State of Georgia
Flag of Georgia Seal of Georgia Nickname(s): Peach State, Empire State of the South Motto(s): Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation
Official language(s)	English
Demonym	Georgian
Capital	Atlanta
Largest city	Atlanta
Largest metro area	Atlanta metro area
Area	Ranked 24th in the US
- Total	59,425 sq mi (153,909 km²)
- Width	230 miles (370 km)
- Length	298 miles (480 km)
- % water	{{{PCWater}}}
- Latitude	33. The current Flag of Georgia was adopted on May 8, 2003. The flag has three red and white stripes with the state Coat of arms The Seal of Georgia was originally adopted in 1798 as part of the State Constitution, though it has been modified since This is a list of US state nicknames, including officially adopted Nicknames and other traditional nicknames for individual states of the United States. Here is a list of state Mottos for the states of the United States of America. The United States does not have an Official language; however the majority of the population speaks English as a native language (about 82% A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place Washington DC has been the capital of the United States since 1800 This is a list of the largest cities of US states by population Table of United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas|Table of United States Core Based Statistical AreasIn the United States, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB has produced Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. This is a complete list of the states of the United States and its major territories ordered by total area, land area, and water area The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand 762° N
- Longitude	84. 422° W
Population	Ranked 9th in the US
- Total	8,186,453
- Density	141. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology This is a list of states of the United States by population (with inhabited non-state jurisdictions included for comparison as of July 1, 2007, according to the This article is a list of the 50 US States ordered by Population density. 4/sq mi  54. 59/km² (18th in the US)
- Median income	$43,217 (28th)
Elevation
- Highest point	Brasstown Bald[1] 4,784 ft  (1,458 m)
- Mean	591 ft  (180 m)
- Lowest point	Atlantic Ocean[1] 0 ft  (0 m)
Admission to Union	January 2, 1788 (4th)
Governor	Sonny Perdue (R)
Lieutenant Governor	Casey Cagle (R)
U.S. Senators	Saxby Chambliss (R) Johnny Isakson (R)
Congressional Delegation	List
Time zone	Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Abbreviations	GA US-GA
Website	www.georgia.gov

Georgia (IPA: /ˈdʒɔɹdʒə/) is a state in the Southeastern United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution. A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government The US Southeast is the eastern portion of the Southern United States, but the Census Bureau does not provide a standard definition of a "Southeast" region The Thirteen Colonies were part of what became known as British America, a name that was used by Great Britain until the Treaty of Paris (1783 recognized the The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" It was the last of the Thirteen Colonies to be established as a colony, in 1733. It was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788. The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme Law of the United States. Events 366 - The Alamanni cross the frozen Rhine River in large numbers invading the Roman Empire. Year 1788 ( MDCCLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap It seceded from the Union on January 21, 1861 and was one of the original seven Confederate states. Events 1189 - Philip II of France and Richard I of England begin to assemble troops to wage the Third Crusade. Year 1861 ( MDCCCLXI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Confederate States of America (also called the Confederacy, the Confederate States, and CSA) formed as the government set up from 1861 It was the last state readmitted to the Union, on July 15, 1870. Events 1099 - First Crusade: Christian soldiers take the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem after the final Year 1870 ( MDCCCLXX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Georgia is the ninth-largest state in the nation by population, with an estimated 9,544,750 residents as of July 1, 2007. "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. It is also the third fastest-growing state in terms of numeric gain and fifth in terms of percent gain, adding 202,670 residents at a rate of 2. 2%. From 2006 to 2007, Georgia had 18 counties among the nation's 100 fastest-growing counties, the most of any state. Georgia is also known as the Peach State and the Empire State of the South. Atlanta is the most populous city, and the capital.

Georgia is bordered on the south by Florida; on the east by the Atlantic Ocean and South Carolina; on the west by Alabama and by Florida in the extreme southwest; and on the north by Tennessee and North Carolina. Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the South Carolina ( is a state in the southern region ( Deep South) of the United States of America. Alabama (formally the State of Alabama;) is a State located in the southern region of the United States of America. Tennessee ( is a state located in the Southern United States. North Carolina ( is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States The northern part of the state is in the Blue Ridge Mountains, a mountain range in the vast mountain system of the Appalachians. The Blue Ridge, or Blue Ridge Mountains, is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division A mountain range is a chain of Mountains bordered by highlands or separated from other mountains by passes or valleys The Appalachian Mountains ( often called the Appalachians, are a vast system of mountains in eastern North America. The central piedmont extends from the foothills to the fall line, where the rivers cascade down in elevation to the continental coastal plain of the southern part of the state. Piedmont is a plateau region located in the eastern United States between the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the main Appalachian Mountains, stretching Foothills are geographically defined as gradual increases in hilly areas at the base of a Mountain range. In Geomorphology, a fall line (at times referred to as a fall zone) marks the area where an upland region (continental Bedrock) and a Coastal plain A coastal plain is an area of flat low-lying land adjacent to a seacoast and separated from the interior by other features The highest point in Georgia is Brasstown Bald, 4,784 feet (1,458 m); the lowest point is sea level. Brasstown Bald is the highest point in the state of Georgia, USA, with a summit elevation of 4784 feet (1458 m Above mean sea level. Mean sea level (MSL is the average (mean height of the Sea, with reference to a suitable reference surface

With an area of 59,424 square miles (153,909 km²), Georgia is ranked 24th in size among the 50 U. S. states. Georgia is the largest state east of the Mississippi River in terms of land area, although it is the fourth largest (after Michigan, Florida, and Wisconsin) in total area, a term which includes expanses of water claimed as state territory. The Mississippi River is the second longest River in the United States, with a length of from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to Michigan ( is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. Wisconsin ( or wɪˈskɑnsɨn (French Ouisconsin) is one of the fifty United States of America, located in the north central part of the United States ^[2]

Geography

Main article: Geography of Georgia (U.S. state)

Boundaries

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. Physical geography Geological development See also Geology of Georgia (U For the Department of Energy facility see Savannah River Site The Savannah River is a major river in the southeastern United States Confluence, in Geography, describes the meeting of two or more Bodies of water. The Tugaloo River (originally Tugalo River) is a short River bordering the U The Seneca River is created by the confluence of the Keowee River and the Little River in northern South Carolina, just downriver from Lake Keowee It then continues up the Tugaloo (originally Tugalo) and into the Chattooga River, its most significant tributary. The Chattooga River (also spelled Chatooga, Chatuga, and Chautaga, variant name Guinekelokee River) is the main Tributary of A tributary is a Stream or River which flows into a mainstem (or parent river These bounds were decided in the 1787 Treaty of Beaufort, and tested in the U.S. Supreme Court in the two Georgia v. The Treaty of Beaufort, also called the Beaufort Convention, is the Treaty that originally set the all- River boundary between the U The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial body in the United States and leads the federal judiciary. South Carolina cases in 1922 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 (possibly due to later resurveying with better accuracy). Rabun County is a County located in the US state of Georgia. As of the 2000 Census, the Population is 15050 Surveying is the technique and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional space Position of points and the distances and angles between This originally was the Georgia and North Carolina border all the way back to the Mississippi River, until Tennessee was divided from North Carolina, and Alabama and Mississippi (the Yazoo Lands) were taken from Georgia. Mississippi ( is a state located in the Deep South of the United States The Yazoo lands were the sparsely-populated central and western areas of the U

The state's western border then departs in another straight line south-southeastward, at a point southwest of Chattanooga, to meet the westernmost point of the Chattahoochee River near West Point, Georgia. The Chattahoochee River runs from the Chattahoochee Spring in the Appalachian Mountains of northeastern Georgia, near the Carolinas to the southwestward West Point is a City in Harris and Troup Counties in the US state of Georgia. It continues down to the point where it ends at the Flint River (the confluence of the two forming Florida's Apalachicola River), and goes almost due east and very slightly south, in a straight line to the origin of the Saint Mary's River, which then forms the remainder of the boundary back to the ocean. For other rivers named Flint see Flint River (disambiguation page. The St Marys River (sometimes spelled as the St Mary's River) is a river approximately 90 mi (144 km long in the southeastern United States.

It should be noted that the water boundaries are still set to be the original thalweg of the rivers. Thalweg (ˈtɑːlvɛg an English word compounded from the German elements Thal (since Duden 's orthography reform of 1901 written Tal Since then, several have been inundated by man made lakes, including the Apalachicola/Chattahoochee/Flint point now under Lake Seminole. The ACF River Basin is the watershed of the Apalachicola / Chattahoochee / Flint River Basin in the United States, that Lake Seminole is a man-made lake located in the southwest corner of Georgia along its border with Florida.

In 2008, Georgia state legislators claimed that the state's border with Tennessee had been erroneously placed one mile (1. 6 km) further south than intended in an 1818 survey, and proposed that the border should be corrected. This would allow Georgia, in the midst of a significant drought, to access water from the Tennessee River. A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. ^[3]

Geology and terrain

Map of elevations in Georgia

Main article: Geology of Georgia (U.S. state)

Georgia is divided into five geologic regions. The Geology of Georgia consists of four distinct geologic regions beginning in the northwest corner of the state and moving through the state to the southeast the These include the Ridge and Valley, the Blue Ridge, the Piedmont, the Coastal Plain, and the Appalachian Plateau. The Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, also called the Ridge and Valley Province or the Valley and Ridge Appalachians, are a physiographic province of The Blue Ridge, or Blue Ridge Mountains, is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division Piedmont is a plateau region located in the eastern United States between the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the main Appalachian Mountains, stretching The Atlantic Coastal Plain is the flat stretch of land that borders the Atlantic Ocean (including the Gulf of Mexico) The Appalachian Plateau is the western part of the Appalachian mountains, stretching from New York to Georgia and Alabama. Each region has its own distinctive characteristics. For instance the Ridge and Valley, 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 Blue Ridge Mountains of northeast Georgia are made up of metamorphic rock as well as granite and diabase. Metamorphic rock is the result of the transformation of an existing rock type the protolith, in a process called Metamorphism, which means "change Granite (ˈɡrænɪt is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, Felsic, igneous rock. Diabase (ˈdaɪəbeɪs or Dolerite is a Mafic, Holocrystalline, Igneous rock equivalent to Volcanic Basalt or plutonic The geology of the Piedmont includes schist, amphibolite, gneiss, migmatite, and granite while the primary resource of the Coastal Plain is kaolin. Kaolinite is a Clay mineral with the chemical composition Al 2 Si 2 O 5( OH)4 ^[4]

Flora and fauna

Main article: Ecology of Georgia (U.S. state)

Georgia has a diverse mix of flora and fauna. The Ecology of Georgia covers many plant and animal species The Humid subtropical climate of Georgia influences its plant and animal life The State of Georgia has approximately 250 tree species and 58 protected plants. Georgia's native trees include red cedar, a variety of pines, oaks, maples, sweetgum and scaly-bark and white hickories, as well as many others. Yellow jasmine, flowering quince, and mountain laurel make up just a few of the flowering shrubs in the state.

