University . Georgia Southern's Sociology/Anthropology Department has been conducting surveys and excavations for
6762-563: The Confederacy (with secessionists having a slight majority of delegates) and became a major theater of the Civil War . Major battles took place at Chickamauga , Kennesaw Mountain , and Atlanta . In December 1864, a large swath of the state from Atlanta to Savannah was destroyed during General William Tecumseh Sherman 's March to the Sea . 18,253 Georgian soldiers died in service, roughly one of every five who served. In 1870, following
6909-530: The Cotton States and International Exposition , which attracted nearly 800,000 attendees and successfully promoted the New South's development to the world. During the first decades of the 20th century, Atlanta enjoyed a period of unprecedented growth. In three decades' time, Atlanta's population tripled as the city limits expanded to include nearby streetcar suburbs. The city's skyline grew taller with
7056-536: The Eastern Continental Divide , has been Georgia's capital city since 1868. It is the most populous city in Georgia, with a 2020 U.S. census population of just over 498,000. The state has seventeen cities with populations over 50,000, based on official 2020 U.S. census data. Along with the rest of the Southeast, Georgia's population continues to grow rapidly, with primary gains concentrated in urban areas. The U.S. Census Bureau lists fourteen metropolitan areas in
7203-781: The Equitable Building (1892–1971), Terminal Station (1905–1972), and the Carnegie Library (1902–1977). In the mid-1970s, the Fox Theatre , now a cultural icon of the city, would have met the same fate if not for a grassroots effort to save it. More recently, preservationists may have made some inroads. For example, in 2016 activists convinced the Atlanta City Council not to demolish the Atlanta-Fulton Central Library,
7350-601: The Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta (1992). Also completed during the era is the Portman-designed Bank of America Plaza built in 1992. At 1,023 feet (312 m), it is the tallest building in the city and the 14th-tallest in the United States. The city's embrace of modern architecture has often translated into an ambivalent approach toward historic preservation, leading to the destruction of many notable architectural landmarks. These include
7497-520: The Georgia Railroad , suggested the town be renamed Atlanta , supposedly a feminine version of the word "Atlantic", referring to the Western and Atlantic Railroad. The residents approved, and the town was incorporated as Atlanta on December 29, 1847. By 1860, Atlanta's population had grown to 9,554. During the American Civil War , the nexus of multiple railroads in Atlanta made the city
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#17327831764057644-592: The Mississippi River . On January 2, 1788, Georgia became the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution . Between 1802 and 1804, a portion of western Georgia was carved out to create the Mississippi Territory , which eventually became the U.S. states of Alabama and Mississippi . Georgia declared its secession from the Union on January 19, 1861, joining the ranks of the original seven Confederate States . After
7791-665: The North to the Atlanta area. It has long been known as a center of African-American political power, education, entrepreneurship, and culture, often called a Black mecca . However, in the 1990s, Atlanta started to experience Black flight . African Americans have moved to the suburbs seeking a lower cost of living or better public schools. The African-American share of Atlanta's population has declined faster than that of any racial group. The city's share of Black residents shrank from 67% in 1990 to 47% in 2020. Blacks made up nine percent of new Atlanta residents between 2010 and 2020. At
7938-479: The North Georgia mountains , receives moderate to heavy precipitation, which varies from 45 inches (1,100 mm) in central Georgia to approximately 75 inches (1,900 mm) around the northeast part of the state. The degree to which the weather of a certain region of Georgia is subtropical depends on the latitude, its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf of Mexico , and the elevation. The latter factor
8085-711: The Pew Research Center in 2014, but in recent decades the Roman Catholic Church has increased in numbers and influence because of new migrants to the region. Metro Atlanta also has numerous ethnic or national Christian congregations, including Korean and Indian churches. Per the Public Religion Research Institute in 2020, overall, 73% of the population identify with some tradition or denomination of Christianity ; despite continuing religious diversification, historically African-American Protestant churches continue prevalence in
8232-538: The Reconstruction era , Georgia became the last Confederate state to be restored to the Union . With white Democrats having regained power in the state legislature, they passed a poll tax in 1877, which disenfranchised many poor black (and some white) people, preventing them from registering. In 1908, the state established a white primary ; with the only competitive contests within the Democratic Party, it
8379-694: The Southern Baptist Convention with 1,759,317; the United Methodist Church with 619,394; and the Roman Catholic Church with 596,384. Non-denominational Evangelical Protestant had 566,782 members, the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) has 175,184 members, and the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. has 172,982 members. The Presbyterian Church (USA) is the largest Presbyterian body in
