Georgia offers the best of both New and Old South. At the heart of the New South is Atlanta with its vibrant skyscraper downtown and sites associated with the 1996 Summer Olympics, Civil Rights leader Dr Martin Luther King, Jr and Margaret Mitchell, author of Gone with the Wind. Coastal Savannah, on the other hand, epitomizes the romantic Old South of elegant mansions, horse-drawn carriages and magnolia-scented parks and gardens.

South of Savannah along the Atlantic coast are the beautiful Golden Isles with their elegant resorts, golf courses and sandy beaches. Just inland is the mysterious Okefenokee Swamp. The state's centre is filled with historic cities and towns known for their beautiful white-columned mansions, African-Amewrican heritage and for halls of fame dedicated to Georgia's numerous music, sports and golf heroes, the latter suitably located in Augusta, which hosts the world-renowned Master golf tournament.

In the southwest are majestic rivers, old steamboat towns, Native American mounds, plantations, the lush and lovely Callaway Gardens resort and Andersonville, site of an infamous Civil War prison. Plains is the hometown of former US president Jimmy Carter and at Warm Springs you can visit the 'Little White House', holiday home of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Northern Georgia's majestic Appalachian Mountains encompass quaint towns, scenic waterfalls and luxurious mountain and lake resorts. You can hike up the world-renowned Appalachian Trail, white-water raft down raging rivers and visit Dahlonega, the site of site of the first American gold rush, New Echota, the former capital of the Cherokee Indian Nation, and the Chickamauga Civil War battlefield.

In effect, Georgia has it all - whether you want the ruggedness of the mountains, the beauty of the beaches, the charm of the Old South or the excitement of the cities. The best part is you can enjoy all of this beauty within a days drive.

State in the SE United States, the last of the Thirteen Colonies to be founded. It is bordered by Florida, Alabama, Tennessee and North Carolina, and South Carolina and the Atlantic Ocean.

Area, 58,876 sq mi (152,489 sq km).
Pop, (2000) 8,186,453, an 26.4% increase since the 1990 census.
Capital and largest city, Atlanta.
Nickname, Empire State of the South.
Motto, Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation.
State bird, brown thrasher.
State flower, Cherokee rose.
State tree, live oak.

Although the trade and service sectors supply the majority of jobs in Georgia, manufacturing and agriculture remain important to the state's economy. In addition, federal facilities, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, near Atlanta; Fort Benning, near Columbus; and the Kings Bay naval base, contribute to the economy.

Cotton, once Georgia's most valuable crop, has declined in importance; in the 1990s it was rivaled by peanuts, tobacco, and corn. Georgia is easily the nation's largest producer of peanuts. Tobacco is the principal crop in the central and southern sections of the state, peanuts in the southwest. Livestock and poultry raising account for the largest share of farm income; broilers, eggs, and cattle are major products.

The manufacture of textiles and textile products has long been Georgia's leading industry, centering mainly around Columbus, Augusta, Macon, and Rome. Other major manufactures include transportation equipment, foods, paper products, and chemicals. Automobile manufacturing is important around Atlanta. Much of Georgia is heavily forested with pine, and the state is a leading producer of lumber and pulpwood. Although the state is rich in minerals, mining is not as important as manufacturing and agriculture. The most valuable minerals produced are clays, stone, kaolin, iron ore, sand, and gravel. Georgia is famous for its fine marble.
 

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