Georgia is a Southern state situated on the southeastern coast of the United States, boasting beautiful beaches, glorious weather, and many attractive places to live or visit. So, let’s jump into the top 41 interesting facts about Georgia!
41 Interesting Facts About Georgia
1. Georgia is home to 159 counties, which is more than any other state east of the Mississippi.
2. Jon Ossoff is the youngest (33) Democrat elected to the Senate since Joe Biden in 1973! Joe was 30 when he first assumed office.
3. There are more African American students receiving Batchelor’s Degrees in Georgia than in any other state.
4. Located in north Georgia is the iconic city of Atlanta. With a population of over 523,738 in 2020, it is the largest city in Georgia, not only in landmass but in population! Atlanta is also the 36th largest city in the United States and is growing at a rate of more than 2.5% annually. Some interesting facts of Georgia, and more specifically, Atlanta, is that there are over 55 streets in Atlanta with the name “Peachtree”.
5. Many believe this to have had an influence on the adoption of Georgia’s famous nickname. If you would like to learn more specifically about this unbelievable city, check out our Atlanta facts page, where you can find out all kinds of interesting information regarding metro Atlanta, downtown Atlanta, Underground Atlanta, and more!
6. The city of Tallapoosa is home to many amazing things including the Tallapoosa River, an extremely popular tourist destination due to its beauty, an abundance of wildlife, and opportunities to partake in activities such as tubing and kayaking.
7. The peach state uniquely has two animals that represent the state. The Georgia state animals are the white-tailed deer and the northern right whale.
8. Two Georgia counties have two human names, Ben Hill County, and Jeff Davis County.
9. Wesleyan College, GA is the first college in the entire world chartered to grant degrees to women, which is poetic when you consider the state is named after a woman.
10. There is a county in Georgia named after a woman, this is the only county in Georgia that was named after a woman, Hart County was named after Nancy Hart, a patriot, and true warrior in the fight against the British during the historical Revolutionary War.
11. Georgia was the first state to lower the legal voting age in 1943, lowering the age from 21 to 18.
12. Midtown Atlanta is home to “The Varsity”, which is considered to be the world’s largest drive-in restaurant, yes, drive-in not a drive-thru, founded in 1928, and seating over 800 diners.
13. Georgia is home to the oldest state park in the United States.
14. 1912 introduced the first girl scouts program which began in, you guessed it, Georgia!
15. Georgia is home to 65 threatened and endangered plant and animal species.
16. The largest Black-Owned production company in America is in Georgia, named the Tyler Perry Studios.
17. Georgia was the 4th state to officially join the Union in 1776 and the 5th to join the Confederacy in 1861.
18. Amicalola Falls in Dawsonville, GA is the tallest cascading waterfall located east of the Mississippi River.
19. The famous GA college, Berry College has the largest contiguous campus out of any other in the entire world.
20. The Okefenokee Swamp, located in south Georgia is the largest in North America.
21. Elberton, Georgia is the Granite Capital of the World.
22. There is a tree residing in the city of Athens that actually owns itself, the Junior Ladies Garden Club still continues to look after this tree.
23. The maximum speed limit in Georgia is 70 MPH.
24. If you are from Georgia you will be referred to as a “Georgian”.
25. The Georgia city of Savannah is a historic city known throughout the state and United States for having beautiful coastal landscapes, a laid-back atmosphere, the iconic Savannah river, and rich history.
26. The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area is one of the most beautiful in the country, not just the Peach State.
27. Georgia’s education system is one of the best in the U.S., with many fantastic Universities to pick from such as the Georgia State University. You can find some of the best in cities other than Atlanta too, for example, Athens, Augusta, and Savannah.
28. The official state fish is a Largemouth Bass, and the official state flower is the Rosa laevigata.
What are 3 interesting facts about Georgia?
Here are 3 handpicked interesting facts about Georgia that we think you will find interesting.
1. Georgia is the largest state east of the Mississippi River.
2. There are 350 species of birds that have taken up residence in Georgia.
3. Georgia’s famous nickname, “The Peach State” may be a little misleading nowadays as Georgia is the 4th largest producer of sweet fruit in the U.S., not first, to the surprise of many. However, when it comes to the Georgia state symbols, the state fruit is the peach and has been since 1995.
History Facts About Georgia State
29. When considering the historical facts about Georgia the best place to start would be how it was founded. The state of Georgia was founded in 1732 by a British Member of Parliament, named James Oglethorpe.
30. Interestingly, Georgia was founded as a Felon colony, meaning that prisoners who could not pay their debts would have to reside in Georgia instead of being sent to jail! So, instead of languishing in jail, these felons were provided with a second chance in life, in a brand new location, and a fresh start.
31. The next set of historical facts about Georgia is its nickname. It is clear to everyone that Georgia has a thing for peaches, but did you know that Georgia is also the country’s top producer of peanuts, pecans, and Vidalia onion!
32. Onions that are grown in Georgia are considered by many to be the sweetest in the world. If you are interested in learning more about Georgia’s state nickname or perhaps interested in learning about Georgia’s nonofficial nickname, take a look at our dedicated pages to this.
33. Last on our list of interesting historical facts about Georgia is the state’s date of admission. On January 2, 1788, Georgia was admitted into the union, becoming the 4th state to help contribute to the inception of all 50 United States that we know and love today!
Economic State of Georgia Facts
Georgia’s business climate has always been healthy, but recent years have witnessed the state’s economy go from strength to strength. Attractive landscapes and climate make it a popular place to live, and the economy remains one of the strongest in the country with an excelling workforce, solid infrastructure, access to capital, and low taxes.
With all the opportunities this presents to businesses, the state’s economy is consistently growing, and here are some highlights of Georgia state facts that make the state one of the leading economies in the U.S.
Economic Facts
- Georgia was ranked 1st for the best small business climate in the US (NFIB – Nov 2018).
- Georgia was ranked 2nd for the most growth in startups by women in the US (AMEX – 2019).
- Georgia was ranked 3rd overall in the best state to start a business (WalletHub – Sept 2018).
- Georgia was ranked 12th in the US for the top exporting state (Worlds Top Exports – May 2020).
- Georgia was ranked 9th in the overall best state economies in the US (WalletHub – June 2018).
- Georgia has a progressive income tax rate of 1.00% – 5.75%.
- The sales tax rate in Georgia is 4%.
- The minimum wage in Georgia is $7.25 per hour.
- The income tax ranges between 1% to 6% depending on your annual income.
- There are over 1.2 million Small Businesses in Georgia – this accounts for 99.6% of all Georgia businesses.
- Small businesses in Georgia have employed over 1.7 million employees.
A snapshot of Georgia state facts above illustrates why it is considered one of the most popular states for people to move to in the U.S. and why over 250,000 people move to the state per year!