8526-628: The Tennessee River . Georgia consists of five principal physiographic regions : The Cumberland Plateau , Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , Blue Ridge Mountains , Piedmont , and the Atlantic coastal plain . Each region has its own distinctive characteristics. For instance, the region, which lies in the northwest corner of the state, includes limestone, sandstone, shale, and other sedimentary rocks, which have yielded construction-grade limestone, barite, ocher, and small amounts of coal. The state of Georgia has approximately 250 tree species and 58 protected plants. Georgia's native trees include red cedar ,
8673-418: The Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) in the city. Around the same time, Cox Enterprises , now the nation's third-largest cable television service and the publisher of over a dozen American newspapers, moved its headquarters to the city. Notable sports networks headquartered in Atlanta include Warner Bros. Discovery Sports , NBA TV , Bally Sports South , and Bally Sports Southeast . The Weather Channel
8820-439: The sixth-largest U.S. metropolitan area . Situated among the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains at an elevation of just over 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level, Atlanta features unique topography that includes rolling hills, lush greenery, and the densest urban tree coverage of any major city in the United States. Atlanta was originally founded as the terminus of a major state-sponsored railroad, but it soon became
8967-413: The "city too busy to hate." Desegregation of the public sphere came in stages, with public transportation desegregated by 1959, the restaurant at Rich's department store by 1961, movie theaters by 1963, and public schools by 1973 (nearly 20 years after the US Supreme Court ruled that segregated public schools were unconstitutional). In 1960, Whites comprised 61.7% of the city's population. During
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#17327831764059114-417: The 100 fastest-growing in the United States. Georgia is defined by a diversity of landscapes, flora, and fauna. The northern part of the state features the Blue Ridge Mountains , which are part of the broader Appalachian Mountain range. Moving south, the Piedmont plateau stretches from the foothills of the Blue Ridge to the Fall Line , an escarpment that marks the transition to the Coastal Plain in
9261-420: The 11th-largest economy among cities in the U.S. and the 22nd-largest in the world. Its economy is considered diverse, with dominant sectors in industries including transportation, aerospace, logistics, healthcare, news and media operations, film and television production, information technology, finance, and biomedical research and public policy. Atlanta established itself on the world stage when it won and hosted
9408-571: The 160 bird species that live in the state. Reptiles include the eastern diamondback , copperhead , and cottonmouth snakes as well as alligators; amphibians include salamanders , frogs and toads . There are about 79 species of reptile and 63 amphibians known to live in Georgia. The Argentine black and white tegu is currently an invasive species in Georgia. It poses a problem to local wildlife by chasing down and killing many native species and dominating habitats. The most popular freshwater game fish are trout , bream , bass , and catfish , all but
9555-420: The 1797 Treaty of Beaufort , and tested in the U.S. Supreme Court in the two Georgia v. South Carolina cases in 1923 and 1989. The border then takes a sharp turn around the tip of Rabun County , at latitude 35°N , though from this point it diverges slightly south (due to inaccuracies in the original survey, conducted in 1818). This northern border was originally the Georgia and North Carolina border all
9702-502: The 18th century from rice-growing regions of West Africa led to the development of Gullah -Geechee language and culture in the Low Country among African Americans. They share a unique heritage in which many African traditions of food, religion and culture were retained. In the creolization of Southern culture, their foodways became an integral part of Low Country cooking. Sephardic Jews, French-speaking Swiss people, Moravians, Irish convicts, Piedmont Italians and Russian people immigrated to
9849-400: The 1950s–70s, suburbanization and White flight from urban areas led to a significant demographic shift. By 1970, African Americans were the majority of the city's population and exercised their recently enforced voting rights and political influence by electing Atlanta's first Black mayor, Maynard Jackson , in 1973. Under Mayor Jackson's tenure, Atlanta's airport was modernized, strengthening
9996-514: The 1960s (referring to racial relations). Atlanta has consistently scored 100% on the Human Rights Campaign's Municipal Equality Index that measures how inclusive a city's laws, policies and services are for LGBT people who live or work there. Religion in Atlanta, while historically centered on Protestant Christianity , now encompasses many faiths, as a result of the city and metro area's increasingly international population. Some 63% of residents identified as some type of Protestant according to
10143-443: The 1970s, after many of Atlanta's neighborhoods had declined and suffered the urban decay that affected other major American cities in the mid-20th century. When neighborhood opposition successfully prevented two freeways from being built through the city's east side in 1975, the area became the starting point for Atlanta's gentrification . After Atlanta was awarded the Olympic games in 1990, gentrification expanded into other parts of
