This article or section does not cite its references or sources. You can help Wikipedia by introducing appropriate citations. 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 Capital Atlanta Largest city Atlanta Area  Ranked 24th  - Total 59,489 sq mi (154,077 km²)  - Width 230 miles (370 km)  - Length 298 miles (480 km)  - % water 2.6  - Latitude 30°31'N to 35°N  - Longitude 81°W to 85°53'W Population  Ranked 9th  - Total (2000) 8,186,453  - Density 141.4/sq mi  54.59/km² (18th) Elevation    - Highest point Brasstown Bald 4,784 ft  (1,458 m)  - Mean 591 ft  (180 m)  - Lowest point 0 ft  (0 m) Admission to Union  January 2, 1788 (4th) Governor Sonny Perdue (R) U.S. Senators Saxby Chambliss (R) Johnny Isakson (R) Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4 Abbreviations GA US-GA Web site www.georgia.gov For the country, see Georgia (country). For other uses, see Georgia (disambiguation). Georgia is a southern state of the 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. Georgia is also known as the Peach State and the Empire State of the South . Contents 1 Geography 1.1 Climate 2 History 3 Demographics 3.1 Race, language and age 3.2 Religion 4 Economy 5 Transportation 5.1 Interstate highways 5.2 United States highways 6 Law and Government 6.1 State government 6.2 Local government 6.3 Politics 7 Important cities and towns 8 Education 8.1 Colleges and universities 9 Professional sports teams 10 Miscellaneous topics 10.1 Radio and television 11 See also 12 References 13 Further reading 14 External links Geography 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 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. With 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).[1] 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 Georgia The 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[2] to around 75 inches (1905 mm) around the Northeast part of the state[3]. 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 one of transition from a subtropical to a more temperate continental climate. 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)[4], while the lowest ever recorded is -17 °F (-27.2 °C)[5]. 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 comprised 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 Map Like 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. Georgia'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. Numerous United States Naval and Air Force bases are located in Georgia. These include 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. 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 Norfolk 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. See also: 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. (See: list of Georgia counties.) 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. See also : United States presidential election, 2004, in Georgia Important cities and towns Downtown Atlanta Skyline Midtown Atlanta Skyline Augusta Skyline Georgia'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 SCAD Private 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 See also 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. See also 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 References ^ U.S. States Area and Ranking - EnchantedLearning.com, accessed September 8, 2006 ^ Monthly Averages for Macon, GA The Weather Channel. ^ Monthly Averages for Clayton, GA The Weather Channel. ^ Each state's high temperature record USA Today, last updated August 2006. ^ Each state's low temperature record USA Today, last updated August 2006. 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, Bonta Bullard. (1999) Georgia: The History of an American State Montgomery, Alabama: Clairmont Press ISBN 1-56733-994-8. 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 Find more information on Georgia (U.S. state) by searching Wikipedia's sister projects: Dictionary definitions from Wiktionary Textbooks from Wikibooks Quotations from Wikiquote Source texts from Wikisource Images and media from Commons News stories from Wikinews Georgia state government website 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) U.S. Census Bureau Georgia State Facts Georgia Info from UGA The New Georgia Encyclopedia State of Georgia Regions Colonial Coast | The Golden Isles | Historic South | Inland Empire | Metro Atlanta | North Georgia Mountains | Southern Rivers Largest cities Albany | Atlanta | Athens | Augusta | Columbus | Macon | Marietta | Roswell | Sandy Springs | Savannah Counties of Georgia Appling | Atkinson | Bacon | Baker | Baldwin | Banks | Barrow | Bartow | Ben Hill | Berrien | Bibb | Bleckley | Brantley | Brooks | Bryan | Bulloch | Burke | Butts | Calhoun | Camden | Candler | Carroll | Catoosa | Charlton | Chatham | Chattahoochee | Chattooga | Cherokee | Clarke | Clay | Clayton | Clinch | Cobb | Coffee | Colquitt | Columbia | Cook | Coweta | Crawford | Crisp | Dade | Dawson | Decatur | DeKalb | Dodge | Dooly | Dougherty | Douglas | Early | Echols | Effingham | Elbert | Emanuel | Evans | Fannin | Fayette | Floyd | Forsyth | Franklin | Fulton | Gilmer | Glascock | Glynn | Gordon | Grady | Greene | Gwinnett | Habersham | Hall | Hancock | Haralson | Harris | Hart | Heard | Henry | Houston | Irwin | Jackson | Jasper | Jeff Davis | Jefferson | Jenkins | Johnson | Jones | Lamar | Lanier | Laurens | Lee | Liberty | Lincoln | Long | Lowndes | Lumpkin | Macon | Madison | Marion | McDuffie | McIntosh | Meriwether | Miller | Mitchell | Monroe | Montgomery | Morgan | Murray | Muscogee | Newton | Oconee | Oglethorpe | Paulding | Peach | Pickens | Pierce | Pike | Polk | Pulaski | Putnam | Quitman | Rabun | Randolph | Richmond | Rockdale | Schley | Screven | Seminole | Spalding | Stephens | Stewart | Sumter | Talbot | Taliaferro | Tattnall | Taylor | Telfair | Terrell | Thomas | Tift | Toombs | Towns | Treutlen | Troup | Turner | Twiggs | Union | Upson | Walker | Walton | Ware | Warren | Washington | Wayne | Webster | Wheeler | White | Whitfield | Wilcox | Wilkes | Wilkinson | Worth | (Campbell) | (Milton) v·d·e Political divisions of the United States States: Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri | Montana | Nebraska | Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | New York | North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming Federal district: District of Columbia Insular areas: American Samoa | Guam | Northern Mariana Islands | Puerto Rico | Virgin Islands Minor outlying islands: Baker Island | Howland Island | Jarvis Island | Johnston Atoll | Kingman Reef | Midway Atoll | Navassa Island | Palmyra Atoll | Wake Island Search Term: "Georgia_%28U.S._state%29" Categories: Articles lacking sources | 1788 establishments | Georgia (U.S. state) | Former British colonies

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