The largest of the U.S. states east of the Mississippi River and the youngest of the 13 former English colonies, Georgia was founded in 1732, when its borders were even wider — including many of today’s states of Alabama and Mississippi.
By the mid-1800s, Georgia had the largest number of plantations of any state in the South, and in many ways epitomized plantation culture and its economic dependence on slavery.
In 1864, Union General William Tecumseh Sherman invaded Georgia, captured Atlanta, and began his infamous March to the Sea, cutting a 200-mile swath of fire and destruction that stretched all the way to Savannah.
Georgia’s landscape varies greatly, as it stretches from the Appalachians in the north to the Atlantic Coast swamps in the southeast to the Okefenokee Swamp in the south.
Geography
Located in the southeastern region of the United States, Georgia is bordered by Alabama to the west, Tennessee to the north, North Carolina and South Carolina to the east, and Florida to the south. The state covers an area of about 59,441 square miles and is home to over 10 million people.
Georgia’s geography is divided into four distinct regions: the Blue Ridge Mountains in the northeast corner of the state; the Piedmont Plateau, located in central Georgia; The Coastal Plain region which extends from central Georgia to its southern coast; and The Appalachian Plateau located in northwest Georgia.
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a part of a larger mountain system that runs through much of North America. This mountain range has some of Georgia’s highest peaks including Brasstown Bald at 4,784 feet tall. These mountains are covered with dense forests and are home to many species of plants and animals. The Blue Ridge Mountains also provide water for many rivers that flow through northern Georgia including the Chattahoochee River which is one of its most important sources for hydroelectric power.
The Piedmont Plateau occupies much of central Georgia and consists mainly of rolling hills with occasional flatlands. This region was once covered by shallow seas during prehistoric times but now it is mostly agricultural land with some urban areas concentrated around Atlanta. The Piedmont Plateau also contains numerous lakes such as Lake Lanier which provides water for much of northern Georgia.
The Coastal Plain region extends from central Georgia down to its southern coast along both sides of the Savannah River. This area has some low-lying areas known as “blackland prairies” due to their dark soil color caused by centuries-old decomposing vegetation matter on topsoil layers that have been baked by centuries-old sunlight exposure. In this area there are numerous swamps and marshes as well as coastal islands known as barrier islands which protect mainland areas from storms coming off Atlantic Ocean waters nearby.
The Appalachian Plateau occupies northwest Georgia near Chattanooga, Tennessee where it borders Alabama and North Carolina states along Lookout Mountain ridge lines that run through this region’s valleys and hillsides making up part of Appalachia’s mountain chain network extending across much eastern United States areas into Canada’s Maritime Provinces further northwardly past New York State boundaries toward Maine’s northernmost portion near Canada’s border line there too..
Overall, Georgia has a diverse geography featuring mountains, plateaus, plains, prairies, swamps, marshes, rivers and coasts all within its boundaries—each providing unique landscapes for exploration throughout most parts across its entire state territory making it an appealing place for travelers wanting an escape into natural wonders while visiting or living here too.
Cities in Georgia
Below are the top 15 cities by population in Georgia. For all cities and towns in the state, please see Georgia cities list.