10290-410: The 4th state to ratify the United States Constitution on January 2, 1788. After the Creek War (1813–1814) , General Andrew Jackson forced the Muscogee (Creek) tribes to surrender land to the state of Georgia, including in the Treaty of Fort Jackson (1814) , surrendering 21 million acres in what is now southern Georgia and central Alabama, and the Treaty of Indian Springs (1825) . In 1829, gold
10437-532: The Atlanta area among the top 10 U.S. metropolitan areas by Indian population in 2019. Early immigrants in the Atlanta area were mostly Jews and Greeks . Since 2010, the Atlanta area has experienced notable immigration from India, China, South Korea, and Jamaica. Other notable source countries of immigrants are Vietnam, Eritrea, Nigeria, the Arabian gulf, Ukraine and Poland. Within a few decades, and in keeping with national trends, immigrants from England, Ireland, and German-speaking central Europe were no longer
10584-512: The Atlanta metropolitan area became a national center of finance, insurance, technology, manufacturing, real estate, logistics, and transportation companies, as well as the film, convention, and trade show businesses. As a testament to the city's growing international profile, in 1990 the International Olympic Committee selected Atlanta as the site of the 1996 Summer Olympics . Taking advantage of Atlanta's status as
10731-617: The Atlantic Ocean, while rainwater on the north and west side of the divide flows into the Gulf of Mexico . Atlanta developed on a ridge south of the Chattahoochee River , which is part of the ACF River Basin . The river borders the far northwestern edge of the city, and much of its natural habitat has been preserved, in part by the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area . Atlanta
10878-689: The Beltline has stimulated new and related development along its path. Under the Köppen classification , Atlanta has a humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ) with generous precipitation year-round, typical for the Upland South ; the city is situated in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 8a, with the northern and western suburbs, as well as part of Midtown transitioning to 7b. Summers are hot and humid, with temperatures somewhat moderated by
11025-537: The Civil War ended in 1865, Atlanta was gradually rebuilt during the Reconstruction era . The work attracted many new residents. Due to the city's superior rail transportation network, the state capital was moved from Milledgeville to Atlanta in 1868. In the 1880 Census, Atlanta had surpassed Savannah as Georgia's largest city. Beginning in the 1880s, Henry W. Grady , the editor of the Atlanta Constitution newspaper, promoted Atlanta to potential investors as
11172-492: The Georgia coastline, brushing the coast on their way north without ever making landfall. Hurricane Matthew of 2016 and Hurricane Dorian of 2019 did just that. Due to anthropogenic climate change , the climate of Georgia is warming. This is already causing major disruption, for example, from sea level rise (Georgia is more vulnerable to it than many other states because its land is sinking) and further warming will increase it. Atlanta , located in north-central Georgia at
11319-750: The Supreme Court's ruling in Worcester v. Georgia (1832) that U.S. states were not permitted to redraw Indian boundaries, President Jackson and the state of Georgia ignored the ruling. In 1838, his successor, Martin Van Buren , dispatched federal troops to gather the tribes and deport them west of the Mississippi . This forced relocation, known as the Trail of Tears , led to the death of more than four thousand Cherokees. In early 1861, Georgia joined
11466-561: The US). Atlanta's dialect has traditionally been a variation of Southern American English . The Chattahoochee River long formed a border between the Coastal Southern and Southern Appalachian dialects. Because of the development of corporate headquarters in the region, attracting migrants from other areas of the country, by 2003, Atlanta magazine concluded that Atlanta had become significantly "de-Southernized". A Southern accent
11613-481: The United Kingdom and Germany. Bosnian refugees settled in Atlanta. Vietnamese people, Cambodians, Ethiopians and Eritreans were the earliest refugees formally brought to the city. Of the total population five years and older, 83.3% spoke only English at home, while 8.8% spoke Spanish, 3.9% another Indo-European language, and 2.8% an Asian language. Among them, 7.3% of Atlantans were born abroad ( 86th in
11760-617: The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (1997) and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (2007). Camp Lawton was established during the Civil War in the fall of 1864 by the Confederate Army to confine Union prisoners of war. The Magnolia Springs site was selected to take advantage of the abundant water supply. Built by slave labor and a group of Union prisoners of pine timber harvested on site,
11907-546: The United States and is often called "City of Trees" or "The City in a Forest". Most of Atlanta was burned in the final months of the American Civil War, depleting the city of a large stock of its historic architecture. Yet architecturally, the city had never been traditionally "southern": Atlanta originated as a railroad town rather than a southern seaport dominated by the planter class, such as Savannah or Charleston . Because of its later development, many of
12054-615: The United States, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Atlanta , located in the suburb city of Lilburn . Georgia is home to large Sikh religion population with 4 gurudwaras (Sikh religious worship places). Georgia is home to several historic synagogues including The Temple (Atlanta) , Congregation Beth Jacob (Atlanta) , and Congregation Mickve Israel (Savannah) . Chabad and the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute are also active in
