Georgia (U.S. state)

Georgia
State of Georgia
Nickname(s)
Peach State; Empire State of the South
Motto(s)
"Wisdom, Justice & Moderation"[1]
Anthem: "Georgia on My Mind"
Map of the United States with Georgia highlighted
Map of the United States with Georgia highlighted
CountryUnited States
Before statehoodProvince of Georgia
Admitted to the UnionJanuary 2, 1788 (1788-01-02) (4th)
Capital
(and largest city)
Atlanta
Largest county or equivalentFulton
Largest metro and urban areasAtlanta
Government
 • GovernorBrian Kemp (R)
 • Lieutenant GovernorBurt Jones (R)
LegislatureGeorgia General Assembly
 • Upper houseSenate
 • Lower houseHouse of Representatives
JudiciarySupreme Court of Georgia
U.S. senators
U.S. House delegation9 Republicans
5 Democrats (list)
Area
 • Total59,425 sq mi (153,909 km2)
 • Land57,906 sq mi (149,976 km2)
 • Water1,519 sq mi (3,933 km2)  2.6%
 • Rank24th
Dimensions
 • Length298 mi (480 km)
 • Width230 mi (370 km)
Elevation
600 ft (180 m)
Highest elevation4,784 ft (1,458 m)
Lowest elevation
(Atlantic Ocean[2])
0 ft (0 m)
Population
 (2023)
 • Total11,029,227[3]
 • Rank8th
 • Density185.2/sq mi (71.5/km2)
  • Rank18th
 • Median household income
$61,200[4]
 • Income rank
29th
DemonymGeorgian
Language
 • Official languageEnglish
 • Spoken languageEnglish
Spanish (7.42%)
Other (2.82%)
Time zoneUTC– 05:00 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC– 04:00 (EDT)
USPS abbreviation
GA
ISO 3166 codeUS-GA
Traditional abbreviationGa.
Latitude30.356–34.985° N
Longitude80.840–85.605° W
Websitewww.georgia.gov

Georgia (/ˈɔːrə/ JOR-jə),[5] officially the State of Georgia, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the northwest, North Carolina to the north, South Carolina to the northeast, Florida to the south, and Alabama to the west. Of the 50 United States, Georgia is the 24th-largest by area and 8th most populous. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, its 2023 estimated population was 11,029,227.[3] Atlanta, a global city, is both the state's capital and its largest city. The Atlanta metropolitan area, with a population of more than 6.3 million people in 2023, is the 6th most populous metropolitan area in the United States and contains about 57% of Georgia's entire population. Other major metropolitan areas in the state include Augusta, Savannah, Columbus, and Macon.[6] Georgia has 100 miles (160 km) of coastline along the Atlantic Ocean.

The Province of Georgia was created in 1732 and first settled in 1733 with the founding of Savannah. Georgia became a British royal colony in 1752. It was the last and southernmost of the original Thirteen Colonies to be established.[7] Named after King George II of Great Britain, the Georgia Colony covered the area from South Carolina south to Spanish Florida and west to French Louisiana at the Mississippi River. On January 2, 1788, Georgia became the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution.[8] From 1802 to 1804, western Georgia was split to form the Mississippi Territory, which later was admitted as the U.S. states of Alabama and Mississippi. Georgia declared its secession from the Union on January 19, 1861, and was one of the original seven Confederate States.[8] Following the Civil War, it was the last state to be restored to the Union, on July 15, 1870.[8] In the post-Reconstruction era of the late 19th century, Georgia's economy was transformed as a group of prominent politicians, businessmen, and journalists, led by Henry W. Grady, espoused the "New South" philosophy of sectional reconciliation and industrialization.[9] During the mid-20th century, several people from Georgia, most notably Martin Luther King Jr., were prominent leaders during the civil rights movement.[8] Atlanta was selected as host of the 1996 Summer Olympics, which marked the 100th anniversary of the modern Olympic Games. Since 1945, Georgia has seen substantial population and economic growth as part of the broader Sun Belt phenomenon. From 2007 to 2008, 14 of Georgia's counties ranked among the nation's 100 fastest-growing.[10]

Georgia is defined by a diversity of landscapes, flora, and fauna. The state's northernmost regions include the Blue Ridge Mountains, part of the larger Appalachian Mountain system. The Piedmont plateau extends from the foothills of the Blue Ridge south to the Fall Line, an escarpment to the Coastal Plain defining the state's southern region. Georgia's highest point is Brasstown Bald at 4,784 feet (1,458 m) above sea level; the lowest is the Atlantic Ocean. With the exception of some high-altitude areas in the Blue Ridge, the entirety of the state has a humid subtropical climate. Of the states entirely east of the Mississippi River, Georgia is the largest in land area.[11]

  1. ^ "Georgia State Symbols :: Capitol Museum, Atlanta :: University of Georgia". Archived from the original on January 8, 2023. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Elevations and Distances in the United States". United States Geological Survey. 2001. Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. Retrieved October 21, 2011.
  3. ^ a b "US Census Quickfacts, Population Estimates, July 1 2023". Census.gov. United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 26, 2021. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  4. ^ "US Census Bureau QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on May 17, 2022. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  5. ^ "Georgia". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  6. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places of 50,000 or More, Ranked by July 1, 2019 Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2019". United States Census Bureau, Population Division. Archived from the original on April 17, 2021. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  7. ^ "Georgia - Atlanta, Sherman's March & Martin Luther King Jr". The History Channel. December 21, 2022. Archived from the original on June 4, 2023.
  8. ^ a b c d "New Georgia Encyclopaedia". The New Georgia Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on May 13, 2013. Retrieved February 20, 2012.
  9. ^ Grem, Darren (January 20, 2004). "Henry W. Grady (1850–1889)". New Georgia Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on September 3, 2019. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
  10. ^ "Coweta is the 41st fastest growing county in United States". The Times-Herald. Archived from the original on December 13, 2009. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  11. ^ "United States Summary: 2010, Population and Housing Unit Counts, 2010 Census of Population and Housing" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. September 2012. pp. V–2, 1 & 41 (Tables 1 & 18). Archived (PDF) from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved February 7, 2014.


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