**Historical Development**:
– Atlanta founded as a railroad terminus
– Key role during the American Civil War
– Post-war rebound and industrial growth
– Civil Rights Movement hub in the 1950s and 1960s
– Economic development post-World War II
– Reconstruction efforts post-Civil War
– Atlanta’s growth in the 20th century
– Impact of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games on Atlanta
– Significant changes in Atlanta in the 21st century
**Geography and Cityscape**:
– Native American settlements in Atlanta
– Western and Atlantic Railroad development
– Atlanta’s geography and location
– Evolution of Atlanta’s architecture and skyline
– Neighborhoods and districts in Atlanta
– Climate of Atlanta
**Demographic Trends**:
– Population growth and diversity in Atlanta
– Demographic statistics of Atlanta
– Shifts in racial demographics in Atlanta
– Immigration trends and language spoken in Atlanta
– LGBT community in Atlanta
**Cultural and Development Initiatives**:
– Cultural expansion in Atlanta
– Development initiatives in Atlanta
– Gentrification in Atlanta
– Impact of BeltLine project on Atlanta
– Economic growth and changes in Atlanta
**Notable Events and Landmarks**:
– Atlanta’s role in the Civil Rights Movement
– Atlanta’s significance during the Civil War
– Atlanta’s hosting of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games
– Major events hosted in Atlanta
– Atlanta’s selection as a host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Atlanta (/ætˈlæn(t)ə/ at-LAN-(t)ə) is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, and a portion of the city extends into neighboring DeKalb County. With a population of 498,715 living within the city limits, Atlanta is the eighth most populous city in the Southeast and 38th most populous city in the United States according to the 2020 U.S. census. It is the core of the much larger Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to more than 6.3 million people (2023 estimate), making it the sixth-largest U.S. metropolitan area. Situated among the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains at an elevation of just over 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level, Atlanta features unique topography that includes rolling hills, lush greenery, and the densest urban tree coverage of any major city in the United States.
Atlanta | |
|---|---|
City and state capital | |
 Flag  Seal | |
| Nicknames: The City in a Forest, ATL, The A, Hotlanta, The Gate City, Hollywood of the South (See also Nicknames of Atlanta) | |
| Motto(s): Resurgens (Latin for Rising again, alluding to the myth of the phoenix bird) | |
 Interactive map of Atlanta | |
| Coordinates: 33°44′56″N 84°23′24″W / 33.74889°N 84.39000°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Georgia |
| Counties | Fulton, DeKalb |
| Terminus | 1837 |
| Marthasville | 1843 |
| City of Atlanta | December 29, 1847 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Strong–mayor council |
| • Mayor | Andre Dickens (D) |
| • Body | Atlanta City Council |
| Area | |
| • City and state capital | 136.31 sq mi (353.04 km2) |
| • Land | 135.32 sq mi (350.48 km2) |
| • Water | 0.99 sq mi (2.57 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,050 ft (320 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • City and state capital | 498,715 |
| • Estimate (2023) | 499,127 |
| • Rank | 38th in the United States 1st in Georgia |
| • Density | 3,685.45/sq mi (1,422.96/km2) |
| • Urban | 5,100,112 (US: 9th) |
| • Urban density | 1,997.7/sq mi (771.3/km2) |
| • Metro | 6,307,261 (US: 6th) |
| Demonym | Atlantans |
| GDP | |
| • Atlanta (MSA) | $525.9 billion (2022) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 30301–30322, 30324–30329, 30331–30334, 30336-30346, 30348-30350, 30353-30364, 30366, 30368-30371, 30374-30375, 30377-30378, 30380, 30384-30385, 30388, 30392, 30394, 30396, 30398, 31106-31107, 31119, 31126, 31131, 31136, 31139, 31141, 31145-31146, 31150, 31156, 31192-31193, 31195-31196, 39901 |
| Area codes | 404/678/470/943/770 |
| FIPS code | 13-04000 |
| GNIS feature ID | 351615 |
| Website | atlantaga.gov |
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Atlanta was originally founded as the terminus of a major state-sponsored railroad, but it soon became the convergence point among several railroads, spurring its rapid growth. The largest was the Western and Atlantic Railroad, from which the name "Atlanta" is derived, signifying the city's growing reputation as a major hub of transportation. During the American Civil War, it served a strategically important role for the Confederacy until it was captured in 1864. The city was almost entirely burned to the ground during General William T. Sherman's March to the Sea. However, the city rebounded dramatically in the post-war period and quickly became a national industrial center and the unofficial capital of the "New South". After World War II, it also became a manufacturing and technology hub. During the 1950s and 1960s, it became a major organizing center of the American Civil Rights Movement, with Martin Luther King Jr., Ralph Abernathy, and many other locals becoming prominent figures in the movement's leadership. In the modern era, Atlanta has remained a major center of transportation, with Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport becoming the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic in 1998 (a position it has held every year since, except for 2020), with an estimated 93.7 million passengers in 2022.
With a nominal gross domestic product (GDP) of $473 billion in 2021, Atlanta has the eleventh largest economy of cities in the U.S. and the 22nd largest in the world. Its economy is considered diverse, with dominant sectors in industries including transportation, aerospace, logistics, healthcare, news and media operations, film and television production, information technology, finance, and biomedical research and public policy. The gentrification of some of its neighborhoods, initially spurred by the 1996 Summer Olympics, has intensified in the 21st century with the growth of the Atlanta Beltline. This has altered its demographics, politics, aesthetics, and culture.