12201-492: The ability to relocate to the suburbs. As a result, the city began to make up an ever-smaller proportion of the metropolitan area's population. African-American veterans returned from World War II seeking full rights in their country and began heightened activism. In exchange for support by that portion of the Black community that could vote, in 1948 the mayor ordered the hiring of the first eight African-American police officers in
12348-603: The area from 1802 to 1825. The Creek were forced to leave the area in 1821, under Indian Removal by the federal government, and European American settlers arrived the following year. In 1836, the Georgia General Assembly voted to build the Western and Atlantic Railroad in order to provide a link between the port of Savannah and the Midwest . The initial route was to run southward from Chattanooga to
12495-474: The arrival of European settlers in North Georgia , the indigenous Creek people and their ancestors inhabited the area. Standing Peachtree , a Creek village where Peachtree Creek flows into the Chattahoochee River , was the closest Native American settlement to what is now Atlanta. Through the early 19th century, European Americans systematically encroached on the Creek of northern Georgia, forcing them out of
12642-433: The city approved the $ 2.8 billion BeltLine project. It was intended to convert a disused 22-mile freight railroad loop that surrounds the central city into an art-filled multi-use trail and light rail transit line, which would increase the city's park space by 40%. The project stimulated retail and residential development along the loop, but has been criticized for its adverse effects on some Black communities. In 2013,
12789-468: The city in the following decade. During the 2000s, the city of Atlanta underwent a profound physical, cultural , and demographic change. As some of the African-American middle and upper classes also began to move to the suburbs, a booming economy drew numerous new migrants from other cities in the United States, who contributed to changes in the city's demographics. African Americans made up
12936-402: The city's economy to this day. In 2021, major freight railroad Norfolk Southern moved their headquarters to Atlanta, and the city hosts major classification yards for Norfolk Southern and CSX . Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the world's busiest airport , and the headquarters of Delta Air Lines . Delta operates the world's largest airline hub at Hartsfield-Jackson and
13083-629: The city's elevation. Winters are overall mild but variable, occasionally susceptible to snowstorms even if in small quantities on several occasions, unlike the central and southern portions of the state. Warm air from the Gulf of Mexico can bring spring-like highs while strong Arctic air masses can push lows into the teens °F (−7 to −12 °C). July averages 80.9 °F (27.2 °C), with high temperatures reaching 90 °F (32 °C) on an average of 47 days per year, though 100 °F (38 °C) readings are not seen most years. January averages 44.8 °F (7.1 °C), with temperatures in
13230-615: The city's landmarks share architectural characteristics with buildings in the Northeast or Midwest, as they were designed at a time of shared national architectural styles. During the late 20th century, Atlanta embraced the global trend of modern architecture , especially for commercial and institutional structures. Examples include the State of Georgia Building built in 1966, and the Georgia-Pacific Tower in 1982. Many of
13377-409: The city's metro area, and the region hosts offices of over 1,250 multinational corporations. Many corporations are drawn to the city by its educated workforce; as of 2014 , 45% of adults aged 25 or older residing in the city have at least four-year college degrees, compared to the national average of 28%. Atlanta was born as a railroad town, and logistics continue to represent an important part of
13524-617: The city's role as a transportation center. The opening of the Georgia World Congress Center in 1976 further confirmed Atlanta's rise as a convention city. Construction of the city's subway system began in 1975, with rail service commencing in 1979. Despite these improvements, Atlanta lost more than 100,000 residents between 1970 and 1990, over 20% of its population. At the same time, it developed new office space after attracting numerous corporations, with an increasing portion of workers from northern areas. Atlanta
13671-443: The city's uptown district, is eight miles (13 km) north of Downtown and the city's third-largest business district. The district is marked by an urbanized core along Peachtree Road , surrounded by suburban single-family neighborhoods situated among woods and rolling hills. Surrounding Atlanta's three high-rise districts are the city's low- and medium-density neighborhoods , where the craftsman bungalow single-family home
13818-495: The city, stimulated by infrastructure improvements undertaken in preparation for the games. New development post-2000 has been aided by the Atlanta Housing Authority 's eradication of the city's public housing. As noted above, it allowed development of these sites for mixed-income housing, requiring developers to reserve a considerable portion for affordable housing units. It has also provided for other former residents to be given vouchers to gain housing in other areas. Construction of
13965-480: The city. After reserving 2,000 units mostly for elderly, the AHA allowed redevelopment of the sites for mixed-use and mixed-income, higher density developments, with 40% of the units to be reserved for affordable housing. Two-fifths of previous public housing residents attained new housing in such units; the remainder received vouchers to be used at other units, including in suburbs. At the same time, in an effort to change