Regarding fauna, white-tailed (Virginia) deer can be found in approximately 50 counties. The mockingbird and brown thrasher are just two of the 160 bird species that can be found in the state. The eastern diamondback, copperhead, and cottonmouth as well as salamanders, frogs, alligators and toads are among 79 species of reptile and 63 amphibians that make Georgia their home. Common names: eastern diamondback rattlesnake eastern diamondback more. Salamander (orig from Persian: sām, "fire" and andarūn, "within" is the common name for a group of approximately 500 Species This article is about the block cipher algorithm For the ultrafast laser pulse measurement technique see Frequency-resolved optical gating. for differences between alligators and crocodiles please see Crocodilia An Alligator is a Crocodilian in the Genus A toad can refer to a number of Species of Amphibians in the order Anura. The most popular freshwater game fish are trout, bream, bass, and catfish, all but the last of which are produced in state hatcheries for restocking. Trout is the common name given to a number of Species of Freshwater Fish belonging to the Salmonidae family Bream is a general term for a number of species of Freshwater and marine Fish, mainly but not exhaustively drawn from the genera Bass (ˈbæs is a name shared by many different species of popular Gamefish. Catfish ( order Siluriformes) are a very diverse group of bony Fish. Dolphins, porpoises, whales, shrimp, oysters, and blue crabs are found off the Georgia coast. ^[5]

Climate

Main article: Climate of Georgia (U.S. state)

Map of Georgia

The majority of Georgia is primarily a humid subtropical climate tempered somewhat by occasional polar air masses in the winter. The Climate of Georgia is typical of a Humid subtropical climate with most of the state having mild winters and hot summers Humid subtropical climate ( Köppen Cfa or Cwa) is a climate zone characterized by hot humid summers and chilly to mild winters Hot and humid summers are typical, except at the highest elevations. The entire state, including the north Georgia mountains, receives moderate to heavy precipitation, which varies from 45 inches (1143 mm) in central Georgia^[6] to approximately 75 inches (1905 mm) around the Northeast part of the state. The Georgia Mountains Region or North Georgia mountains is an area that starts in the northeast corner of Georgia, United States, and spreads in a westerly ^[7] The degree to which the weather of a certain area of Georgia is subtropical depends not just on the latitude, but also on how close it is to the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf of Mexico and the altitude. The Gulf of Mexico ( Spanish: Golfo de México) is the ninth largest Body of water in the world This is especially true in the mountainous areas in the northern part of the state, which are further away from ocean waters and can be up to 4500 feet (1350 m) or higher above sea level.

The areas near the Florida/Georgia border, extending from the entire Georgia coastline west to the Florida panhandle, experiences the most subtropical weather, similar to that of Florida: hot, humid summers with frequent afternoon thunderstorms and mild, somewhat drier winters. These areas experience snow much less frequently than other parts of Georgia. The Georgia Piedmont area is somewhat cooler in winter than the coastal areas. The southern areas of the Piedmont may receive snow every other year, while areas close to the foothills get snow several times a year. This part of Georgia is especially vulnerable to ice storms. Freezing rain is a type of precipitation that begins as Snow at higher altitude falling from a Cloud towards earth melts completely on its way down while passing The mountains of Georgia have the coolest climate and most frequent snowfall in the state, although snowfall is less than any other part of the Appalachian Mountains.

In spite of having moderate weather compared to many other states, Georgia has occasional extreme weather. The highest temperature ever recorded is 112 °F (44. 4 °C),^[8] while the lowest ever recorded is -17 °F (-27. 2 °C). ^[9] Georgia is one of the leading states in incidents of tornadoes. The areas closest to the Florida border get the same small F0 and F1 tornadoes associated with summer afternoon thunderstorms. The Fujita scale ( F-Scale) or Fujita-Pearson scale, is a scale for rating Tornado intensity based on the damage tornadoes inflict on human-built structures However, it is very uncommon for tornadoes to become severe (over F3). A tornado hit downtown Atlanta, Georgia on Friday March 14, 2008 causing moderate to severe damage due to all the broken glass on the skyscrapers. As of April 10th parts of Peachtree Street, the main thourghfare in Atlanta, is still closed because of the damage. The SEC basketball tournament and a few conventions were ongoing at the time of impact and some injuries occurred due to the amount of people downtown. As it is on the Atlantic coast, Georgia is also vulnerable to hurricanes, although the Georgia coastline only rarely experiences a direct hurricane strike. A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a low pressure center and numerous Thunderstorms that produce strong winds and Flooding More common are hurricanes which strike the Florida panhandle, weaken over land, and bring strong tropical storm winds and heavy rain to the Georgia interior, as well as hurricanes that come close to the Georgia coastline, brushing the coast on their recurvature on the way up to hit The Carolinas. A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a low pressure center and numerous Thunderstorms that produce strong winds and Flooding The Carolinas is a term used in the United States to refer collectively to the states of North and South Carolina.

In 2006 and 2007, however, Georgia has had severe droughts, especially in 2007. Temperatures over 100 degrees have been recorded.

Protected lands

Main article: Protected areas of Georgia (U.S. state)

Georgia is home to 63 parks, 48 of which are state parks and 15 that are historic sites, and numerous state wildlife preserves, under the supervision of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Federal level protected areas Georgia's federally protected areas are managed by agencies within the United States Department of the Interior. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources is an administrative agency of the U ^[10] Other historic sites and parks are supervised by the National Park Service and include the Andersonville National Historic Site in Andersonville; Appalachian National Scenic Trail; Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area near Atlanta; Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park at Fort Oglethorpe; Cumberland Island National Seashore near Saint Marys; Fort Frederica National Monument on St. Simons Island; Fort Pulaski National Monument in Savannah; Jimmy Carter National Historic Site near Plains; Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park near Kennesaw; Martin Luther King Jr National Historic Site in Atlanta; Ocmulgee National Monument at Macon; Trail of Tears National Historic Trail. The National Park Service ( NPS) is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation The Andersonville prison, officially known as Camp Sumter was the largest Confederate Military prison during the American Civil War. Andersonville is a city in Sumter County, Georgia, United States. The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply The A Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area preserves a series of sites between Atlanta Georgia and Lake Sidney Lanier along the Chattahoochee River Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, located in northern Georgia and eastern Tennessee, preserves the sites of two major battles of the American Fort Oglethorpe is a city in Catoosa County in the US state of Georgia. Cumberland Island National Seashore preserves most of Cumberland Island in Camden County Georgia, the largest of Georgia's Golden Isles St Marys is a city in Camden County, Georgia, United States. The population was 13761 at the 2000 census Fort Frederica National Monument, on St Simons Island Georgia, preserves the archaeological remnants of a fort and town built by James Oglethorpe between 1736 St Simons is a Census-designated place (CDP located on St Simons Island in Glynn County, Georgia, United States. Fort Pulaski National Monument is located between Savannah and Tybee Island Georgia. Savannah is a city located in the state of Georgia, United States. The Jimmy Carter National Historic Site, located in Plains Georgia, preserves sites associated with James Earl "Jimmy" Carter Jr Plains is a city in Sumter County, Georgia, United States. The population was 637 at the 2000 census Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, at 905 Kennesaw Mountain Drive between Marietta and Kennesaw Georgia, preserves a Civil War battleground Kennesaw is a city in Cobb County, Georgia, United States. The population was 21675 at the 2000 census Martin Luther King Jr National Historic Site established on October 10, 1980, consists of several buildings surrounding Martin Luther King Jr Ocmulgee National Monument preserves traces of over ten millennia of native Southeastern culture including Mississippian mounds It is located on the eastern Macon is a city located in central Georgia, USA It is among the largest metropolitan areas in Georgia and the county seat of Bibb County. The Trail of Tears was the forced relocation of Native Americans from their homelands to Indian Territory (present day Oklahoma in the Western United States ^[11]

History

Main article: History of Georgia (U.S. state)

Early history

The local moundbuilder culture, described by Hernando de Soto in 1540, completely disappeared by 1560. The History of Georgia spans Pre-Columbian time to the present day Mound Builder is a general term referring to the American Indians who constructed various styles of earthen Mounds for burial residential and ceremonial purposes Early on, in the course of European exploration of the area, a number of Spanish explorers visited the inland region of Georgia. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.

The conflict between Spain and England over control of Georgia began in earnest in about 1670, when the English founded the Carolina colony in present-day South Carolina. The Kingdom of England was a State (927-1707 located in Western Europe dating from the ninth or tenth century to the early eighteenth century when it was legally The Province of Carolina from 1663 to 1712, was a North American British proprietary Colony, controlled by eight English noblemen Nearly a century earlier, the Spanish of Spanish Florida had established the missionary provinces of Guale and Mocama on the coast and Sea Islands of present-day Georgia. Spanish Florida ( Spanish: La Florida) refers to the Spanish Colony of Florida. Guale was a Native American Chiefdom that became part of Spanish Florida 's missionary system in the late 16th century Mocama was a Native American Chiefdom that became part of Spanish Florida 's missionary system in the late 16th century The Sea Islands are a chain of tidal and Barrier islands on the Atlantic Ocean coast of the United States. After decades of fighting, the Carolinians and allied Indians permanently destroyed the Spanish mission system during the invasions of 1702 and 1704. After 1704, Spanish control was limited to St. Augustine and Pensacola, both in nowaday's Florida. St Augustine is the County seat of St Johns County, Florida, in the United States. Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the County seat of Escambia County. The Florida peninsula was subjected to raids as far as the Florida Keys. The Florida Keys are an Archipelago of about 1700 islands in the southeast United States. The coast of Georgia was occupied by now British-allied Indians such as the Yamasee until the Yamasee War of 1715-1717, after which the region was depopulated, opening up the possibility of a new British colony. The Kingdom of Great Britain, also known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, was a State in northwest Europe, in existence from 1707 to 1800 The Yamasee were a Native American tribe that lived in coastal region of present-day northern Florida and southern Georgia near the Savannah River The Yamasee War (also spelled Yemassee War) ( 1715 - 1717) was a conflict between colonial South Carolina and various Native American Indian In 1724, it was first suggested the British colony there be called Province of Georgia in honor of King George II. The Province of Georgia (also Georgia Colony) was one of the Southern colonies in British North America. George II (George Augustus 10 November 1683 &ndash 25 October 1760 was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (

British interest in establishing a colony below South Carolina came from varied sources. Spanish Florida was a threat to South Carolina and a haven for runaway slaves. Spanish Florida ( Spanish: La Florida) refers to the Spanish Colony of Florida. The French in the 1720s established a fort near present-day Montgomery, Alabama, also a threat to British interests in the region. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Fortifications are Military Constructions and Buildings designed for defense in Warfare Humans have constructed defensive works for Montgomery (məntˈgəmɜriː is the Capital, second most populous city and the 4th most populous metropolitan area in the Southern U Traders from Charleston, South Carolina, had established trading posts as far west as the Ocmulgee River, near present-day Macon, Georgia. Charleston is a city in Charleston county in the US state of South Carolina. A trading post is a place where the trading of goods takes place The Ocmulgee River (ok-MUHL-gee is a tributary of the Altamaha River, approximately 255 mi (410 km long in the U Macon is a city located in central Georgia, USA It is among the largest metropolitan areas in Georgia and the county seat of Bibb County. The British trading network kept the Creek Indians allied with them; the French move threatened to wrest these Indians' trade away from the British. These strategic interests made the British government interested in establishing a new colony that would reinforce the British influence in the border country that had been open to Spanish and French penetration.

