Georgia

Georgia is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee and North Carolina; to the northeast by South Carolina; to the southeast by the Atlantic Ocean; to the south by Florida; and to the west by Alabama. Georgia is the largest state in America by area and the 8th most populous. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, its 2020 population was 10,711,908 Atlanta is the capital of the state and its largest city. The Atlanta metropolitan area, with a population of more than 6 million people in 2020, is the 9th most populous metropolitan area in the United States and contains about 57% of Georgia’s entire population.

Founded in 1732 as the Province of Georgia and first settled in 1733, Georgia became a British royal colony in 1752. It was the last and southernmost of the original Thirteen Colonies to be established. 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. Georgia became the fourth American state to ratify its Constitution on January 2, 1788. Later, the Mississippi Territory was added to the U.S. as the states of Alabama and Mississippi. Georgia declared its independence from the Union on January 19, 1861 and was one the seven original Confederate States. Following the Civil War, it was the last state to be restored to the Union, on July 15, 1870. 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, industrialization, and white supremacy. Many Georgians, including Martin Luther King Jr., played prominent roles in the civil rights movement during the 20th century. Atlanta hosted the 1996 Summer Olympics which celebrated the 100th anniversary the modern Olympic Games. As part of the larger Sun Belt phenomenon, Georgia has experienced significant population growth and economic growth since 1945. From 2007 to 2008 14 counties in Georgia were among the 100 fastest-growing.