14112-579: The city. Much controversy preceded the 1956 Sugar Bowl , when the Pitt Panthers , with African-American fullback Bobby Grier on the roster, met the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets . There had been controversy over whether Grier should be allowed to play due to his race, and whether Georgia Tech should even play at all due to Georgia's Governor Marvin Griffin 's opposition to racial integration. After Griffin publicly sent
14259-423: The colonial period, that they choose to identify simply as having "American" ancestry or do not in fact know their own ancestry. Their ancestry primarily goes back to the original thirteen colonies and for this reason many of them today simply claim "American" ancestry, though they are of predominantly English ancestry. Historically, about half of Georgia's population was composed of African Americans who, before
14406-622: The colony's settlement, known as the Oglethorpe Plan , which envisioned an agrarian society of yeoman farmers and prohibited slavery. The colony was invaded by the Spanish in 1742, during the War of Jenkins' Ear . In 1752, after the government failed to renew subsidies that had helped support the colony, the Trustees turned over control to the crown . Georgia became a crown colony , with
14553-526: The construction of the Equitable , Flatiron , Empire , and Candler buildings. Sweet Auburn emerged as a center of Black commerce. The period was also marked by strife and tragedy. Increased racial tensions led to the Atlanta Race Riot of 1906, when Whites attacked Blacks, leaving at least 27 people dead and over 70 injured, with extensive damage in Black neighborhoods. In 1913, Leo Frank ,
14700-470: The convergence point among several railroads, spurring its rapid growth. The largest was the Western and Atlantic Railroad , from which the name "Atlanta" is derived, signifying the city's growing reputation as a major hub of transportation. During the American Civil War , it served a strategically important role for the Confederacy until it was captured in 1864. The city was almost entirely burned to
14847-453: The culture of those receiving subsidized housing, the AHA imposed a requirement for such residents to work (or be enrolled in a genuine, limited-time training program). It is virtually the only housing authority to have created this requirement. To prevent problems, the AHA also gave authority to management of the mixed-income or voucher units to evict tenants who did not comply with the work requirement or who caused behavior problems. In 2005,
14994-413: The destruction of all public buildings and possible assets that could be of use to the Union Army. On the next day, Mayor James Calhoun surrendered Atlanta to the Union Army, and on September 7, Sherman ordered the city's civilian population to evacuate. On November 11, 1864, Sherman prepared for the Union Army's March to the Sea by ordering the destruction of Atlanta's remaining military assets. After
15141-565: The ground during General William T. Sherman 's March to the Sea . However, the city rebounded dramatically in the post-war period and quickly became a national industrial center and the unofficial capital of the " New South ". After World War II , it also became a manufacturing and technology hub. During the 1950s and 1960s, it became a major organizing center of the American civil rights movement , with Martin Luther King Jr. , Ralph Abernathy , and many other locals becoming prominent figures in
15288-400: The largest Asian groups in Georgia. In addition, according to census estimates, Georgia ranks third among the states in terms of the percent of the total population that is African American (after Mississippi and Louisiana ) and third in numeric Black population after New York and Florida. Georgia also has a sizeable Latino population. Many are of Mexican descent. Georgia is the state with
15435-691: The largest of which was the Cherokee (21,525 people). Other tribes reported in Georgia in 2010 included for example the Muscogee (2,370 people), the Choctaw (1,419), the Sioux (1,027), the Seminole (664) and more. Georgia's 2018 total gross state product was $ 602 billion. For years Georgia as a state has had the highest credit rating by Standard & Poor's (AAA) and is one of only 15 states with
15582-430: The last building designed by noted architect Marcel Breuer . Atlanta is divided into 242 officially defined neighborhoods . The city contains three major high-rise districts, which form a north–south axis along Peachtree : Downtown , Midtown , and Buckhead . Surrounding these high-density districts are leafy, low-density neighborhoods, most of which are dominated by single-family homes. Downtown Atlanta contains
15729-441: The last of which are produced in state hatcheries for restocking. Popular saltwater game fish include red drum , spotted seatrout , flounder , and tarpon . Porpoises , whales, shrimp , oysters , and blue crabs are found inshore and offshore of the Georgia coast. The majority of the state is primarily a humid subtropical climate . Hot and humid summers are typical, except at the highest elevations. The entire state, including
15876-604: The longest paved trail surface in the U.S. totaling about 300 miles (480 km). Atlanta's cultural offerings expanded during the 2000s: the High Museum of Art doubled in size; the Alliance Theatre won a Tony Award ; and art galleries were established on the once-industrial Westside . The College Football Hall of Fame relocated to Atlanta and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights museum
