Georgia – The Peach State – Deluxe Surveillance

Capital city	Atlanta
Population	10,711,908 (2020)
Surface	154,077 km²
Governor	Brian Kemp (R)
Member of the US since	1788

A map of Georgia

Georgia (obsolete: Georgia) is one of the fifty states of the United States. The state is located in the southeast of the country. Georgia’s abbreviation is GA and its nickname is The Peach State. Another nickname is The Empire State of the South. The state is bordered by North Carolina and Tennessee to the north, South Carolina to the northeast, Florida to the south, and Alabama to the west. The capital of Georgia is Atlanta, which is also the state’s largest city. More than 10 million people live in Georgia. Georgia was founded as a British colony in 1732. It is named after the English King George II, who was in power at the time. Georgia is one of the first 13 states. Mississippi and Alabama were originally part of the state as well, but were separated from them between 1802 and 1804. Georgia was a slave state that allowed slavery. There were large plantations in the state. During the American Civil War (in 1861) Georgia seceded and became part of the Confederate States of America. It was not until 1870 that Georgia became a full part of the United States again. Georgia was largely destroyed during the Civil War (especially during William T. Sherman’s March to the Sea). After the Civil War, racial segregation was introduced in Georgia. Many important figures in the human rights movement of the 1960s came from Georgia, such as Martin Luther King. The state is known for its wildlife and wilderness. The largest airport in the United States is also located in Georgia. Georgia has long been a red state with a large Republican following. Today, Georgia is more of a swing state, which can be won by both Democrats and Republicans.

Geography

Landscape

The Okefenokee Swamp

Georgia is sometimes seen as part of the Deep South. The Deep South was a region where slavery and later racial segregation were the worst. The Appalachians run through western Georgia and end all the way in New York. The south and the coast, on the other hand, are very flat. Here you will also find many different rivers, such as the Alapacha and the Satilla. Also located here are several lakes, such as Lake Seminole, and several swamps, such as the Okefenokee Swamp. The north is more hilly with smaller mountain ranges such as the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Georgia Mountains. Off the coast are some smaller islands, such as the Golden Isles. This is an archipelago consisting of 14 large islands and a popular holiday destination. The Brasstown Bald is the highest point in the entire state at 1,458 meters. In addition, there is the Stone Mountain Park, which is well known for the mountain of the same name. Three of the most important Confederate soldiers are depicted on this mountain: Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson.

Georgia’s Largest Cities

Number	City	Inhabitants	County
1.	Atlanta	498.715	Fulton County
2.	Columbus	206.922	Muskogee County
3.	Augusta	202,081	Richmond County
4.	Macon	157,346	Bibb County
5.	Savannah	147,780	Chatham County
6.	Athens	127.315	Clarke County
7.	Sandy Springs	108,080	Fulton County
8.	South Fulton	107,436	Fulton County
9.	Roswell	92.833	Cobb County
10.	Johns Creek	82.453	Fulton County

Climate

Georgia has a humid subtropical climate. In Georgia, winters are mild and summers are hot. There is about the same amount of precipitation throughout the year, but slightly more in winter than in summer. Georgia is dealing with extreme weather. The state often deals with hurricanes. Almost every year one comes ashore. Such hurricanes can cause a lot of damage. Hurricanes in southern Georgia often make landfall in Florida, but they can still cause damage in Georgia itself. Other hurricanes make landfall in the north. A hurricane that makes landfall exactly near Georgia is rare. In addition, there are many tornadoesfor Georgia. Although there are many tornadoes each year, they mostly occur in rural areas. As a result, they cause little damage.

Population

General

Georgia has more than 10 million inhabitants, making it one of the most populous states in the country. About 0.5 million of these are illegal migrants. Compared to other states, Georgia has a lot of immigration, mainly from Mexico. 59% of residents are white, 30% are African American, 3% are Asian, and 0.3% are Native American. Most residents of the state have an English, Irish or German migration background.

The largest Hindu temple in the United States is in Georgia

Georgia is known as one of the most conservative states in the country. Georgia is particularly conservative when it comes to LGBT rights. Homosexuality was banned until 2003 and same -sex marriage was not allowed for a long time. In contrast, Atlanta, the capital of Georgia, is one of the most progressive cities in the country.