Meanwhile, many members of the British Parliament had become concerned about the plight of England's debtors. The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories A parliamentary committee investigated and reported on conditions in Britain's debtor prisons. A group of philanthropists organized themselves to establish a colony where the "worthy poor" of England could reestablish themselves as productive citizens. Philanthropy is the act of donating money goods services time and/or effort to support a socially beneficial cause with a defined objective and with no financial or material This goal was seen as both philanthropic, helping these distressed people, and patriotic, simultaneously relieving Britain of the burden of the imprisoned debtors and augmenting Britain's vital mercantile empire by planting new, industrious subjects to strengthen her trade. This goal went unfulfilled as Georgia was ultimately not settled by debtors or convicts.

In 1732, a group of these philanthropists were granted a royal charter as the Trustees of the Province of Georgia. They carefully selected the first group of colonists to send to the new colony. On 12 February 1733, 113 settlers landed in the Anne at what was to become the city of Savannah. Events 1429 - English Forces under Sir John Fastolf defend a supply convoy carrying rations to the army besieging Orleans from attack by the Year 1733 ( MDCCXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Savannah is a city located in the state of Georgia, United States. This day is now known as Georgia Day, which is not a public holiday but is mainly observed in schools and by some local civic groups. Georgia Day is the Holiday which the US state of Georgia recognizes in honor of its colonial founding as the Province of Georgia Lists of holidays The words holiday or vacation have related meanings in different English-speaking countries and continents but will usually refer to one of James Edward Oglethorpe, one of the trustees of the colony, traveled with the first group of colonists, laid out the design of the town of Savannah, and acted as governor of the colony, although technically under the trustees there was no "governor. James Oglethorpe (December 22 1696 &ndash June 30 1785 was a British general a Philanthropist, and was the founder of the colony of Georgia. " Oglethorpe acted as the only trustee present in the colony. When he returned to Britain, a series of disputes ended his tenure governing the colony; Georgia was then led by a series of presidents named by the trustees. In 1752, after the government failed to renew subsidies that had helped support the colony, the Trustees turned over control to the crown. TalkCommonewalth realm.--> The monarchy Georgia became a crown colony, with a governor appointed by the British king. The British Overseas Territories are fourteen territories that are under the Sovereignty of the United Kingdom, but which do not form part of the United Kingdom ^[12]

Georgia was one of the thirteen colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution by signing the 1776 Declaration of Independence, despite a large population of people loyal to the crown. The Province of Georgia (also Georgia Colony) was one of the Southern colonies in British North America. The Kingdom of Great Britain, also known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, was a State in northwest Europe, in existence from 1707 to 1800 In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" The United States Declaration of Independence is a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4 1776 announcing that the thirteen American colonies then During the war, nearly one-third of the slaves, more than 5,000 enslaved African Americans, exercised their desire for independence by escaping and joining British forces, where they were promised freedom. Some went to Great Britain or the Caribbean; others were resettled in Canada provinces. ^[13] Other estimates show an even greater impact from the war, when slaves escaped during the disruption. "The sharp decline between 1770 and 1790 in the proportion of the population made up of blacks (almost all of whom were slaves) [went] from 45. 2 percent to 36. 1 percent in Georgia. "^[14]

Following the war, Georgia became the fourth state of the United States of America after ratifying the United States Constitution on 2 January 1788. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme Law of the United States. Events 366 - The Alamanni cross the frozen Rhine River in large numbers invading the Roman Empire. Year 1788 ( MDCCLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap Georgia established its first state constitution in 1777. The state established new constitutions in 1788, 1799, 1861, 1865, 1868, 1877, 1945, 1976, and 1983, for a total of 10 — more constitutions than any other state, except for Louisiana, which has had 11.

Confederate history

Main article: Georgia (U.S. state) in the American Civil War

On January 18, 1861, Georgia joined the Confederacy and became a major theater of the American Civil War. On January 18, 1861, Georgia seceded from the Union, keeping the name "State of Georgia" and joined the newly-formed Confederacy Events 350 - Generallus Magnentius deposes Roman Emperor Constans and proclaims himself Emperor Year 1861 ( MDCCCLXI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Confederate States of America (also called the Confederacy, the Confederate States, and CSA) formed as the government set up from 1861 In Warfare a theater or theatre is defined as a specific geographical area of conduct of armed conflict bordered by areas where no combat is taking place Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South Major battles took place at Chickamauga, Kennesaw Mountain, and Atlanta. Kennesaw Mountain is a Mountain between Marietta and Kennesaw, Georgia in the United States. 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. Sherman's March to the Sea is the name commonly given to the Savannah Campaign conducted in late 1864 by Maj This event served as the historical background for the 1936 novel Gone with the Wind and the 1939 film of the same name. This is about the 1936 American Novel. For the film see Gone with the Wind (film Gone with the Wind is a 1936 American Gone with the Wind is a 1939 American dramatic - romantic - War film adapted from Margaret Mitchell 's 1936 On July 15, 1870, following Reconstruction, Georgia became the last former Confederate state to be readmitted to the Union. Events 1099 - First Crusade: Christian soldiers take the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem after the final Year 1870 ( MDCCCLXX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

Capitals

Georgia has had five official state capitals: colonial Savannah, which later alternated with Augusta; then for a decade at Louisville (pronounced Lewis-ville), and from 1806 through the American Civil War, at Milledgeville. Washington DC has been the capital of the United States since 1800 Augusta Georgia is a city in Richmond County, Georgia, United States. Louisville is a town in Jefferson County, Georgia, United States. Milledgeville is a town in and the County seat of Baldwin County in the U In 1868, Atlanta became the fifth capital of the state. The state's legislature also met at other temporary sites, including Macon, especially during the Civil War. The Georgia General Assembly is the state legislature of the U Macon is a city located in central Georgia, USA It is among the largest metropolitan areas in Georgia and the county seat of Bibb County.

Cities

Downtown Atlanta, Georgia

Savannah, Georgia

See also: Georgia census statistical areas

The largest city, Atlanta, is located in north-central Georgia, atop a ridge southeast of the Chattahoochee River. Downtown Atlanta is the first and largest of the three financial districts in the city of Atlanta. Savannah is a city located in the state of Georgia, United States. The United States Census Bureau has defined 5 Combined Statistical Areas (CSAs 15 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs and 24 Micropolitan Statistical A ridge is a geological feature that features a continuous elevational crest for some distance The Chattahoochee River runs from the Chattahoochee Spring in the Appalachian Mountains of northeastern Georgia, near the Carolinas to the southwestward The Atlanta metropolitan area has a population of 5,138,223 (2006 census estimate), though the city proper has less than 500,000 people. The city is the central city of the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Gainesville, Ga. -Ala. combined statistical area. ^[15]

The state of Georgia has twenty metropolitan and micropolitan areas with populations above fifty-thousand. A metropolitan area is a large population center consisting of a large Metropolis and its adjacent zone of influence or of more than one closely adjoining neighboring central Table of United States Micropolitan Statistical Areas|Table of United States Core Based Statistical Areas United States Micropolitan Statistical Areas (µSA where the initial Greek letter In descending order, they are Atlanta, Augusta, Savannah, Columbus, Macon, Athens, Gainesville, Albany, Dalton, Warner Robins, Valdosta, Brunswick, Rome, Hinesville, LaGrange, Statesboro, Dublin, Milledgeville, Waycross, and Calhoun. Augusta Georgia is a city in Richmond County, Georgia, United States. Savannah is a city located in the state of Georgia, United States. Columbus is a City in Muscogee County, Georgia, United States. Macon is a city located in central Georgia, USA It is among the largest metropolitan areas in Georgia and the county seat of Bibb County. Athens-Clarke County is a unified city-county in Georgia, US, in the northeastern part of the state at the intersection of U Gainesville is a city in Hall County in Georgia, United States of America. Albany is a city in and the County seat of Dougherty County, Georgia, United States, in the southwestern part of the state Dalton is a city in Whitfield County, Georgia, United States It is the County seat of Whitfield County and the principal city of the Dalton Warner Robins is the 7th largest City in the US state of Georgia, located primarily in Houston County with a small portion in Peach County Valdosta is the County seat of Lowndes County Georgia, United States. Brunswick (ˌbrʌnswɪk is a city in the US state of Georgia and the County seat of Glynn County. Nestled in the Foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Rome is the largest City and the County seat of Floyd County Georgia, Hinesville is a city in Liberty County, Georgia, United States. LaGrange is a City in Troup County, Georgia, United States. It is named after the country estate near Paris of the Marquis de Statesboro is a city in southeast Georgia, United States, and is the County seat and most populous city of Bulloch County. Dublin is a city in Laurens County, Georgia, United States. The population was 15857 at the 2000 census Milledgeville is a town in and the County seat of Baldwin County in the U Waycross is the county seat of and only incorporated city in Ware County in the U Calhoun is a City in Gordon County, Georgia, United States. The Population was 10667 at the 2000 census. ^[16]

Ten largest cities

• Atlanta - 498,109 people
• Augusta - 195,182 people
• Columbus - 188,660 people
• Savannah - 128,500 people
• Athens - 111,580 people
• Macon - 97,606 people
• Sandy Springs - 85,771 people
• Roswell - 79,334 people
• Albany - 76,939 people
• Johns Creek - 62,049 people

Demographics

In 2006, Georgia had an estimated population of 9,363,941 which was an increase of 231,388 from the previous year, and an increase of 1,177,125 since 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 438,939 people (that is 849,414 births minus 410,475 deaths) and an increase from net migration of 606,673 people into the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 228,415 people, and migration within the country produced a net increase of 378,258 people.

As of 2006, Georgia is the 9th most populous state. Its population has grown 44. 5% (2,885,725) since 1990, making it one of the fastest-growing states in the country. Beginning with the 1990s, Georgia took over as the fastest-growing state in the South with a 26% population increase during the decade, surpassing its neighbor Florida which had held the title for every decade in the 20th century prior to the 90s. More than half of the state's population lives in the Atlanta metro area. Nineteen Georgia counties were among the 100 fastest growing counties from 2004 to 2005. ^[17] The center of population of Georgia is located in Butts County, in the city of Jackson. In Demographics, the center of population of a region is the geographical point nearest to all the inhabitants of that region on average Butts County is a County located in the US state of Georgia. It was created on December 24 1825 Jackson is a city in Butts County, Georgia, United States. The population was 3934 at the 2000 census ^[18]

Georgia Population Density Map

Race, language, and age

According to the U. S census, Georgia's population is as follows: 62% White, 28. White is a Color, the perception which is evoked by Light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive Cone cells in the Human eye 1% African-American, 2. African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa 1% Asian American, 1. Asian Americans are Americans of Asian ancestry. They include sub-ethnic groups such as Chinese Americans Filipino Americans Indian 2% mixed, and 6% are Hispanics or Latino (of any race). Hispanic (hispano hispánico hispânico Hispānus adjective from ''Hispānia'', the Roman name for the Iberian Peninsula) is a term that historically As of 2005, 90% of Georgia residents age 5 and older speak only English at home and 5. 6% speak Spanish. French is the third most spoken language at 0. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people 9%, followed by German at 0. The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. 8% and Vietnamese at 0. Vietnamese ( tiếng Việt, or less commonly Việt ngữ) formerly known under French colonization as Annamese ( see Annam) 6%. As of 2004, 7. 7% of its population was reported as under 5 years of age, 26. 4% under 18, and 9. 6% were 65 or older. Also as of 2004, females made up approximately 50. 6% of the population and African Americans made up approximately 29. 6%.