16023-490: The majority of Atlanta's foreign-born population. The city's Italians included immigrants from northern Italy, many of whom had been in Atlanta since the 1890s; more recent arrivals from southern Italy; and Sephardic Jews from the Isle of Rhodes, which Italy had seized from Turkey in 1912. Europeans from Great Britain , Ireland and Germany settled in the city as early as the 1840s. Most of Atlanta's European population are from
16170-458: The mid-20th century, several notable figures from Georgia, including Martin Luther King Jr. , emerged as key leaders in the civil rights movement . Atlanta was chosen to host the 1996 Summer Olympics , celebrating the centennial of the modern Olympic Games . Since 1945, Georgia has experienced significant population and economic expansion, aligning with the larger Sun Belt trend. Between 2007 and 2008, 14 of Georgia's counties were listed among
16317-789: The most notable examples from this period were designed by world renowned Atlanta architect John Portman . Most of the buildings that define the downtown skyline were designed by Portman during this period, including the Westin Peachtree Plaza and the Atlanta Marriott Marquis . In the latter half of the 1980s, Atlanta became one of the early homes of postmodern buildings that reintroduced classical elements to their designs. Many of Atlanta's tallest skyscrapers were built in this period and style, displaying tapering spires or otherwise ornamented crowns, such as One Atlantic Center (1987), 191 Peachtree Tower (1991), and
16464-425: The most office space in the metro area, much of it occupied by government entities. Downtown is home to the city's sporting venues and many of its tourist attractions. Midtown Atlanta is the city's second-largest business district, containing the offices of many of the region's law firms. Midtown is known for its art institutions, cultural attractions, institutions of higher education, and dense form. Buckhead ,
16611-454: The most severe occurring on January 7, 1973. Tornadoes are rare in the city itself, but the March 14, 2008, EF2 tornado damaged prominent structures in downtown Atlanta. The 2020 United States census reported that Atlanta had a population of 498,715. The population density was 3,685.45 persons per square mile (1,422.95/ km ). The racial and ethnic makeup of Atlanta (including Hispanics)
16758-421: The movement's leadership. In the modern era, Atlanta has remained a major center of transportation, with Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport becoming the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic in 1998 (a position it has held every year since, except for 2020), with an estimated 93.7 million passengers in 2022. With a nominal gross domestic product (GDP) of $ 473 billion in 2021, Atlanta has
16905-479: The movement's leadership. While Atlanta in the postwar years had relatively minimal racial strife compared to other cities, Blacks were limited by discrimination, segregation, and continued disenfranchisement of most voters. In 1961, the city attempted to thwart blockbusting by realtors by erecting road barriers in Cascade Heights , countering the efforts of civic and business leaders to foster Atlanta as
17052-548: The original thalweg of the rivers. Since then, several have been inundated by lakes created by dams, including the Apalachicola/Chattahoochee/Flint point now under Lake Seminole . An 1818 survey erroneously placed Georgia's border with Tennessee one mile (1.6 km) south of the intended location of the 35th parallel north. State legislators still dispute this placement , as correction of this inaccuracy would allow Georgia access to water from
17199-593: The population was living below the poverty line in 2022. Circa 2024, of the Atlanta residents, 391,711 of them lived in Fulton County and 28,292 of them lived in DeKalb County. In the 1920s, the Black population began to grow in Southern metropolitan cities like Atlanta, Birmingham , Houston , and Memphis . The New Great Migration brought an insurgence of African Americans from California and
17346-398: The prison stockade. In 2010 Georgia Southern University undertook archaeological investigations to "ground truth" the results of the radar survey. In August of that year several Georgia Southern archaeology students uncovered the stockade and around 200 Civil War artifacts. The students had used watercolors by an imprisoned private to locate the site. Georgia (U.S. state) Georgia
17493-604: The project received a federal grant of $ 18 million to develop the southwest corridor. In September 2019 the James M. Cox Foundation gave $ 6 Million to the PATH Foundation which will connect the Silver Comet Trail to The Atlanta BeltLine which is expected to be completed by 2022. Upon completion, the total combined interconnected trail distance around Atlanta for The Atlanta BeltLine and Silver Comet Trail will be
17640-414: The proportion of whites in the city had strong growth. In two decades, Atlanta's White population grew from 33% to 39% of the city's population. Whites made up the majority of new Atlanta residents between 2010 and 2020. The Hispanic and Latino populations of metro Atlanta have grown significantly in recent years. The largest Hispanic ancestries in Atlanta are Mexican , Puerto Rican and Cuban . There
17787-401: The same time, Atlanta is home to a sizable foreign-born Black population, notably from Eritrea , Ethiopia , Ghana , Somalia , Liberia , and Nigeria . With many notable investments occurring in Atlanta initiated by the 1996 Summer Olympics , the non-Hispanic white population of Atlanta began to rebound after several decades of white flight to Atlanta's suburbs. Between 2000 and 2020,