Language

The official language of Georgia is English. English is used in education, law and politics. It is also used in everyday life. Most residents only speak English. The second language is Spanish, which is mainly spoken by Latinos. About 7% of the inhabitants have Spanish as their mother tongue. Other major languages are Korean, Chinese and French.

Religion

Georgia is one of the most Christian states in the country. 78% of the population is Christian, of which 67% are Protestant, 9% Catholic and 2% Mormon. The number of Christians has been declining in recent years. Most Protestants in Georgia are adherents of Baptism or Methodism. 18% of the population has no religion or is unbeliever. In addition, there are a few smaller faiths, such as Judaism and Hinduism.

Politics

State politics

Georgia’s Parliament Building

Georgia is run by a governor. The current governor of Georgia is Brian Kemp of the Republican Party. The governor is elected by direct elections every four years. He is aided by a lieutenant governor, who is elected through separate elections. In Georgia, most ministers are also elected by the people and not by the governor himself. In addition, there is another parliament, the Georgia General Assembly. It consists of two rooms:

The House of Representatives, made up of 180 members who are elected every two years.
The Senate, consisting of 56 members who are also elected every two years.

The Republican Party has a majority in both chambers. The Democratic Party fills the other seats.

Administrative division

How many counties in Georgia? Georgia is divided into 159 counties. This makes Georgia the state with the most counties after Texas.

A map of all counties of Georgia

Federal Politics

Raphael Warnock (left) and Jon Ossoff (right); the current two senators for Georgia

Georgia was originally a blue state. This means that the state almost always went to the Democratic Party. This changed in the 1960s and the state has been seen as a red state since the 1980s. This means that Republicans usually win the state. Despite this, the Democrat Bill Clinton managed to win Georgia in 1992. Today Georgia is seen as a swing state, as the Republicans only win Georgia by a small majority. In 2020, Democrat Joe Biden managed to win Georgia by a very narrow majority. This was partly because many African Americans voted in the elections. Democrats like Stacey Abrams are also committed to making Georgia a blue state. Georgia is represented in the United States Congress by two senators and 14 representatives. Today, Georgia has two Democratic Senators, namely Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock. Of the 14 delegates, 8 are Republican and 6 are Democratic. One of them is Majorie Taylor Green, who is a Republican representative. US President Jimmy Carter was from Georgia.

Economy

One of the resorts in Georgia

Georgia is one of the poorest states in the country, but richer than other states in the south. This is because Atlanta, one of the major cities in the Southwest, is located in Georgia. Georgia is also home to many large companies, such as Coca-Cola, UPS, Home Depot, and Delta Airlines. The port of Savannah is also very large. A lot of agriculture takes place in the south of the state. Major crops are maize, peanuts and soybeans. In the past, cotton was also very important, but today this is less the case. Lots of textileswas made in Georgia, but most of the factories have moved to other countries. Today, many electrical appliances and automobiles are made in Georgia. The food industry, chemical industry and paper making have also become important. In addition, many transportation companies, distribution centers, and military training grounds are located in Georgia. Georgia also attracts many tourists. They come mainly for nature, but also for the many monuments. Notable tourist sites include Atlanta, the Six Flags Over Georgia amusement park, the Stone Mountain Park, the Little White House (Franklin D. Roosevelt’s summer home), and the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park. The Golden Isles off the coast are known for their beaches and golf courses. In addition, Georgia is a popular film location.

Atlanta

Atlanta skyline

Atlanta is the largest city in the US state of Georgia and is also its capital. It had a population of 537,958 in the year 2009, making it the 33rd largest city in all of the United States. The entire metropolis had 5,475,213 inhabitants in the year 2009. Atlanta is a major industrial, traffic, trade, commercial, and financial center in the southeastern United States. It is known for the Atlanta Botanical Garden, a botanical garden. The city was founded in the year 1837 as Terminus. In the year 1843 it was baptized as Marthasville. But it got its current name, Atlanta , in the year 1845. In 1996, Atlanta was the host city of the Summer Olympics , and was even nicknamed Hotlanta because of the heat. The headquarters of Coca-Cola and CNN are in Atlanta. Atlanta’s airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, is the busiest in the world with approximately 90 million passengers annually. In addition to being the busiest airport in the world, it is also the largest. It is, due to the presence of Delta Air Lines, an airline that is the city’s largest employer.

Georgia – The Peach State