State of Georgia - GA

Georgia is a state in the southern United States. Georgia was one of the Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution. It was the last of the Thirteen Colonies to be established as a colony. It became the fourth state after ratifying the United States Constitution on January 2, 1788. Georgia's population in 2000 was 8,186,453 (U.S. Census); it is one of the fastest-growing states in the nation, with an estimated 9,072,576 people in 2005.[1] Georgia is also known as the Peach State and the Empire State of the South .

Geography
For an article on the geology of Georgia, see, Geology of Georgia.
Georgia is bordered on the south by Florida; on the east by the Atlantic Ocean and South Carolina; on the west by Alabama; and on the north by Tennessee and North Carolina. The northern part of the state is in the Blue Ridge Mountains, a mountain range in the vast mountain system of the Appalachians. 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. The highest point in Georgia is Brasstown Bald, 4,784 feet (1,458 m); the lowest point is sea level.

The capital is Atlanta, in the north central part of Georgia, and the peach is a symbol of the state. The state is an important producer of pecans, cotton, tobacco, and forest products, notably the so-called "naval stores" such as turpentine and rosin from the pine forests.

Map of elevations in GeorgiaWith an area of 59,441 square miles (153,951 km²), Georgia is ranked 24th in size among the 50 U.S. states. It is fifth largest in size among states east of the Mississippi River (after Michigan, Minnesota, Florida, and Wisconsin).[2] It is largest in land area east of the Mississippi.

Areas under the control of the National Park Service include:

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

Climate
Map of GeorgiaThe climate of Georgia is primarily a humid subtropical climate tempered somewhat by occasional polar air masses in the winter. Everywhere but the highest mountains in Georgia experience hot and humid summers. The entire state, including the mountains, receive heavy precipitation which varies from 45 inches (1143 mm) in Central Georgia[3] to around 75 inches (1905 mm) around the Northeast part of the state[4]. 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. 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 3000 feet or higher above sea level. The areas near the Florida-Georgia border, extending from the entire Georgia coastline west to the Florida panhandle experience the most subtropical weather, with weather one might expect in 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. 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 can experience some extreme weather at times. The highest temperature ever recorded has been 112 °F (44.4 °C)[5], while the lowest ever recorded is -17 °F (-27.2 °C)[6]. Georgia is one of the leading states in incidents of tornadoes. The areas closest to the Florida border can get the same small F0 and F1 tornadoes associated with summer afternoon thunderstorms. In the early spring, much of the state is vulnerable to larger tornadoes because of the cyclonic activity which is common throughout the entire Southeast United States. Being on the Atlantic coast, Georgia is also vulnerable to hurricanes, although the Georgia coastline has only rarely experienced a direct strike from hurricanes. More common are hurricanes which strike the Florida panhandle, weaken over land, and bring strong tropical storm winds and heavy rain to much of the Georgia interior and also hurricanes which come close to the Georgia coastline brushing the coast on the way up to the more often hit South Carolina coastline.

History
Main article: History of Georgia (U.S. state)
The local moundbuilder culture, described by Hernando de Soto in 1540, completely disappeared by 1560. Early on, in the course of European exploration of the area, a number of Spanish explorers visited the inland region of Georgia.

The conflict between Spain and Britain over control of Georgia began in earnest in about 1670, when the British founded the Carolina colony in present-day South Carolina. 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. 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. The Florida peninsula was subjected to raids as far as the Florida Keys. The coast of Georgia was occupied by English-allied Indians such as the Yamasee until the Yamasee War of 1715-1716, after which the region was depopulated, opening up the possibility of a new British colony. In 1724, it was first suggested the British colony there be called Province of Georgia in honor of King George II.

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. The French in the 1720s established a fort near present-day Montgomery, Alabama, also a threat to British interests in the region. Traders from Charleston, South Carolina, had established trading posts as far west as the Ocmulgee River, near present-day Macon, Georgia. 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. 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. This goal was seen as both philanthropic, helping these distressed people, and patriotric, 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.

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 February 12, 1733, 113 settlers landed in the HMS Anne at what was to become the city of Savannah. 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. 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." 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. Georgia became a royal colony, with a governor appointed by the British king.[1]

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. Following the war, it became the fourth state of the United States of America after ratifying the United States Constitution on January 2, 1788. 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.