| Rank | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atlanta | 492,204 |
| 2 | Augusta-Richmond County | 205,772 |
| 3 | Columbus | 204,366 |
| 4 | Macon-Bibb County | 156,711 |
| 5 | Savannah | 147,930 |
| 6 | Athens-Clarke County | 128,195 |
| 7 | Sandy Springs | 106,605 |
| 8 | South Fulton | 105,551 |
| 9 | Roswell | 92,688 |
| 10 | Johns Creek | 82,068 |
| 11 | Warner Robins | 79,589 |
| 12 | Albany | 70,748 |
| 13 | Alpharetta | 65,187 |
| 14 | Marietta | 60,962 |
| 15 | Stonecrest | 58,602 |
Counties in Georgia
The State of Georgia consists of 159 counties. They are:
- Appling County, Georgia
- Atkinson County, Georgia
- Bacon County, Georgia
- Baker County, Georgia
- Baldwin County, Georgia
- Banks County, Georgia
- Barrow County, Georgia
- Bartow County, Georgia
- Ben Hill County, Georgia
- Berrien County, Georgia
- Bibb County, Georgia
- Bleckley County, Georgia
- Brantley County, Georgia
- Brooks County, Georgia
- Bryan County, Georgia
- Bulloch County, Georgia
- Burke County, Georgia
- Butts County, Georgia
- Calhoun County, Georgia
- Camden County, Georgia
- Candler County, Georgia
- Carroll County, Georgia
- Catoosa County, Georgia
- Charlton County, Georgia
- Chatham County, Georgia
- Chattahoochee County, Georgia
- Chattooga County, Georgia
- Cherokee County, Georgia
- Clarke County, Georgia
- Clay County, Georgia
- Clayton County, Georgia
- Clinch County, Georgia
- Cobb County, Georgia
- Coffee County, Georgia
- Colquitt County, Georgia
- Columbia County, Georgia
- Cook County, Georgia
- Coweta County, Georgia
- Crawford County, Georgia
- Crisp County, Georgia
- Dade County, Georgia
- Dawson County, Georgia
- Decatur County, Georgia
- DeKalb County, Georgia
- Dodge County, Georgia
- Dooly County, Georgia
- Dougherty County, Georgia
- Douglas County, Georgia
- Early County, Georgia
- Echols County, Georgia
- Effingham County, Georgia
- Elbert County, Georgia
- Emanuel County, Georgia
- Evans County, Georgia
- Fannin County, Georgia
- Fayette County, Georgia
- Floyd County, Georgia
- Forsyth County, Georgia
- Franklin County, Georgia
- Fulton County, Georgia
- Gilmer County, Georgia
- Glascock County, Georgia
- Glynn County, Georgia
- Gordon County, Georgia
- Grady County, Georgia
- Greene County, Georgia
- Gwinnett County, Georgia
- Habersham County, Georgia
- Hall County, Georgia
- Hancock County, Georgia
- Haralson County, Georgia
- Harris County, Georgia
- Hart County, Georgia
- Heard County, Georgia
- Henry County, Georgia
- Houston County, Georgia
- Irwin County, Georgia
- Jackson County, Georgia
- Jasper County, Georgia
- Jeff Davis County, Georgia
- Jefferson County, Georgia
- Jenkins County, Georgia
- Johnson County, Georgia
- Jones County, Georgia
- Lamar County, Georgia
- Lanier County, Georgia
- Laurens County, Georgia
- Lee County, Georgia
- Liberty County, Georgia
- Lincoln County, Georgia
- Long County, Georgia
- Lowndes County, Georgia
- Lumpkin County, Georgia
- Macon County, Georgia
- Madison County, Georgia
- Marion County, Georgia
- McDuffie County, Georgia
- McIntosh County, Georgia
- Meriwether County, Georgia
- Miller County, Georgia
- Mitchell County, Georgia
- Monroe County, Georgia
- Montgomery County, Georgia
- Morgan County, Georgia
- Murray County, Georgia
- Muscogee County, Georgia
- Newton County, Georgia
- Oconee County, Georgia
- Oglethorpe County, Georgia
- Paulding County, Georgia
- Peach County, Georgia
- Pickens County, Georgia
- Pierce County, Georgia
- Pike County, Georgia
- Polk County, Georgia
- Pulaski County, Georgia
- Putnam County, Georgia
- Quitman County, Georgia
- Rabun County, Georgia
- Randolph County, Georgia
- Richmond County, Georgia
- Rockdale County, Georgia
- Schley County, Georgia
- Screven County, Georgia
- Seminole County, Georgia
- Spalding County, Georgia
- Stephens County, Georgia
- Stewart County, Georgia
- Sumter County, Georgia
- Talbot County, Georgia
- Taliaferro County, Georgia
- Tattnall County, Georgia
- Taylor County, Georgia
- Telfair County, Georgia
- Terrell County, Georgia
- Thomas County, Georgia
- Tift County, Georgia
- Toombs County, Georgia
- Towns County, Georgia
- Treutlen County, Georgia
- Troup County, Georgia
- Turner County, Georgia
- Twiggs County, Georgia
- Union County, Georgia
- Upson County, Georgia
- Walker County, Georgia
- Walton County, Georgia
- Ware County, Georgia
- Warren County, Georgia
- Washington County, Georgia
- Wayne County, Georgia
- Webster County, Georgia
- Wheeler County, Georgia
- White County, Georgia
- Whitfield County, Georgia
- Wilcox County, Georgia
- Wilkes County, Georgia
- Wilkinson County, Georgia
- Worth County, Georgia