17934-503: The second-highest total of these extralegal executions of any state in the South. The overwhelming number of victims were black and male. Political disfranchisement persisted through the mid-1960s, until after Congress passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 . An Atlanta-born Baptist minister who was part of the educated middle class that had developed in Atlanta's African-American community, Martin Luther King Jr. , emerged as
18081-607: The southern region of the state. The highest elevation in the state is Brasstown Bald , reaching 4,784 feet (1,458 m) above sea level, while the lowest point is at the Atlantic Ocean . Except for some elevated areas in the Blue Ridge, Georgia predominantly experiences a humid subtropical climate . Among the states located entirely east of the Mississippi River, Georgia ranks as the largest in terms of land area . Before settlement by European colonists , Georgia
18228-499: The springs, including alligators , turtles, and a variety of birds and fish. During the American Civil War , the area that now comprises the day-use area of the park was used as a prison, Camp Lawton , which is on the National Register of Historic Places . The park still houses remnants of the earthen fort that guarded the 10,000-prisoner camp. Two huge timbers , possibly from the prison but more likely from work done by
18375-489: The state during the colonial era. As of 2011 , 58.8% of Georgia's population younger than 1 were minorities (meaning they had at least one parent who was not non-Hispanic white) compared to other states like California with 75.1%, Texas with 69.8%, and New York with 55.6%. The largest European ancestry groups as of 2011 were: English 8.1%, Irish 8.1%, and German 7.2%. As of 2021 , 85.62% (8,711,102) of Georgia residents age 5 and older spoke English at home as
18522-595: The state, with 300 congregations and 100,000 members. The other large body, Presbyterian Church in America , had at its founding date 14 congregations and 2,800 members; in 2010 it counted 139 congregations and 32,000 members. The Roman Catholic Church is noteworthy in Georgia's urban areas, and includes the Archdiocese of Atlanta and the Diocese of Savannah . Georgia is home to the second-largest Hindu temple in
18669-423: The state. By the 2022 Public Religion Research Institute 's study, 71% of the population were Christian; throughout its Christian population, 60% were Protestant and 8% were Catholic. Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons collectively made up 3% of other Christians according to the study. Judaism , Islam , Buddhism , and Hinduism collectively formed 4% of the state's non-Christian population; New Age spirituality
18816-505: The state. The population of the Atlanta metropolitan area added 1.23 million people (24%) between 2000 and 2010, and Atlanta rose in rank from the eleventh-largest metropolitan area in the United States to the ninth-largest . The Atlanta metropolitan area is the cultural and economic center of the Southeast ; its official population in 2020 was over 6 million, or 57% of Georgia's total population. The United States Census Bureau reported Georgia's official population to be 10,711,908 as of
18963-413: The suburbs slightly cooler due largely to the urban heat island effect. Lows at or below freezing can be expected 36 nights annually, but the last occurrences of temperatures below 10 °F (−12 °C) were December 24, 2022 , and January 2014 , eight years apart. Extremes range from −9 °F (−23 °C) on February 13, 1899 to 106 °F (41 °C) on June 30, 2012 . Average dewpoints in
19110-712: The summer range from 63.7 °F (17.6 °C) in June to 67.8 °F (19.9 °C) in July. Typical of the southeastern U.S., Atlanta receives abundant rainfall that is evenly distributed throughout the year, though late spring and early fall are somewhat drier. The average annual precipitation is 50.43 in (1,281 mm), while snowfall is typically light and rare with a normal of 2.2 inches (5.6 cm) per winter. The heaviest single snowfall occurred on January 23, 1940, with around 10 inches (25 cm) of snow. However, ice storms usually cause more problems than snowfall does,
19257-462: The third-lowest percentage of older people (65 or older), at 12.8 percent (as of 2015 ). The colonial settlement of large numbers of Scottish American , English American and Scotch-Irish Americans in the mountains and Piedmont, and coastal settlement by some English Americans and African Americans, have strongly influenced the state's culture in food, language and music. The concentration of African slaves repeatedly "imported" to coastal areas in
19404-533: The walls measured 12 to 15 feet (4.6 m) high. The stockade began receiving the first of at least 10,299 prisoners in early October. The post was abandoned by the end of November when threatened by Sherman's drive on Savannah . Research using ground-penetrating radar conducted in December 2009 by the LAMAR Institute , Savannah, Georgia ( [1] ) revealed a possible location for the southwest corner of
19551-470: The way to the Mississippi River , until Tennessee was divided from North Carolina , and the Yazoo companies induced the legislature of Georgia to pass an act, approved by the governor in 1795, to sell the greater part of Georgia's territory presently comprising Alabama and Mississippi . The state's western border runs in a straight line south-southeastward from a point southwest of Chattanooga , to meet
19698-406: The whole metropolitan area alongside historic Black Catholic churches. The larger non-Christian faiths according to both studies are Judaism , Islam , and Hinduism . Overall, there are over 1,000 places of worship within Atlanta. With a GDP of $ 385 billion, the Atlanta metropolitan area 's economy is the 8th-largest in the country and the 15th-largest in the world . Corporate operations play