On January 18, 1861 Georgia joined the Confederacy and became a major theater of the American Civil War. 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. This event served as the historical background for the 1936 novel Gone with the Wind and the 1939 film of the same name. On July 15, 1870, following Reconstruction, Georgia became the last former Confederate state to be readmitted to the Union.

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. 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.

Demographics
Historical populations
Census
year Population

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1790 82,548
1800 162,686
1810 251,407
1820 340,989
1830 516,823
1840 691,392
1850 906,185
1860 1,057,286
1870 1,184,109
1880 1,542,180
1890 1,837,353
1900 2,216,331
1910 2,609,121
1920 2,895,832
1930 2,908,506
1940 3,123,723
1950 3,444,578
1960 3,943,116
1970 4,589,575
1980 5,463,105
1990 6,478,216
2000 8,186,453
As of 2005, Georgia has an estimated population of 9,072,576, which is an increase of 154,447, or 1.7%, from the prior year and an increase of 885,760, or 10.8%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 376,105 people (that is 718,764 births minus 342,659 deaths) and an increase from net migration of 425,510 people into the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 192,844 people, and migration within the country produced a net increase of 232,666 people.

Georgia is the 9th most populous state. Its population has grown 36% (2.35 million) from its 1990 levels, making it one of the fastest-growing states in the country. More than half of the state's population lives in the Atlanta metro area.

Demographics of Georgia (csv)
By race White Black AIAN Asian NHPI
AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native - NHPI is Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
2000 (total population) 68.34% 29.38% 0.66% 2.46% 0.12%
2000 (hispanic only) 4.82% 0.39% 0.10% 0.05% 0.03%
2005 (total population) 67.00% 30.29% 0.67% 3.01% 0.14%
2005 (hispanic only) 6.57% 0.43% 0.12% 0.07% 0.04%
Growth 2000-2005 (total population) 8.65% 14.23% 11.72% 36.02% 25.41%
Growth 2000-2005 (non-hispanic only) 5.43% 14.12% 7.43% 35.82% 21.99%
Growth 2000-2005 (hispanic only) 50.99% 22.30% 36.34% 45.53% 36.55%

Race, language and age
The state's five largest ancestries are reported as African, American, British, German, and Irish. As of 2000, 90.1% 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 0.6%, followed by German at 0.4% and Vietnamese at 0.4%. 7.3% of its population were reported as under 5 years of age, 26.5% under 18, and 9.6% were 65 or older. Females make up approximately 50.8% of the population.

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 blacks from the rural South to the industrial North from 1914-1970, as well as migration of other races into Georgia after 1970, reduced the black proportion of the population. 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 its core southern suburbs.

Georgia also has a growing and relatively large Asian population. Vietnamese, Thai and Laotians are probably the biggest groups.

White Georgians, like other Southerners, usually describe their ancestry on the census questionnaire as "American", "United States", or simply "Southern". The colonial settlement of very large numbers of Scots-Irish Americans in the mountains and piedmont, and coastal settlement by the English, have strongly influenced the state's culture. [2] [3]

With the huge influx of new residents from the North, the term "Cracker" is sometimes used informally as a proud or jocular self-description by some white residents of Georgia ("Georgia cracker") to indicate that their family has lived there for many generations. However, the term "white cracker" is not always used self-referentially and remains a disparaging term to many in the region.[4]

Religion
Georgia Population Density MapLike most other Southern states, Georgia is largely Protestant Christian. The religious affiliations of the people of Georgia are as follows:

Christian – 85%
Protestant – 76%
Baptist – 39%
Methodist – 12%
Presbyterian – 3%
Pentecostal – 3%
Other Protestant – 19%
Roman Catholic – 8%
Other Christian – 1%
Other Religions – 2%
Non-Religious – 13%
Georgia shares its Protestant heritage with much of the Southeastern United States. 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.

Georgia's Jewish community dates to the settlement of 42 mostly Sephardic Portuguese Jews in Savannah in 1733. 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 GeorgiaGeorgia's 2004 total gross state product was $343 billion[5]. Its per capita personal income for 2003 put it 31st in the nation at $29,000.

Georgia's agricultural outputs are poultry and eggs, pecans, peaches, peanuts, rye, cattle, hogs, dairy products, turfgrass, and vegetables. Its industrial outputs are textiles and apparel, transportation equipment, food processing, paper products, chemical products, electric equipment. Tourism also makes an important contribution to the economy. Georgia is home to the Granite Capital of the World (Elberton). 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.