Historically, about half of Georgia's population was composed of African Americans who, prior to the Civil War, were almost exclusively enslaved. The Great Migration of hundreds of thousands of blacks from the rural South to the industrial North from 1914-1970 reduced the African American population. See also Second Great Migration (African American The Great Migration was the movement of approximately seven million African-Americans out of the This population has since increased, with some African Americans returning to the state for new job opportunities. ^[19] Today, African Americans remain the most populous race in many rural counties in middle, east-central, southwestern, and Low Country Georgia, as well as in the city of Atlanta and in most of its suburbs. According to census estimates, Georgia ranks fourth among the states in terms of the percent of the total population that is African American.

As of 2005, approximately 2. 7% of Georgia's population was Asian American. Asian Americans are Americans of Asian ancestry. They include sub-ethnic groups such as Chinese Americans Filipino Americans Indian Georgia is the nation's third-fastest growing area for Asians, behind only Nevada and North Carolina. Asian buying power in the state was $8. 1 billion this year, up from $1. 1 billion in 1990, according to statistics from the University of Georgia's Selig Center for Economic Growth.

White Georgians, like other Southerners, usually describe their ancestry on the census questionnaire as "American", "United States", or simply "Southern". The colonial settlement of large numbers of Scots-Irish Americans in the mountains and piedmont, and coastal settlement by English Americans and African Americans, have strongly influenced the state's culture in food, language and music. Scotch-Irish (the historically common term in North America) or Scots-Irish refers to inhabitants of the United States and by some of Canada English Americans (occasionally known as Anglo -Americans although this may have a wider cultural meaning are Citizens of the United States whose ancestry

The concentration of Africans imported to coastal areas in the 18th century repeatedly from rice growing regions of West Africa led to the development of Gullah-Geechee language and culture in the Low Country among African Americans. The Gullah are African Americans who live in the Low Country region of South Carolina and Georgia, which includes both the coastal plain and the They share a unique heritage in which African traditions of food, religion and culture were continued more than in some other areas. In the creolization of Southern culture, their foodways became an integral part of all Southern cooking in the Low Country. ^[20]

Religion

Like most other Southern states, Georgia is largely Protestant Christian. The religious affiliations of the people of Georgia are as follows:^[21]

• Protestant – 38%
  • Baptist – 16%
  • Methodist – 12%
  • Presbyterian – 3%
  • Pentecostal – 3%
• Roman Catholic – 12%
• Other Religions – 3%
  • Non-Religious – 13%

Georgia shares its Protestant heritage with much of the Southeastern United States. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Baptist is a term describing individuals belonging to a Baptist church or a Baptist denomination. Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations Presbyterianism is a family of Christian denominations within the Reformed branch of Protestant Western Christianity Pentecostalism is a renewalist religious movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on the direct personal experience of God through the Baptism Roman Catholicism in the United States has grown dramatically over the country's history from being a tiny minority faith during the time of the Thirteen Colonies However, the number of Roman Catholics is growing in the state because of the influx of Northeasterners resettling in the Atlanta metro area and also because of large Hispanic immigration into the state. Hispanic (hispano hispánico hispânico Hispānus adjective from ''Hispānia'', the Roman name for the Iberian Peninsula) is a term that historically

Georgia's Jewish community dates to the settlement of 42 mostly Sephardic Portuguese Jews in Savannah in 1733. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Sephardi Jews ( Hebrew: ספרדי, Standard Səfardi Tiberian Səp̄arədî; plural Atlanta also has a large, old, and established Jewish community.

Economy

Savannah's River Street is a popular destination among tourists visiting coastal Georgia.

Map showing land use in Georgia

Georgia's 2006 total gross state product was $380 billion. Gross state product (or gross regional product) is a measurement of the economic output of a state or Province. ^[22] Its per capita personal income for 2005 put it 10th in the nation at $40,155. Total personal income is defined by the United States ' Bureau of Economic Analysis as income received by persons from all sources If Georgia were a stand-alone country, it would be the 28th largest economy in the world. ^[23]

There are 15 Fortune 500 companies and 26 Fortune 1000 companies with headquarters in Georgia, including such names as Home Depot, UPS, Coca Cola, Delta Air Lines, AFLAC, Southern Company, and SunTrust Banks. Georgia has over 1,700 internationally headquartered facilities representing 43 countries, employing more than 112,000 Georgians with an estimated capital investment of $22. 7 billion.

Agriculture and industry

Georgia's agricultural outputs are poultry and eggs, pecans, peaches, peanuts, rye, cattle, hogs, dairy products, turfgrass, and vegetables. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture Poultry is the category of Domesticated Birds which some humans keep for the purpose of collecting their eggs, or kill for their Meat and/or An egg is a round or oval body laid by the female of many animals consisting of an Ovum surrounded by layers of Membranes and an outer casing which acts to nourish The Pecan ( Carya illinoinensis, commonly misspelled illinoensis) is a species of Hickory, native to south-central North America The peach ( Prunus persica) is a species of Prunus native to China that bears an edible juicy fruit also called a peach The peanut, or Groundnut ( Arachis hypogaea) is a species in the Legume family Fabaceae native to South America, Mexico Rye ( Secale cereale) is a grass grown extensively as a grain and forage crop Cattle, colloquially referred to as cows, are domesticated Ungulates a member of the Subfamily Bovinae of the family Pigs, also called hogs or' swine', are Ungulates which have been domesticated as sources of food leather and similar products since ancient times Dairy products are generally defined as Foodstuffs produced from Milk. A lawn is an area of recreational or amenity land planted with grass, and sometimes Clover and other plants which are maintained at a low even height The term " vegetable " generally means the edible parts of Plants The definition of the word is traditional rather than Scientific, however Its industrial outputs are textiles and apparel, transportation equipment, food processing, paper products, chemical products, electric equipment. A textile is a flexible material comprised of a network of natural or artificial Fibres often referred to as thread or Yarn. Clothing (also called clothes, accoutrements, accouterments, or habiliments) protects the Human body from extreme Weather Transport or transportation is the movement of people and goods from one place to another Paper is thin material mainly used for writing upon printing upon or packaging A chemical substance is a Material with a definite chemical composition. Tourism also makes an important contribution to the economy. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel Georgia is home to the Granite Capital of the World (Elberton). Elberton is the largest city in Elbert County, Georgia, United States. Atlanta has been the site of enormous growth in real estate, service, and communications industries.

Atlanta has a very large effect on the state of Georgia and the Southeastern United States. The city is an ever growing addition to communications, industry, transportation, tourism, and government. Food is also a major industry in Georgia.

Industry in Georgia is now quite diverse. Major products in the mineral and timber industry include a variety of pines, clays, stones, and sands. Textile industry is located around the cities of Rome, Columbus, Augusta, and Macon. Atlanta is a leading center of tourism, transportation, communications, government, and industry. Some industries there include automobile and aircraft manufacturing, food and chemical processing, printing, publishing, and large corporations. Some of the corporations headquartered in Atlanta are: Arby's, Chick-fil-A, The Coca-Cola Company, Georgia Pacific, Hooters, ING Americas, Cox, and Delta Air Lines. Arby's is a Fast food Restaurant chain in the United States and Canada that is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wendy's/Arby's Group Chick-fil-A (pronounced) is a Restaurant chain headquartered in Atlanta Georgia, that specializes in chicken Entrees It is the second-biggest The Coca-Cola Company ( is the world's largest beverage company largest manufacturer distributor and marketer of non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and Syrups in the world Financial Hooters is the trade name of two privately held American Restaurant chains Hooters of America Incorporated based in Atlanta Georgia, and Hooters Delta Air Lines Inc ( is a United States Airline based and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Major corporations in other parts of the state include: Aflac, CareSouth, Home Depot, Newell Rubbermaid, Primerica Financial Services, United Parcel Service, Waffle House and Zaxby's. Aflac () sells supplemental health and life insurance in the United States and Japan CareSouth Health System Inc, also known as CareSouth Health or CareSouth, is a private American Healthcare Company that provides The Home Depot ( is an American Retailer of Home improvement and construction products and services Primerica Financial Services (PFS is a financial services company and is headquartered in Duluth, Georgia. United Parcel Service Inc ( commonly referred to as UPS, is one of the world's largest Package delivery companies Waffle House is a Restaurant chain with over 1500 stores found in 25 states in the United States. Zaxby's is a franchised chain of Fast casual restaurants that operates primarily in the Southeastern United States.

Several United States military installations are located in Georgia including Fort Stewart, Hunter Army Airfield, Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Fort Benning, Moody Air Force Base, Robins Air Force Base, Naval Air Station Atlanta, Fort McPherson, Fort Gillem, Fort Gordon, Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany and Dobbins Air Reserve Base. Fort Stewart is a Census-designated place and US Army post primarily in Liberty County, Georgia, but also occupying significant portions of Hunter Army Airfield, located in Savannah Georgia, United States, is a military airfield and subordinate installation to Fort Stewart. Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay is a base of the United States Navy in Camden County, in southeast Georgia. Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southwest Moody Air Force Base is a United States Air Force installation located in Lowndes County, about northeast of Valdosta, Georgia, United Robins Air Force Base is a major United States Air Force base located in Houston County, Georgia, United States. Naval Air Station Atlanta (NAS Atlanta is a military airport located south of Marietta Georgia. See also Fort McPherson Northwest Territories Fort McPherson is a U Fort Gillem is a US Army Military base located in Forest Park Georgia, on the southeast edge of Atlanta. Fort Gordon (formerly known as Camp Gordon) is a United States Army Installation and the current home of the United States Army Signal Corps and Signal Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany is a United States Marine Corps base located in Albany Georgia. However, due to the latest round of BRAC cuts, Forts Gillem and McPherson will be closing and NAS Atlanta will be transferred to the Georgia National Guard. Base Realignment and Closure (or BRAC) is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed The Georgia National Guard consists of the Georgia Army National Guard Georgia Air National Guard

Energy use and production

Georgia's electricity generation and consumption are among the highest in the United States, with coal being the primary electrical generation of fuel. However, the state also has two nuclear power plants which contribute one fourth of Georgia's electricity generation. The leading area of energy consumption is the industrial sector due to the fact that Georgia "is a leader in the energy-intensive wood and paper products industry". ^[24]

