Georgia
th
4 State
State Flag
State Bird:
Brown Thrasher
State Flower:
Cherokee Rose
State Gemstone: Quartz
State Motto:
“Wisdom,
justice, and
moderation”
Gained Statehood: January 2, 1788
State Capital: Atlanta
State Abbreviation: GA
Largest City: Atlanta (pop. 394,017)
Nickname: Peach State
Total Area: 59,441 square miles
• Land Area: 57,919 sq. miles
• Water Area: 1,522 sq. miles
Population: 8,186,453 (12/00 census)
Major Industries: textiles and apparel,
transportation equipment, food processing,
paper products, timber, finance
Major Agriculture: poultry and eggs,
peanuts, cattle, hogs, dairy products, corn,
sugar, pecans, tobacco, peaches
State Song: “Georgia on My Mind”
State Facts:
• Georgia was named after King George II of
England.
• Georgia is the #1 producer of peanuts, pecans, and
peaches.
• Most of Georgia’s large lakes are artificial.
• Okefenokee is the largest freshwater swamp in the
nation.
Historical Facts:
First known inhabitants of Georgia were Creek and
Cherokee.
1540 – de Soto, a Spaniard, explored Georgia
1733 – Savannah became the first permanent English
settlement
1793 – Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin.
1829 - Gold rush in Dahlonega
1838 – Cherokee and Creek tribes forced to leave in “Trail
of Tears” journey
1861 – Georgia seceded from Union
1863 – Confederates won Battle of Chickamauga
1864 – Atlanta burned by Union General William Sherman
1870 – Georgia readmitted to Union
Famous Georgians:
• Jimmy Carter – past president
• Martin Luther King – minister
Major Waterways: Savannah River, West
Point Lake, Atlantic Ocean
Major Cities: Atlanta, Columbus,
Savannah, Macon, Albany
Highest Point: Brasstown Bald - 4,784 ft.
Major Sports Teams: Falcons, Hawks,
Thrashers
State Tree:
Live Oak
State Reptile:
Gopher Tortoise
Natural Wonder:
Okefenokee Swamp