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.

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, and Dobbins Air Reserve Base. 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 Air National Guard.

Georgia's personal income tax ranges from 1 percent to 6 percent within 6 tax brackets. There is a 4% state sales tax, which is not applied to prescription drugs, certain medical devices and groceries. Each county may add up to a 2% SPLOST. Counties participating in MARTA have another 1%; MARTA is one of the few metropolitan transit authorities not to receive state funding. The city of Atlanta (in three counties, Fulton, Dekalb, and Clayton) has the only city sales tax (1.25%, total 8.25%) for fixing its aging sewers among other things. Local taxes are almost always charged on groceries but never prescriptions. Up to 1% of a SPLOST can go to homestead exemptions. All taxes are collected by the state and then properly distributed according to any agreements that each county has with its cities.

Transportation
Atlanta is still a major railroad hub for CSX and Norfork Southern, in addition to being a major airport hub now as well. Several highways and short line railroads also traverse the state.

Interstate highways
Interstate 16, Interstate 516
Interstate 20, Interstate 520
Interstate 59, Interstate 24
Interstate 75, Interstate 475, Interstate 575
Interstate 85, Interstate 185, Interstate 985
Interstate 95
Interstate 285 (the perimeter around Atlanta)
Interstate 3 (proposed)
Interstate 14 (proposed)
United States highways
North-south routes East-west routes
U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 301
U.S. Route 11
U.S. Route 411
U.S. Route 17
U.S. Route 19
U.S. Route 319
U.S. Route 221
U.S. Route 23
U.S. Route 123
U.S. Route 25
U.S. Route 27
U.S. Route 29
U.S. Route 129
U.S. Route 41
U.S. Route 341
U.S. Route 441
U.S. Route 76
U.S. Route 78
U.S. Route 278
U.S. Route 378
U.S. Route 80
U.S. Route 280
U.S. Route 82
U.S. Route 84

Law and Government

State government
The Georgia Capitol Building in Atlanta with the distinctive gold dome.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. Executive authority in the state rests with the governor, currently Sonny Perdue (Republican). Both the governor and lieutenant governor are elected on separate ballots to four-year terms of office. 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 Lieutenant Governor presides over the Senate, while the House of Representatives selects their own Speaker. 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 term of office for senators and representatives is two years.

State judicial authority rests with the state Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, which have statewide authority. 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.

list of Georgia governors and Georgia elected officials

Local government
Georgia has 159 counties, the most of any state except Texas (with 254). Before 1932, there were 161, with Milton and Campbell being merged into Fulton at the end of 1931. Counties have been named for prominent figures in both American and Georgia 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. 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.

Besides the counties, Georgia only defines cities as local units of government. Every incorporated town, no matter how small, is legally a city. Georgia does not provide for townships or independent cities but does allow consolidated city-county governments by local referendum. So far, only Columbus, Augusta, Athens, and Cusseta have done this. Conyers is studying possibly becoming consolidated with Rockdale County.

There is no true metropolitan government in Georgia, though the Atlanta Regional Commission and Georgia Regional Transportation Authority do provide some regional services, and the ARC must approve all major land development projects in metro Atlanta.

Politics
Presidential elections results Year Republican Democratic
2004 57.97% 1,914,254 41.37% 1,366,149
2000 54.67% 1,419,720 42.98% 1,116,230
1996 47.01% 1,080,843 45.84% 1,053,849
1992 42.88% 995,252 43.47% 1,008,966
1988 59.75% 1,081,331 39.50% 714,792
1984 60.17% 1,068,722 39.79% 706,628
1980 40.95% 654,168 55.76% 890,733
1976 32.96% 483,743 66.74% 979,409
1972 75.04% 881,496 24.65% 289,529
1968* 30.40% 380,111 26.75% 334,440
1964 54.12% 616,584 51.15% 522,557
1960 37.43% 274,472 62.54% 458,638
*State won by George Wallace
of the American Independent Party,
at 42.83%, or 535,550 votes
Until recently, Georgia's state government had the longest unbroken record of single-party dominance of any state in the Union. For over 130 years, from 1872 to 2003, Georgians only elected Democratic governors, and 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 throughout the 60s segregationist period.

During the 1960s and 1970s Georgia made significant changes in civil rights, governance, and economic growth focused on Atlanta and was a bedrock of the emerging "New South." This characterization was solidified with the election of former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter to the U.S. Presidency in 1976.