State taxes

Georgia's personal income tax ranges from 1% to 6% within six tax brackets. Tax brackets are the divisions at which Tax rates change in a Progressive tax system (or an explicitly Regressive tax system although this is much rarer There is a 4% state sales tax, which is not applied to prescription drugs, certain medical devices, and groceries. A sales tax is a Consumption tax charged at the Point of purchase for certain goods and services A prescription drug is a licensed medicine that is regulated by legislation to require a prescription before it can be obtained A grocery store is a store established primarily for the Retailing of Food. Each county may add up to a 2% SPLOST. In the US state of Georgia, a special-purpose local-option sales tax ( SPLOST) can be levied by any County, for the purpose of Counties participating in MARTA have another 1%; MARTA is the only major metropolitan rapid transit authority in the U. A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway or metro(politan system is an electric passenger railway S. not to receive state funding. The city of Atlanta (in two counties, roughly 90% in Fulton and 10% in Dekalb) has the only city sales tax (1%, total 8%) for fixing its aging sewers. Local taxes are almost always charged on groceries but never prescriptions. Up to 1% of a SPLOST can go to homestead exemptions (the HOST). Homestead exemption is a legal regime designed to protect the value of the homes of residents from Property taxes, Creditors and circumstances arising from the death All taxes are collected by the Georgia Department of Revenue and then properly distributed according to any agreements that each county has with its cities.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Georgia (U.S. state)

Fine and performing arts

Georgia's major fine art museums include the Georgia Museum of Art, the High Museum of Art, the Michael C. Carlos Museum, the Morris Museum of Art and the Oglethorpe University Museum of Art. The Culture of Georgia is a Subculture of the Southern United States that has come from blending heavy amounts of rural Scots-Irish The High Museum of Art is a leading art museum in the Southeastern United States. The Michael C Carlos Museum is administered by Emory University on its campus in DeKalb County near Atlanta Georgia. The Morris Museum of Art in Augusta Georgia, is an art Museum adjacent to the Augusta Riverwalk and the Savannah River. ^[25] The Atlanta Opera is a full time company that brings opera to Georgia stages. Opera in Atlanta has a long and uneven history The first shows performed in Atlanta predate the Civil War and were primarily performed in makeshift facilities modified for the ^[26] The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra is the most widely recognized orchestra and largest arts organization in the southeastern United States. The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra ( ASO) is an American Orchestra based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA The US Southeast is the eastern portion of the Southern United States, but the Census Bureau does not provide a standard definition of a "Southeast" region ^[27] Moreover, almost all of the universities, colleges, and junior colleges in Atlanta provide some musical instruction. ^[28]

Literature

Georgia literature is distinct among the literature of other places in the world in its historical and geographical context and the values it imparts. Dramas such as the play (on which a successful movie was also based) Driving Miss Daisy are one example of Georgia's literary culture. Drama is the specific mode of Fiction represented in Performance. Driving Miss Daisy is a 1989 film adapted from the Alfred Uhry play of the same title for Warner Brothers. The most popular and famous novel has probably been Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind, also the basis of a wildly successful movie. Margaret Munnerlyn Mitchell Marsh ( November 8 1900 – August 16 1949) popularly known as Margaret Mitchell was an American This is about the 1936 American Novel. For the film see Gone with the Wind (film Gone with the Wind is a 1936 American Other authors who challenged popular ideas were Carson McCullers and Flannery O'Connor. Carson McCullers ( February 19, 1917 &ndash September 29, 1967) was an American Writer. Mary Flannery O'Connor ( March 25 1925 &ndash August 3 1964) was an American Novelist, Short-story Contemporary authors such as Alice Walker have also used Georgia's complex past as subjects for fiction, as in her The Color Purple. Alice Malsenior Walker (born February 9 1944 is an American Author, self-declared Feminist and Womanist - the latter a term she herself The Color Purple is an acclaimed 1982 Epistolary novel by American author Alice Walker.

Georgia's poets, such as James Dickey and Sidney Lanier, and nonfiction writers like humorist Lewis Grizzard also have a place in the state's literary life. James Dickey ( February 2, 1923 – January 19, 1997) was a popular United States Poet and Novelist. Sidney Lanier ( February 3, 1842 – September 7, 1881) was an American Musician and Poet. Non-fiction is an account or representation of a subject which is presented as Fact. Lewis McDonald Grizzard Jr ( October 20, 1946 - March 20, 1994) was an American writer and Humorist, known for his Southern ^[29]

Entertainment

Music

Main article: Music of Georgia (U.S. state)

Music in Georgia ranges from folk music to rhythm and blues, rock and roll, country music and hip hop. Georgia 's musical output includes Southern rap groups like Outkast and Goodie Mob, as well as a wide variety of rock pop and country artists such as Folk music can have a number of different meanings including Traditional music: The original meaning of the term "folk music" was synonymous Rock and roll (also known as rock 'n' roll) is a form of Music that evolved in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s with roots in mostly African Country music is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains. Hip hop is a cultural movement which developed in New York City in the 1970s primarily among African Americans and Latinos. The Georgia Music Hall of Fame, located in Macon is the state's museum of music. Macon is a city located in central Georgia, USA It is among the largest metropolitan areas in Georgia and the county seat of Bibb County. Georgia's folk musical traditions include important contributions to the Piedmont blues, shape note singing and African American music. The Piedmont blues (also known as Piedmont fingerstyle or East Coast' blues) is a type of Blues music characterized by a unique fingerpicking method on the Shape notes are a music notation designed to facilitate congregational singing African American music (also called black music) is an umbrella term given to a range of Music and Musical genres emerging from or influenced by the The Sacred Harp, compiled and produced by Georgians Benjamin Franklin White and Elisha J. King, was published in 1844. The Sacred Harp system use notes expressed with shapes to make it easy for people to learn to sight-read music and performed complex pieces without a lot of training. ^[30]

The city of Athens, Georgia, home to the University of Georgia has been a fertile field for alternative rock bands since the late 1970s. Notable bands from Athens include R.E.M.,^[31] The B-52s, Widespread Panic, Drive-By Truckers, as well as bands from the Elephant 6 Recording Company most notably Neutral Milk Hotel. REM is an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by Michael Stipe ( lead vocals) Peter Buck ( Guitar The B-52's originated as a New Wave Rock band formed in Athens Georgia, United States, in 1976 Widespread Panic is a rock 'n' roll band from Athens Georgia. Drive-By Truckers are a Rock band based in Athens Georgia, though three out of five members (Mike Cooley Patterson Hood and Shonna Tucker originally hail The Elephant 6 Recording Company (or simply Elephant 6) is a collective of American musicians who spawned some of the most notable independent bands of the 1990s including Neutral Milk Hotel was an American indie Folk band. The band's chief Songwriter, Jeff Mangum, played with a number of other

Rhythm and Blues is another important musical genre in Georgia. Augusta native James Brown and Macon native Little Richard, two important figures in R&B history, started performing in Georgia clubs on the Chitlin' Circuit, fused gospel music with blues and boogie-woogie to lay the foundations for R&B and soul music, and rank among the most iconic musicians of the 20th century. Augusta Georgia is a city in Richmond County, Georgia, United States. Rev Richard Wayne Penniman (born December 5 1932 better known by the Stage name Little Richard, is an American Singer, Songwriter The " chitlin' circuit " was the collective name given to the string of performance venues throughout the eastern and southern United States that were safe and acceptable Gospel music is Music that is written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life as well as (in terms of the varying music styles to The Blues is a vocal and instrumental form of Music based on the use of the Blue notes It emerged as an accessible form of self-expression Boogie-woogie is a style of Piano -based Blues that became very popular in the late 1930s and early 1940s but originated much earlier and was extended from piano Soul music is a Music genre that combines Rhythm and blues and Gospel music, originating in the United States. In the 1960s, Atlanta native Gladys Knight proved one of the most popular Motown recording artists, while Otis Redding, born in the small town of Dawson but raised in Macon, defined the grittier Southern soul sound of Memphis-based Stax Records. Gladys Maria Knight, "The Empress of Soul" (born May 28, 1944) is a seven-time Grammy Award -winning American "Motown" redirects here For the city see Detroit Michigan. Otis Ray Redding Jr ( September 9, 1941 December 10, 1967) was an American soul singer Dawson is a city in Terrell County, Georgia, United States. The population was 5058 at the 2000 census Southern soul is a type of Soul music that emerged from the Southern United States. Memphis is a City in the southwest corner of Tennessee, and the County seat of Shelby County. Stax Records is an American record label founded in 1957 originally based out of Memphis Tennessee. ^[32] Opera singer Jessye Norman is native to Augusta. Jessye Norman (born September 15, 1945) is a four time Grammy award winning African American opera singer ^[33]

Collective Soul, a hard rock band known for their song "Shine", are from Stockbridge, Georgia. Collective Soul is an American rock band from Stockbridge Georgia. " Shine " is the first hit single by Post-grunge band Collective Soul. Stockbridge is a city in Henry County, Georgia, United States.

Film

Hundreds of feature films have been located in Georgia. By 2007 more than $4 billion had been generated for the state's economy by the film and television industry since the 1970s. ^[34] Such films include Deliverance; Smokey and the Bandit; Driving Miss Daisy and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, with settings ranging from Appalachia to the manicured squares of Savannah. Deliverance is a 1972 Warner Bros motion picture drama directed by John Boorman. Smokey and the Bandit is a 1977 movie starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jackie Gleason, Jerry Reed, Pat McCormick Driving Miss Daisy is a 1989 film adapted from the Alfred Uhry play of the same title for Warner Brothers. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is a work by John Berendt. ^[34] Due to the success of Deliverance, as governor Jimmy Carter established a state film commission, now known as the Georgia Film, Video and Music Office, in 1973 to market Georgia as a shooting location for future projects. Deliverance is a 1972 Warner Bros motion picture drama directed by John Boorman. The commission had recruited more than 550 major projects to the state by 2007. ^[34] Actress Julia Roberts is one of the most well-known natives of Georgia.

Popular culture

Stereotypical Georgian traits include manners known as "Southern hospitality", a strong sense of community and shared culture, and a distinctive Southern dialect. A stereotype (from Greek: stereo + týpos = "solid impression" is a generalized perception of first impressions behaviors presumed by a group Southern hospitality is a phrase used in American English to describe the Stereotype (albeit a positive one that residents of the Southern United States The Culture of Georgia is a Subculture of the Southern United States that has come from blending heavy amounts of rural Scots-Irish Georgia's Southern heritage makes turkey and dressing a traditional holiday dish during both Thanksgiving and Christmas. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches In cooking stuffing or dressing (specifically for poultry is a substance used to fill a cavity in another food item Movies like Gone with the Wind and the book If I Ever Get Back to Georgia, I'm Gonna Nail My Feet to the Ground by Lewis Grizzard lampoon (and celebrate) Georgia culture, speech and mannerisms. Gone with the Wind is a 1939 American dramatic - romantic - War film adapted from Margaret Mitchell 's 1936 Lewis McDonald Grizzard Jr ( October 20, 1946 - March 20, 1994) was an American writer and Humorist, known for his Southern

Girl Scouting in the United States of America began on March 12, 1912 when Juliette "Daisy" Gordon Low organized the first Girl Scout troop meeting of 18 girls in Savannah, Georgia. Events 538 - Witiges, king of the Ostrogoths ends his siege of Rome and retreats to Ravenna, leaving Year 1912 ( MCMXII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting Juliette Gordon Low ( October 31, 1860 &ndash January 17, 1927) was an American youth leader and the founder of the Girl Savannah is a city located in the state of Georgia, United States.