19845-439: Was 11,029,227. Atlanta , a global city , is both the state's capital and its largest city. The Atlanta metropolitan area , with a population of more than 6.3 million people in 2023, is the sixth most populous metropolitan area in the United States and contains about 57% of Georgia's entire population. Other major metropolitan areas in the state include Augusta , Savannah , Columbus , and Macon . The Province of Georgia
19992-819: Was 2% of the religious population. Approximately 23% of the state was irreligious . Population percentage of Georgia in the United States 2010: 3.14% 2020: 3.23% Tribes which historically lived in what is now Georgia include the Muscogee (including the Hitchiti subgroup), the Cherokee , the Oconi , the Guale , the Yamasee and the Apalachee . Other tribes which at various times lived in or migrated through Georgia include
20139-410: Was 51.0% Black or African American, 40.9% non-Hispanic white, 4.2% Asian and 0.3% Native American, and 1.0% from other races. 2.4% of the population reported two or more races . Hispanics and Latinos of any race made up 6.0% of the city's population. The median income for a household in the city was $ 77,655 in 2022. The per capita income for the city was $ 60,778 in 2022. Approximately 17.7% percent of
20286-533: Was 70% Protestant, 9% Catholic, 1% Mormon, 1% Jewish, 0.5% Muslim, 0.5% Buddhist, and 0.5% Hindu. Atheists , deists , agnostics, and other unaffiliated people make up 13% of the population. Overall, Christianity was the dominant religion in the state, as part of the Bible Belt . According to the Association of Religion Data Archives in 2010, the largest Christian denominations by number of adherents were
20433-561: Was another way to exclude black people from politics. They constituted 46.7% of the state's population in 1900, but the proportion of Georgia's population that was African American dropped thereafter to 28%, primarily due to tens of thousands leaving the state during the Great Migration . According to the Equal Justice Initiative 's 2015 report on lynching in the United States (1877–1950), Georgia had 531 deaths,
20580-533: Was barred from the event due to racial segregation laws. Atlanta played a vital role in the Allied effort during World War II due to the city's war-related manufacturing companies, railroad network and military bases. The defense industries attracted thousands of new residents and generated revenues, resulting in rapid population and economic growth. In the 1950s, the city's newly constructed highway system, supported by federal subsidies, allowed middle class Atlantans
20727-452: Was considered a handicap in some circumstances. In general, Southern accents are less prevalent among residents of the city and inner suburbs and among younger people; they are more common in the outer suburbs and among older people. At the same time, some residents of the city speak in Southern variations of African-American English . Atlanta has a thriving and diverse lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. According to
20874-538: Was constructed. The city of Atlanta was the subject of a massive cyberattack which began in March 2018. In December 2019, Atlanta hosted the Miss Universe 2019 pageant competition. On June 16, 2022, Atlanta was selected as a host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup . Atlanta encompasses 134.0 square miles (347.1 km ), of which 133.2 square miles (344.9 km ) is land and 0.85 square miles (2.2 km )
21021-763: Was discovered in the North Georgia mountains leading to the Georgia Gold Rush and establishment of a federal mint in Dahlonega , which continued in operation until 1861. The resulting influx of American settlers put pressure on the federal U.S. government to take land from the Cherokee Nation . In 1830, President Andrew Jackson signed into law the Indian Removal Act , sending many eastern Indian nations to reservations in present-day Oklahoma, including all of Georgia's tribes. Despite
21168-468: Was established in 1732, with its first settlement occurring in 1733 when Savannah was founded. By 1752, Georgia had transitioned into a British royal colony , making it the last and southernmost of the original Thirteen Colonies . Named in honor of King George II of Great Britain , the Georgia Colony extended from South Carolina down to Spanish Florida and westward to French Louisiana along
21315-581: Was inhabited by the mound building cultures. The Province of Georgia was founded by British General James Oglethorpe at Savannah on February 12, 1733, a year after its creation as a new British colony. It was administered by the Trustees for the Establishment of the Colony of Georgia in America under a charter issued by (and named for) King George II . The Trustees implemented an elaborate plan for
21462-458: Was selected as the site for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games . Following the announcement , the city government undertook several major construction projects to improve Atlanta's parks, sporting venues, and transportation infrastructure; however, for the first time, none of the $ 1.7 billion cost of the games was governmentally funded. While the games experienced transportation and accommodation problems and, despite extra security precautions, there
21609-558: Was the Centennial Olympic Park bombing , the spectacle was a watershed event in Atlanta's history. For the first time in Olympic history, every one of the record 197 national Olympic committees invited to compete sent athletes, sending more than 10,000 contestants participating in a record 271 events. The related projects such as Atlanta's Olympic Legacy Program and civic effort initiated a fundamental transformation of
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