The political dominance of Democrats ended in 2003, when then-Governor Roy Barnes was defeated by Sonny Perdue, a state legislator and former Democrat himself, in what 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 relinquished their hold on the House in the 2004 election; currently, Republicans control all three partisan elements of the state government. Many conservative Democrats, including former U.S. Senator and governor Zell Miller, have decided to support Republicans in recent years; George W. Bush won the state in the 2004 election, and conservative initiatives such as restrictions on abortion have won broad support.

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.

United States presidential election, 2004, in Georgia

Important cities and towns
Downtown Atlanta, Georgia Midtown Atlanta, Georgia Augusta, Georgia Savannah, GeorgiaGeorgia's Metropolitan Statistical Areas (U.S. Census Bureau, 2005 Estimates)

Atlanta (state capital): 4,917,717
Augusta: 520,332
Savannah: 313,883
Columbus: 284,299
Macon: 228,712
Athens: 175,085
Albany: 162,842
Valdosta: 124,838
Georgia's smaller Micro Metropolitan Areas include:

Brunswick
Dalton
Gainesville
Hinesville
Rome
Warner Robins
Other Georgia cities with a population greater than 10,000 (urbanized area)

LaGrange
Milledgeville
St. Marys
Statesboro
Waycross
Tifton
Thomasville
Dublin
Americus
Moultrie
Calhoun
Cordele
Douglas
Bainbridge
Cedartown
Cornelia
Fitzgerald
Fort Valley
Jesup
Summerville
Thomaston
Toccoa
Vidalia
Military bases located in Georgia

Fort Benning
Fort Stewart
Dobbins Air Reserve Base
Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany
Moody Air Force Base
Fort Gordon
Robins Air Force Base
Hunter Army Airfield
Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay
Suburbs of Atlanta

Acworth
Alpharetta
Belvedere Park
Braselton
Buford
Candler-McAfee
Carrollton
Cartersville
Chamblee
College Park
Conyers
Covington
Dacula
Decatur
Doraville
Douglasville
Druid Hills
Duluth
Dunwoody
East Point
Fayetteville
Five Forks
Forest Park
Griffin
Jonesboro
Kennesaw
Lawrenceville
Lilburn
Loganville
Mableton
Marietta
Monroe
Mountain Park (Fulton Co.)
Mountain Park (Gwinnett Co.)
Newnan
Norcross
North Atlanta
North Decatur
North Druid Hills
Panthersville
Peachtree Corners
Peachtree City
Powder Springs
Redan
Riverdale
Roswell
Sandy Springs
Smyrna
Snellville
Stone Mountain
Sugar Hill
Suwanee
Tucker
Union City
Winder
Woodstock
Suburbs of Augusta

Aiken
Appling
Evans
Grovetown
Harlem
Hephzibah
Louisville
Martinez
North Augusta
Thomson
Warrenton
Waynesboro
Wrens
Suburbs of Savannah

Garden City
Georgetown
Skidaway Island
Thunderbolt
Whitemarsh Island
Wilmington Island
Pooler
Bloomingdale
Port Wentworth
Tybee Island
Montgomery
Sandfly
Richmond Hill
Rincon
Pembroke

Education

Colleges and universities
The Georgia Tech Tower The Emory University Candler Library Anderson Hall at SCADPrivate schools

Agnes Scott College † in Decatur [6]
American Intercontinental University [7]
in Dunwoody [8]
in Buckhead (Atlanta) [9]
Andrew College † in Cuthbert [10]
Art Institute of Atlanta in Atlanta [11]
Atlanta Christian College † in Atlanta [12]
Atlanta College of Art in Atlanta [13]
Berry College in Mount Berry [14]
Brenau University in Gainesville [15]
Brewton-Parker College in Mount Vernon [16]
Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta [17]
Covenant College † in Lookout Mountain [18]
Emmanuel College † in Franklin Springs [19]
Emory University † in Atlanta [20]
Institute of Paper Science and Technology in Atlanta [21]
LaGrange College in LaGrange [22]
Life University in Marietta [23]
Mercer University in Macon and Atlanta [24]
Morehouse College in Atlanta [25]
Morris Brown College in Atlanta [26]
Oglethorpe University in Atlanta [27]
Paine College in Augusta [28]
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine at Atlanta [29]
Piedmont College in Demorest and Athens [30]
Reinhardt College in Waleska [31]
Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah [32]
Shorter College in Rome [33]
South University in Savannah (and in other states) [34]
Spelman College in Atlanta [35]
Thomas University in Thomasville [36]
Toccoa Falls College† in Toccoa Falls [37]
Wesleyan College in Macon [38]
Young Harris College in Young Harris
† denotes schools affiliated with religious organizations (incomplete) University System of Georgia [39]

Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton [40]
Albany State University in Albany [41]
Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah [42]
Augusta State University in Augusta [43]
Bainbridge College in Bainbridge [www.bainbridge.edu/]
Clayton State University in Morrow [44]
Columbus State University in Columbus [45]
Dalton State College in Dalton [46]
Darton College in Albany [47]
Fort Valley State University in Fort Valley [48]
Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville [49]
Georgia Highlands College in Rome [50]
Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) in Atlanta [51]
Georgia Perimeter College [52]
Georgia Southern University in Statesboro [53]
Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus[54]
Georgia State University in Atlanta [55]
Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw [56]
Macon State College in Macon [57]
Medical College of Georgia in Augusta [58]
Middle Georgia College in Cochran and Dublin [59]
North Georgia College and State University in Dahlonega [60]
Savannah State University in Savannah [61]
Southern Polytechnic State University in Marietta [62]
University of West Georgia in Carrollton [63]
University of Georgia in Athens [64]
Valdosta State University in Valdosta [65]
(incomplete list, 34 total, plus tech colleges)

Professional sports teams
Club Sport League
Atlanta Braves Baseball Major League Baseball
Atlanta Falcons Football National Football League
Atlanta Hawks Basketball National Basketball Association
Atlanta Thrashers Ice hockey National Hockey League
Atlanta Vision Basketball American Basketball Association
Georgia Force Arena football Arena Football League
South Georgia Wildcats Arena football Af2
Macon Knights Arena football Af2
Atlanta Silverbacks Soccer USL First Division
Atlanta Silverbacks Women Soccer W-League
Atlanta Silverbacks U23 Soccer USL Premier Development League
Augusta FireBall Soccer USL Premier Development League
Augusta GreenJackets Baseball Minor League Baseball
Columbus Catfish Baseball Minor League Baseball
Rome Braves Baseball Minor League Baseball
Savannah Sand Gnats Baseball Minor League Baseball
Augusta Lynx Ice hockey East Coast Hockey League
Columbus Cottonmouths Ice hockey Southern Professional Hockey League
Gwinnett Gladiators Ice hockey East Coast Hockey League
Gwinnett Gwizzlies Basketball American Basketball Association
Reigning Knights of Georgia Basketball American Basketball Association

Tour de Georgia, The Masters Tournament

Miscellaneous topics
Georgia is the home state to Coca Cola, Delta Air Lines, Home Depot, United Parcel Service (UPS), and Chick-Fil-A.

Georgia's nicknames include Peach State and Empire State of the South .

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. 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 tree is the Southern live oak (Quercus virginiana), the state bird is the brown thrasher (Toxostoma rufum), and the state flower is the Cherokee rose (Rosa laevigata). The state game bird is the Bobwhite quail. The state wildflower is the Azalea. The state fruit is the peach. The state fish is the Largemouth bass. The state marine mammal is the Right whale. The state reptile is the Gopher tortoise. The state possum is the Pogo possum. The state insect is the Honeybee. The state butterfly is the Tiger swallowtail. The state mineral is Staurolite. The state seashell is the Knobbed whelk. The state gem is quartz. The state crop is the peanut. The state vegetable is the vidalia sweet onion. The state fossil is the shark tooth. The state commemorative quarter was released on July 19,1999.

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.

Radio and television
Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) operates nine major educational television stations across the state as Georgia Public Broadcasting Television. See also List of television stations in Georgia. It also operates, in whole or in part, several radio stations as Georgia Public Radio (GPR). See also List of radio stations in Georgia (U.S. state).

Georgia is home to Ted Turner, who founded TBS, TNT, and CNN, among others. The CNN Center headquarters is located in Atlanta, GA.

The Weather Channel's headquarters is located in the Vinings area of metropolitan Atlanta in Cobb County, GA.

List of people from Georgia
Politics of Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia Political Science Association
George Washington Carver
Georgia State Parks
Places to Visit in Georgia
Georgia National Parks
Appalachia

 

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