Health care and education

Georgia Tech's Tech Tower

Anderson Hall at Savannah College of Art and Design

Health care

See also: List of hospitals in Georgia (U.S. state)

Georgians can find medical and dental care "via 151 general hospitals, more than 15,000 doctors and nearly 6,000 dentists. The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly known as Georgia Tech, or Tech, is a public, Coeducational Research university in The Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans Administration Building, commonly known as Tech Tower, is a historic building located at 225 The Savannah College of Art and Design ( SCAD) is a private college with campuses located in Savannah and Atlanta, GA List of Hospitals in Georgia (US state, sorted by hospital name "^[35] The state is ranked forty-first in the percentage of residents who engage in regular exercise. ^[36]

Education

See also: List of colleges and universities in Georgia (U.S. state), List of high schools in Georgia (U. The following is a list of Colleges and universities in the U S. state), and List of school districts in Georgia (U.S. state)

Georgia high schools (grades nine through twelve) are required to administer a standardized, multiple-choice End of Course Test, or EOCT, in each of eight core subjects including Algebra I, Geometry, U.S. History, Economics, Biology, Physical Science, Ninth Grade Literature and Composition, and American Literature and Composition. High school is the name used in some parts of the world (in particular Scotland, North America and Australia) to describe an institution A standardized test is a test administered and scored in a consistent manner For the 1974 John Wayne Crime drama movie see McQ. Multiple choice is a form of Assessment in which respondents The End of Course Test (EOCT is an academic assessment conducted in many states by the State Board of Education Algebra is a branch of Mathematics concerning the study of structure, relation, and Quantity. Geometry ( Greek γεωμετρία; geo = earth metria = measure is a part of Mathematics concerned with questions of size shape and relative position Economics is the social science that studies the production distribution, and consumption of goods and services. Foundations of modern biology There are five unifying principles Physical science is an encompassing term for the branches of Natural science and Science that study non-living systems in contrast to the biological sciences Literature is the Art of written works Literally translated the word means "acquaintance with letters" (from Latin littera letter The term Composition in written language refers to the process and study of creating written works or pieces of Literature. American literature refers to written or literary work produced in the area of the United States and Colonial America. The official purpose of the tests is to assess "specific content knowledge and skills. " Although a minimum test score is not required for the student to receive credit in the course, completion of the test is mandatory. The Carnegie Unit and the Student Hour (also called a Credit Hour) are strictly time-based references for measuring educational attainment used by American universities The EOCT score comprises 15% of a student's grade in the course. ^[37]

High school students must also receive passing scores on four Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT) and the Georgia High School Writing Assessment in order to receive a diploma. Subjects assessed include Mathematics, Science, Language Arts, and Social Studies. These tests are initially offered during students' eleventh-grade year, allowing for multiple opportunities to pass the tests before graduation at the end of twelfth grade. Graduation is the action of receiving or conferring an Academic degree or the associated ceremony ^[38]

Georgia is home to almost 70 public colleges, universities, and technical colleges in addition to over 45 private institutes of higher learning.

The HOPE scholarship, funded by the state lottery, is available to all Georgia residents who have graduated from high school with a 3. 0 or higher grade point average and who attend a public college or university in the state. The scholarship covers the cost of tuition and provides a stipend for books for up to 120 credit hours. If the student does not maintain a 3. 0 average while in college they may lose the scholarship in which case they will have the chance to get it back by bringing their grade point average above a 3. 0 within a period of 30 credit hours. This scholarship has had a significant impact on the state university system, increasing competition for admission and increasing the quality of education.

Transportation

Atlanta is still a major railroad hub for CSX and Norfolk Southern, in addition to being a major airport hub now as well; Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the principal airport for the state and it's only major one. This article is about the present railroad formed in 1990 For the former regional railroad in Virginia and North Carolina a small part of the new one see Norfolk Southern An airport is a location where Aircraft such as airplanes, Helicopters and blimps take off and land It is a Hub for AirTran Airways and Delta Air Lines. AirTran Airways is a low-cost Airline that is a Delaware corporation with headquarters in Orlando, Florida, USA and Delta Air Lines Inc ( is a United States Airline based and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the world's busiest passenger airport, serving over 84 million passengers in 2006. Several highways and short line railroads also traverse the state. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Before adding any more images to this * * page please do carefully consider * * whether they would be mere decoration * * or actually improve

Law and Government

Main article: Government of Georgia (U.S. state)

State government

The Georgia State Capitol Building in Atlanta with the distinctive gold dome. Interstate 16 (I-16 also known as Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway or State Route 404, is an intrastate Interstate highway located entirely Interstate 516 (I-516 is a 648 mile (1043 km long auxiliary Interstate highway near the southeastern Coastal Georgia city of Savannah as Interstate 520 (I-520 partly encircles Augusta, Georgia. I-520 is also known as Bobby Jones Expressway and unsigned State Route 415 Interstate 59 (I-59 is an Interstate highway in the southern United States. Interstate 24 (I-24 is an Interstate highway in the eastern United States. Interstate 75 (I-75 is a major north-south Interstate Highway in the midwest and southeastern United States. Interstate 475 (I-475 is an Interstate highway in Georgia splitting off of Interstate 75 and bypassing Macon Georgia. Interstate 575 (I-575 is an Interstate highway Spur route in the United States, which branches off Interstate 75 in Kennesaw and Interstate 85 (I-85 is an Interstate highway in the southeastern United States. Interstate 185 (I-185 is a 4930 mile (7934 km secondary interstate in western Georgia. Interstate 985 (I-985 is a long auxiliary Interstate Highway in Georgia. Interstate 95, the main Interstate Highway on the East coast of the United States, serves the Atlantic coast of Georgia Interstate 285 (I-285 is a Beltway Interstate highway encircling Atlanta Georgia, for 63 Interstate 3, the Third Infantry Division Highway, is a proposed Interstate Highway in the United States to run from Savannah Georgia Interstate 14 is a proposed interstate set to run from Natchez Mississippi or Alexandria Louisiana to Augusta Georgia or North Augusta South US Route 1 (US 1 is a major north-south US Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. US Route 301 is a spur of US Route 1 running through the South Atlantic States. US Route 11 is a north-south United States highway extending 1645 mile US Route 411 is a spur of US Route 11. It currently runs for 314 miles (505 km from U US Route 17 (also known as the Coastal Highway) is a north-south United States highway. US Route 19 is a north-south US Highway. Despite encroaching Interstate Highways the route has remained a long-haul route connecting Lake Erie with US Highway 319 is a spur of US 19. It runs for 318 miles (512 km from US 1 / State Route 4 in Wadley Georgia to the John Gorrie US Route 221 is a spur of US Route 21. It runs for 734 miles (1181 km from Lynchburg Virginia at U US Route 23 is a long north-south US highway between Jacksonville Florida, and Mackinaw City Michigan. US Route 123 is a spur of US Route 23. It currently runs for 87 miles (140 km from Greenville South Carolina to Dicks Hill Georgia at US Route 25 is a north-south US highway in the eastern United States of America that now connects Cincinnati Ohio, at the Ohio River to Brunswick US Route 27 ( US 27) is a north-south United States highway in the southern and midwestern United States. US Route 29 is a north-south United States highway that runs for 1036 miles (1667 km from the western suburbs of Baltimore Maryland, to Pensacola Florida US Route 129 is a spur of US Route 29. It currently runs for 582 miles (937 km from Knoxville Tennessee to Chiefland Florida at U US Route 41 is a north-south United States Highway that runs from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to Miami Florida. US Route 341 is a spur of US Route 41. It currently runs southeasterly for 226 miles (364 km from Barnesville Georgia at U US Route 441 is a Spur route of US Route 41. It currently runs for 939 Miles (1511 km) from U US Route 76 is an east-west United States highway that runs for 548 miles (882 km from southeastern North Carolina to Chattanooga Tennessee. US Highway 78 is an east-west United States highway that runs for 715 miles (1151 km from Memphis Tennessee, to Charleston South Carolina. US Route 278 is a spur of US Route 78. It currently runs for 1074 Miles (1728 km) from Hilton Head Island South Carolina to Wickes US Route 378 is a spur of US Route 78. It currently runs for 234 miles (377 km from Conway South Carolina at U US Route 80 is an east-west United States highway. As the "0" in the route number indicates it was originally a cross-country route from the Atlantic US Route 280 is a spur of US Highway 80. It currently runs for 392 miles (631 km from Blichton Georgia at U US Route 82 is an east-west United States highway in the southern United States US Route 84 is an east-west United States highway. It started as a short Georgia - Alabama route in the original 1926 scheme but now extends The state government of Georgia is the governmental body established by the Georgia State Constitution The Georgia State Capitol, in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States, is an architecturally and historically significant building

The capital of Georgia is Atlanta. As with all other U.S. States and the federal government, Georgia's government is based on the separation of legislative, executive and judicial power. A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government Separation of powers, a term ascribed to French Enlightenment Political philosopher Baron de Montesquieu, is a model for the Governance ^[39] Executive authority in the state rests with the governor, currently Sonny Perdue (until 2011) (Republican). A governor is a governing official usually the executive (at least nominally to different degrees also politically and administratively of a non-sovereign level of government George Ervin "Sonny" Perdue III (born December 20, 1946) is the governor of the U Perdue is the first Republican governor since Reconstruction. ^[40] (See List of governors of Georgia). Colonial governors James Oglethorpe, Resident Trustee, 1733 - 1743 ( Oglethorpe County) William Stephens, Both the governor and lieutenant governor are elected on separate ballots to four-year terms of office. A governor is a governing official usually the executive (at least nominally to different degrees also politically and administratively of a non-sovereign level of government A Lieutenant Governor is a high officer of state whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction Unlike the federal government, but like many other U. S. States, most of the executive officials who comprise the governor's cabinet are elected by the citizens of Georgia rather than appointed by the governor.

