Geography and Climate of Georgia
Georgia, or the “Peach State,” borders Tennessee and North Carolina to the north, Florida to the south, Alabama to the west and the Atlantic Ocean and South Carolina to the east. The state is made up of extremely fertile soil and nearly two-thirds pine forests.
Several major rivers run through Georgia, such as the Savannah River and the Chattooga River. The Chattahoochee River is the longest in Georgia, starting in the Blue Ridge Mountains and flowing down to create a boundary between Florida and Alabama. The Golden Isles of Georgia are just off the coast.
The state divides into five regions, each with its own characteristics. The Ridge and Valley in the northwest corner of Georgia features sedimentary rocks such as sandstone, limestone and shale. The Blue Ridge Mountains, located within the Appalachians, are comprised of metamorphic rock and granite. Brasstown Bald is the highest point at 4,784 feet. The Piedmont is a plateau region where Atlanta is located, along with the Appalachian Plateau and the Atlantic coastline.
Most of Georgia is a humid subtropical climate, with humid and hot summers followed by mild winters. Georgia’s coastline and the region near the Gulf of Mexico have weather more akin to Florida, with muggy summers and afternoon thunderstorms. The entire state receives heavy amounts of rainfall, from 45 to 75 inches per year.
At the highest elevations, Georgia is susceptible to ice storms and snowfall. Georgia is also vulnerable to tornadoes and hurricanes along the coastline. However, many hurricanes strike Florida and weaken into tropical storms.
History of Georgia
Prior to European exploration, several societies of mound builders lived in present-day Georgia. When Hernando de Soto first arrived in 1540, Cherokee and Creek Indians occupied the area. England and Spain clashed over control of Georgia in 1670, after the English founded the Carolina colony.
By 1702, the English and their colonial allies defeated the Spanish and assumed control. The Province of Georgia was named in honor of King George II. The colony protected the Carolinas from Spanish threats in Florida.
A group of colonists settled in what is now Savannah in 1733, forming one of the original thirteen colonies involved in the American Revolutionary War. Over 5,000 slaves joined the British forces to gain freedom, resulting in a sharp decrease in the African-American population. After becoming a state in 1788, Georgia continued to produce agricultural outputs using slaves.
Eli Whitney’s cotton gin in 1794 sped up cotton production. Cotton became Georgia’s largest export, as British textile factories demanded more, in addition to rice and tobacco. The Cherokee did not recognize Georgia’s authority and were forcibly relocated to Oklahoma in the Indian Removal Act of 1830.
Georgia seceded from the Union and became the site for many of the battles during the Civil War, including the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain and the Battle of Atlanta. General Sherman’s March to the Sea burned down massive amounts of land from Atlanta to Savannah.
During the Reconstruction period, Georgia's efforts went to intimidating the African-American community and preventing the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments. Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois, while sharing opposite views, became famous African-American leaders who urged African-Americans to improve themselves through education. They also pulled for whites to change social and economic relations between races. Instead, laws passed to disfranchise African-Americans from voting.
Once prohibition enacted in 1885, a local pharmacist developed a new drink, known today as Coca-Cola. Logging Georgia’s forests led to paper mills as a new industry, along with mining for granite, kaolin and coal.
Despite these new industries, depressed agriculture prices and changes in the labor market developed into a desperate struggle for whites to reestablish political dominance. Lynchings grew, with an average of more than one mob killing a month between 1890 and 1900. Paramilitary groups like the Ku Klux Klan effectively terrorized the state. A boll weevil infestation and escalating violence started the Great Migration, as waves of African-Americans moved to northern states.
Rural improvement from the New Deal and factory production during World War II helped pull Georgia out of economic trouble, shifting from agriculture to industry. The Civil Rights Movement finally brought changes to racial discrimination, in part led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who was born and raised in Atlanta.
Demographics of Georgia
As of 2000, Georgia has an estimated population of 9,363,941. With a 44 percent growth rate since 1990, Georgia is one of the fastest growing states in the country.
Due to Georgia’s history as a slave state, 28 percent of the population is African-American. There is also a fast growing Asian-American population, especially in and around Atlanta. In addition, a number of people in the state claim Scottish and Irish ancestry.
Much of Georgia, like other Southern states, is Protestant, with 16 percent Baptist and 12 percent Methodist. The number of Catholics in the state has grown in recent years, as well as the number of Evangelicals and those without religious affiliation.
Economy of Georgia
In 2006, Georgia's total gross state product was $380 billion, with a per capita income of $40,155.
Traditionally an agricultural society, Georgia still produces poultry, dairy, cattle, hogs, rye, eggs, peanuts, pecans and peaches. As the state has diversified, lumber and mineral extraction have had to make room for newer industries.
Textiles and apparel, food processing, chemical products, paper products, transportation equipment and electric equipment are fast growing industries, along with tourism. The many military bases in Georgia contribute to the state's economy.
With 15 Fortune 500 companies headquartered in the state, including Coca Cola, Delta Air Lines and UPS, Georgia has quickly developed into an international economy. The state benefits from rapid growth in service, finances, communications and real estate.
Georgia Law and Government
Republican Sonny Purdue is the current Georgia governor, with 56 members and 180 representatives in the Georgia Senate and House of Representatives, respectively. Republicans Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss represent Georgia in the U.S. Senate. There are 13 U.S. House of Representatives, 7 Republican and 6 Democrat.
Although Georgia has historically voted Democrat more than any other state, the social makeup is conservative. In recent years, conservative Democrats have voiced their support for Republican candidates. Atlanta suburbs and rural parts of the state tend to vote for Republicans, while Atlanta and other urban centers vote Democrat. When he served as Governor of Georgia, native son President Jimmy Carter helped solidify civil rights and economic growth.
Georgia Transportation
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the main airport for Georgia, is the world's busiest passenger airport and a major hub for Delta. There are two other large regional airports, the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport and the DeKalb Peachtree Airport in Chamblee, Georgia. There are dozens of smaller regional service providers for commercial and private planes.
I-95 runs along the Atlantic coast, while I-75 runs north to south through the state. I-85 is one of Atlanta's main thoroughfares, whereas I-20 goes east to west through Atlanta and the rest of Georgia. I-285 connects to Atlanta, while I-575 goes up to northern Georgia via I-75. Amtrak has two routes going up to New York and down south on the coast to Florida.
For more information, visit the Georgia Department of Transportation.
Major Cities and Towns of Georgia
Atlanta is Georgia's capital. Though the city proper only has a population of 500,000, the entire metropolitan area is home to 5,138,223 as of 2006, making Atlanta the most populated city in Georgia.
As the fastest growing metropolitan area in the country, Atlanta has an equal mix of modern and antebellum architecture. The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site pays homage to the late reverend and his role in the Civil Rights Movement. The Georgia Aquarium is the world's largest, while the World of Coca-Cola and its factory explain the history of the favorite drink.
Georgia Educational System
The University of Georgia system, which includes the University of Georgia, Georgia State University and Georgia Institute of Technology, honors public funding through the HOPE Scholarship. There are dozens of other public and private colleges and universities in Georgia, including Emory University, one of the nation's best.
Georgia's high schools must pass a series of rigorous tests in core subjects in order to graduate. Visit the Georgia Department of Education to find out more.
Georgia Sports Teams and Recreational Activities
Georgia is the home of several sports franchises, as well as major school conferences and minor league teams. The Atlanta Braves play baseball in the MLB, while the Atlanta Hawks play basketball in the NBA. The Atlanta Falcons play football in the NFL and the Atlanta Flames. The Masters Tournament for golf is also held in Georgia.
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