Legislative authority resides in the General Assembly, composed of the Senate and House of Representatives. The Georgia State Senate is the Upper house of the Georgia General Assembly (the state Legislature of Georgia) The Georgia House of Representatives is the Lower house of the Georgia General Assembly (the state Legislature) of Georgia The Lieutenant Governor presides over the Senate, while the House of Representatives selects their own Speaker. A Lieutenant Governor is a high officer of state whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction The Georgia Constitution mandates a maximum of 56 senators, elected from single-member districts, and a minimum of 180 representatives, apportioned among representative districts (which sometimes results in more than one representative per district); there are currently 56 senators and 180 representatives. The Constitution of the State of Georgia is the governing document of the U The term of office for senators and representatives is two years. ^[41]

State judicial authority rests with the state Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, which have statewide authority. This article refers to the highest court of the US state of Georgia for the highest court of the country of Georgia see Supreme Court of Georgia (country. The Georgia Court of Appeals is the intermediate-level Appellate court for the U ^[42] In addition, there are smaller courts which have more limited geographical jurisdiction, including State Courts, Superior Courts, Magistrate Courts and Probate Courts. Justices of the Supreme Court and judges of the Court of Appeals are elected statewide by the citizens in non-partisan elections to six-year terms. Judges for the smaller courts are elected by the state's citizens who live within that court's jurisdiction to four-year terms.

See also: List of governors of Georgia and Georgia elected officials

Local government

Georgia has 159 counties, the most of any state except Texas (with 254). Colonial governors James Oglethorpe, Resident Trustee, 1733 - 1743 ( Oglethorpe County) William Stephens, Elected officials serving the US state of Georgia: Senators Saxby Chambliss ( Republican) Johnny Isakson ( Republican A county is a Land area of Regional Government within a larger State. Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. ^[43] Before 1932, there were 161, with Milton and Campbell being merged into Fulton at the end of 1931. Milton County was a county of the US state of Georgia from 1857 to 1931 Campbell County Georgia was a county of the US state of Georgia from 1828 to 1931 Fulton County is a County located in the US state of Georgia. Counties have been named for prominent figures in both American and Georgian history. Counties in Georgia have their own elected legislative branch, usually called the Board of Commissioners, which usually also has executive authority in the county. A county is a Land area of Regional Government within a larger State. ^[44] Several counties have a Sole Commissioner government, with legislative and executive authority vested in a single person. A sole commissioner government is a County commission with only one seat Georgia is the only state with Sole Commissioner counties. Georgia's Constitution provides all counties and cities with "home rule" authority, and so the county commissions have considerable power to pass legislation within their county as a municipality would. Home rule refers to a demand that constituent parts of a state be given greater self-government within the greater administrative purview of the central government A municipality is an administrative entity composed of a clearly defined territory and its population and commonly denotes a City, Town, or Village, or

Further information: list of Georgia counties

Besides the counties, Georgia only defines cities as local units of government. The US state of Georgia is divided into 159 counties. Under the Georgia Constitution, counties are granted Home rule to deal with Every incorporated town, no matter how small, is legally a city. Georgia does not provide for townships or independent cities (though there is a movement in the Legislature to provide for townships) but does allow consolidated city-county governments by local referendum. A township in the United States refers to a small geographic area An independent city is a City that does not form part of another general-purpose Local government entity In American Local government, a consolidated city-county is a city and county that have been merged into one unified jurisdiction A referendum (plural referendums or referenda) ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita So far, only Columbus, Augusta, Athens, and Cusseta have done this. Columbus is a City in Muscogee County, Georgia, United States. Augusta Georgia is a city in Richmond County, Georgia, United States. Athens-Clarke County is a unified city-county in Georgia, US, in the northeastern part of the state at the intersection of U Cusseta is a city in Chattahoochee County, Georgia, United States. Conyers is studying possibly becoming consolidated with Rockdale County. Conyers is a the only city in Rockdale County, Georgia, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 10689 Rockdale County is a County located in the US state of Georgia. Recently, Savannah has consolidated its police department with the county police department and is currently studying possible consolidation with Chatham County. Police are agents or agencies usually of the executive, empowered to enforce the law and to effect public and social order through the legitimatized use of force Chatham County is a County located in the US state of Georgia.

There is no true metropolitan government in Georgia, though the Atlanta Regional Commission and Georgia Regional Transportation Authority do provide some services, and the ARC must approve all major land development projects in metro Atlanta. In American Local government, a consolidated city-county is a city and county that have been merged into one unified jurisdiction The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC is the regional planning and intergovernmental coordination agency for the Atlanta, Georgia region as defined as a 10-county area including The Georgia Regional Transportation Authority or GRTA ( Pronounced like the Name "Greta" is a Government agency in the U

Politics

Until recently, Georgia's state government had the longest unbroken record of single-party dominance of any state in the Union. This record was established partly by disfranchisement of most blacks and many poor whites in the early 20th century, lasting into the 1960s.

After Reconstruction, white Democrats regained power, especially by legal disfranchisement of most African Americans and many poor whites through erection of barriers to voter registration. Disenfranchisement or disfranchisement is the revocation of the right of Suffrage (the right to vote to a person or group of people or rendering a person's vote In 1900, shortly before Georgia adopted a disfranchising constitutional amendment in 1908, blacks comprised 47% of the state's population. ^[45] A "clean" franchise was linked by Progressives to electoral reform. ^[46] White, one-party rule was solidified. To escape the oppression, tens of thousands of black Georgians left the state, going north in the Great Migration for jobs, better education for their children and the chance to vote.

For over 130 years, from 1872 to 2003, Georgians only elected white Democratic governors, and white Democrats held the majority of seats in the General Assembly. Most of the Democrats elected throughout these years were Southern Democrats or Dixiecrats who were very conservative by national standards. The States' Rights Democratic Party (commonly known as the Dixiecrats) was a segregationist, socially conservative Political party This continued after the segregationist period, which ended legally in the 1960s. According to the 1960 census, the proportion of Georgia's population that was African American had decreased to 28%. ^[47] After civil rights legislation under President Johnson secured voting and civil rights in the mid-1960s, most African Americans in the South joined the Democratic Party.

During the 1960s and 1970s, Georgia made significant changes in civil rights, governance, and economic growth focused on Atlanta. It was a bedrock of the emerging "New South. New South or New South Creed is a phrase that has been used intermittently since the American Civil War to describe the American South, in whole or in part " This characterization was solidified with the election of former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter in 1976 to the U.S. Presidency. James Earl "Jimmy" Carter Jr (born October 1 1924 was the thirty-ninth President of the United States, serving from 1977 to 1981 and the recipient of the 2002 The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by

The political dominance of Democrats ended in 2003, when then-Governor Roy Barnes was defeated by Republican Sonny Perdue, a state legislator and former Democrat himself. Roy Eugene Barnes (born March 11 1948) was the Governor of the U George Ervin "Sonny" Perdue III (born December 20, 1946) is the governor of the U It was regarded as a stunning upset. While Democrats retained control of the State House, they lost their majority in the Senate when four Democrats switched parties. They lost the House in the 2004 election. Republicans now control all three partisan elements of the state government.

In recent years, many conservative Democrats, including former U. S. Senator and governor Zell Miller, have decided to support Republicans. Zell Bryan Miller (born February 24 1932 is an American Politician from the U The state's socially conservative bent results in wide support for such measures as restrictions on abortion. An One of the State's most conservative political figures of the past had been Cong. Larry McDonald. Lawrence Patton McDonald ( April 1 1935 – September 1 1983) was an American Politician and a member of the United

Lawrence Patton McDonald ( b. April 1, 1935), a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, represented the seventh congressional district of Georgia. He was onboard Korean Air Lines Flight 007 when it was shot down by Soviet interceptors just west of Sakhalin Island on Sept. Korean Air Lines Flight 007, also known as KAL 007, was a Korean Air Lines civilian Airliner shot down by Soviet jet interceptors 1, 1983. He was a cousin of General George S. Patton.

McDonald was consistent in a conservative voting record in Congress and one of the most outspoken opponents of Communism in Congress. He also opposed what he believed to be a conspiratorial attempt by powerful elements within U. S government and business circles to further a one world socialist society within America. A major highway in the state has been named after him

Even before 2003, the state had become increasingly supportive of Republicans in Presidential elections. It has supported a Democrat for president only three times since 1960. In 1976 and 1980, native son Jimmy Carter carried the state; in 1992, the former Arkansas governor Bill Clinton narrowly won the state. William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III, August 19 1946 served as the forty-second President of the United States Generally, Republicans are strongest in the predominantly white suburban (especially the Atlanta suburbs) and rural portions of the state[4]. Many of these areas were represented by conservative Democrats in the state legislature well into the 21st century. Democrats do best in the areas where black voters are most numerous[5], mostly in the cities (especially Atlanta) and the rural Black Belt region that travels through the central and southwestern portion of the state. The Black Belt is a region of the United States. Although the term originally describes the prairies and dark Soil of central Alabama and northeast

As of the 2001 reapportionment, the state has 13 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, which are currently held by 7 Republicans and 6 Democrats. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Apportionment is the process of allocating political power among a set of principles (or defined constituencies The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate.

See also: United States presidential election, 2004, in Georgia

Media

Television

See also: List of television stations in Georgia

Georgia is home to Ted Turner, who founded TBS, TNT, TCM, Cartoon Network, CNN and Headline News, among others. Georgia's electoral votes went to the incumbent president Republican George W This is a list of broadcast television stations serving cities in the U Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III (born November 19, 1938) is an American Media proprietor and philanthropist. TBS is an American Cable television network that shows sports and a variety of programming with a focus on comedy Turner Network Television, usually referred to as TNT, is an American cable TV network created by media mogul Ted Turner and currently owned Turner Classic Movies ( TCM) is a cable television channel featuring commercial -free classic movies mostly from the Turner Entertainment and Warner Cable News Network, usually referred to by its Initialism CNN, is a major English language Television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner Headline News is a Spin-off network from the original Cable News Network ( CNN) television news network in the United States. The CNN Center, which houses the news channel's world headquarters, is located in downtown Atlanta, facing Marietta Street, while the home offices of the Turner Entertainment networks are located in midtown, near the Georgia Tech campus, on Techwood Drive. The CNN Center is the world headquarters of the Cable News Network (CNN Midtown Atlanta is a district in Atlanta Georgia, situated between the commercial and financial district of Downtown to the south and the affluent residential The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly known as Georgia Tech, or Tech, is a public, Coeducational Research university in A third Turner building is on Williams Street, directly across Interstate 75 and Interstate 85 from the Techwood Drive campus and is the home of Adult Swim and Williams Street Studios. Interstate 75 (I-75 is a major north-south Interstate Highway in the midwest and southeastern United States. Interstate 85 (I-85 is an Interstate highway in the southeastern United States. Adult Swim, (usually stylized swim with its signature square Brackets, is an adult-oriented Television network sharing channel space with Cartoon Williams Street (previously known as Ghost Planet Industries after Space Ghost 's home base studio from 1994 to 1999 is a division of Cartoon Network, which

The Weather Channel's headquarters are located in the Smyrna area of metropolitan Atlanta in Cobb County. The Weather Channel (also TWC) is a commercially-sponsored US Smyrna is a City in Cobb County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the city had a total Population Cobb County is a County located in the US state of Georgia. Its County seat and largest city is Marietta, located in the center

WSB-TV was the state's first television station, and the southeastern United State's second. WSB-TV is the ABC affiliate in Atlanta, Georgia, broadcasting on analog channel 2 and digital channel 39 WSB-TV signed on Channel 8 in 1948, and moved to its present day location on Channel 2 in 1952.

Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) operates nine major educational television stations across the state as Georgia Public Broadcasting Television. Georgia Public Broadcasting ( GPB) is the public radio and television Broadcast network in the U Education encompasses both the Teaching and Learning of Knowledge, proper conduct, and technical competency A television station is a type of broadcast station that broadcasts both audio and Video to Television receivers in a particular area ^[48]

Radio

See also: List of radio stations in Georgia

WSB-AM in Atlanta was the first radio station in the southeastern United States, signing on in 1922. The following is a list of FCC -licensed Radio stations in the U WSB (" News/Talk 750 " is an AM broadcasting station licensed to the city of Atlanta Georgia transmitting on a Frequency of 750 The station currently broadcasts a news/talk format. WSB-FM signed on in 1948 on 104. WSB-FM (985 FM, "B985FM" is an Atlanta radio station that plays Adult contemporary music. 5 FM, and moved to 98. 5 FM in 1952. The station broadcasts today, still with the WSB-FM callsign, but is known as "B98. 5FM".

Georgia Public Radio has been in service since 1984 and, with the exception of Atlanta, it broadcasts daily on several FM (and one AM) stations across the state. Georgia Public Broadcasting ( GPB) is the public radio and television Broadcast network in the U 1984. ^[49][50] Georgia Public Radio reaches nearly all of Georgia (with the exception of the Atlanta area, which is served by WABE), as well as portions of Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, and Tennessee. WABE 901 is a radio station in Atlanta Georgia, that is affiliated with National Public Radio (NPR

Newspapers and periodicals

See also: List of newspapers in Georgia (U.S. state)

There are several major newspapers in Georgia. Among them are the Atlanta Journal Constitution and the Augusta Chronicle. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is the only major daily Newspaper in Atlanta Georgia, USA and its suburbs. The Augusta Chronicle is the major daily Newspaper of Augusta Georgia and is one of the oldest newspapers in the United States. Other media publications in the state include business magazines; entertainment media such as Southern Voice; and various sports magazines. Southern Voice (also commonly known as SoVo) is the main Lesbian, Gay, bisexual and Transgender newspaper in Atlanta ^[51]

Sports and recreation

Main article: Sports in Georgia (U.S. state)

See also: Tour de Georgia and The Masters Tournament

Sports in Georgia include professional teams in all major sports, Olympic Games contenders and medalists, collegiate teams in major and small-school conferences and associations, and active amateur teams and individual sports. Sports in Georgia include professional teams in all major sports Olympic Games contenders and medalists collegiate teams in major and small-school conferences and associations History of Results Overall / General Classification; 2008, 22h The Masters Tournament, also known as The Masters or The US Masters (outside of the United States is one of four major championships in men's The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games The State of Georgia has a team in eight major professional leagues (MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL, ABA, AFL, IL, and ECHL). The National Football League ( NFL) is the largest professional American football league. The National Hockey League ( NHL) is a professional Ice hockey league composed of 30 teams in North America The American Basketball Association ( ABA) was a professional Basketball league founded in 1967, and eventually merged in part with the National The Arena Football League (AFL was founded in 1987 as an American football indoor league. The International League ( IL) is a Minor league baseball league which operates in the eastern United States. The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a Professional Ice hockey league based in Princeton New Jersey, with teams scattered Georgia has an abundance of outdoor recreational activities. Outdoor activities include, but are not limited to, hiking along the Appalachian Trail; Civil War Heritage Trails; rock climbing and whitewater paddling. The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply The A Rock climbing is a Sport in which participants climb up or across natural rock formations or man-made rock walls with the goal of reaching the ^{[52][53][54][55]} Other outdoor activities include hunting and fishing. Hunting is the practice of pursuing Animals for Food, Recreation, or Trade. For the computer security term see Phishing. Fishing is the activity of catching Fish. Less rustic activities are trips to Callaway Gardens; circuses; Rattlesnake Roundups; and Zoo Atlanta. Callaway Gardens is a 13000 acre (53 km² resort complex located in Pine Mountain, Georgia. A circus is most commonly a traveling company of performers that may include acrobats, Clowns trained animals trapeze acts Hoopers, tightrope walkers Zoo Atlanta is an Association of Zoos and Aquariums -accredited wildlife park and major attraction in Atlanta, Georgia, USA ^{[56][57][58][59]}

State facts and symbols

Georgia State Symbols
Living Symbols
-Amphibian	American Green Tree Frog
-Bird	Brown Thrasher
-Butterfly	Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
-Fish	Largemouth bass
-Flower	Cherokee Rose
-Insect	European honey bee
-Mammal	Right whale
-Reptile	Gopher tortoise
-Tree	Live oak
Dance	Square Dance
Food	Grits, Peach, Vidalia Sweet Onion
Fossil	Shark Tooth
Gemstone	Amethyst
Mineral	Staurolite
Rock	Quartz
Shell	Knobbed Whelk
Soil	Tifton
Song(s)	Georgia on My Mind
Tartan	Georgia State Tartan
Route Marker(s)
Quarter	1999
See Also

Georgia's nicknames include Peach State and Empire State of the South . This is a list of official US state Amphibians. State amphibians are designated by tradition or the respective state legislatures See also The American green tree frog ( Hyla cinerea) is a common Species of New World Tree frog belonging to the Genus Hyla This is a list of US state birds as designated by each state's legislature The Brown Thrasher ( Toxostoma rufum) is a species of Thrasher, part of a family of New World Birds ( Mimidae that includes This is a list of official US state butterflies: See also List of U The Eastern tiger swallowtail, Papilio glaucus, is a large (12 cm wingspan Swallowtail butterfly. This is a list of official and *unofficial US state fish:The only states lacking a state fish as of 2008 are Arkansas Indiana Kansas and Ohio The largemouth bass ( Micropterus salmoides) is a Species of Fish in the sunfish family. This is a list of US state flowers: See also List of US state trees Lists of U Rosa laevigata ( Cherokee Rose) is a Rose native to southern China and Taiwan south to Laos and Vietnam. This is a list of United States state insects note that some states have more than one designated insect or have multiple categories (e A state mammal is the official or representative Animal of a U Right whales are the species of large Baleen whales belonging to the Genus Eubalaena. This is a list of official US state reptiles: See also Lists of United States state insignia Gopherus is a Genus of Tortoises commonly referred to as gopher tortoises. This List of US state trees includes official trees of the following states and U Quercus virginiana, also known as the Southern Live Oak, is an evergreen or nearly evergreen Oak Tree native to the southeastern This is a list of official US state dances: See also Lists of U Square dance is a Folk dance with four couples (eight dancers arranged in a square with one couple on each side beginning with Couple 1 facing away from the music and going This is a list of official US state foods: GRITS is a Christian hip hop group from Nashville, Tennessee. The peach ( Prunus persica) is a species of Prunus native to China that bears an edible juicy fruit also called a peach A Vidalia onion is a Sweet onion of certain varieties grown in a production area defined by law in Georgia and by the United States Code of Federal Most American states have made a state fossil designation in many cases during the 1980s. Sharks ( Superorder Selachimorpha) are a type of Fish with a full cartilaginous Skeleton and a highly streamlined body Not every state has an official state mineral rock stone or gemstone Amethyst is a violet variety of Quartz often used as an Ornamental stone in Jewelry. Not every state has an official state mineral rock stone or gemstone Staurolite is a red brown to black mostly opaque nesosilicate Mineral with a white streak Not every state has an official state mineral rock stone or gemstone Quartz (from German) is the most abundant Mineral in the Earth 's Continental crust (although Feldspar is more common in This is a list of official state shells: See also Lists of US The knobbed whelk, Busycon carica, is a Species of very large Predatory sea Snail, or in the USA a Whelk, a marine This is a list of Representative US State Soils. A state soil is a Soil that has special significance to a particular state. Tifton soil is the official state Soil of the state of Georgia. Introduction Forty-nine states of the United States (all except New Jersey) have one or more state songs, selected by the state " Georgia on My Mind " is a song written in 1930 by Stuart Gorrell (lyrics and Hoagy Carmichael (music This is a list of official US state Tartans: See also Lists of U Highways in the United States are split into at least four different types of systems The 50 State Quarters program ( is the release of a series of commemorative coins by the United States Mint. These are lists of US state insignia as designated by tradition or the respective state legislatures: List of U The state song, "Georgia On My Mind" by Hoagy Carmichael, was originally written about a woman of that name, but after Georgia native Ray Charles sang it, the state legislature voted it the state song on 24 April 1979. Introduction Forty-nine states of the United States (all except New Jersey) have one or more state songs, selected by the state " Georgia on My Mind " is a song written in 1930 by Stuart Gorrell (lyrics and Hoagy Carmichael (music Hoagland Howard "Hoagy" Carmichael (November 22 1899 – December 27 1981 was an American Composer, Pianist, singer actor and bandleader Ray Charles Robinson ( September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) known by his Stage name Ray Charles, was an American Events 1479 BC - Thutmose III ascends to the throne of Egypt, although power effectively shifts to Hatshepsut (according to Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) Ray Charles sang it on the legislative floor when the bill was passed. This act was significant in that it symbolized to many the move away from segregation and racism. The state commemorative quarter was released on 19 July 1999. The 50 State Quarters program ( is the release of a series of commemorative coins by the United States Mint. Events 711 - Muslim forces under Tariq ibn Ziyad defeat the Visigoths led by their king Roderic. Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) ^[60] The first houses in Georgia to be designated historic state landmarks are the Owens Thomas House and the Sorrel Weed House, in the Savannah historic district. The Sorrel Weed House, or the Francis Sorrel House, is a historic facility located in Savannah Georgia. The state 'possum is Pogo Possum^[61]

See also

• List of Georgia-related topics

References

• Walker, V. (2005). "Organized resistance and black educators' quest for school equality", 1878-1938. Teachers College Record, 107, 355-388.

Further reading

• New Georgia Encyclopedia (2005).
• Bartley, Numan V. The Creation of Modern Georgia (1990). Covers 1865-1990 period. ISBN 0-8203-1183-9.
• Coleman, Kenneth. ed. A History of Georgia (1991). ISBN 0-8203-1269-X.
• London, Bonnie Bullard. (2005) Georgia and the American Experience Atlanta, Georgia: Clairmont Press ISBN 1-56733-100-9. A middle school textbook.
• Peirce, Neal R. The Deep South States of America: People, Politics, and Power in the Seven Deep South States (1974). Information on politics and economics 1960-72. ISBN 0-393-05496-9.

External links

• Georgia state government website
• Georgia State Databases - Annotated list of searchable databases produced by Georgia state agencies and compiled by the Government Documents Roundtable of the American Library Association.
• Georgia Constitution Web Page, Carl Vinson Institute of Government at The University of Georgia (includes historical Constitutions of Georgia)
• Summary of duties, powers and responsibilities of the branches of Georgia state government (Georgia Secretary of State website)
• USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Georgia
• U.S. Census Bureau
• The New Georgia Encyclopedia
• Digital Library of Georgia