When we talk about Georgia, we are talking about a state that located in the Southeastern Region of the United States. We can also indeed find another Georgia as a Country in eastern Europe. Georgia is bordered by Tennessee and North Carolina to the north, South Carolina to the northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, Florida to the south, and Alabama to the west. I’m sure that you should be interested to know more about interesting Georgia facts. In this article, we will talk about 10 interesting facts about Georgia.
1. Georgia is the Largest in Land Area of the States Entirely East of the Mississippi River
Georgia has a total area of 59,425 sq mi (153,909 km2) with 57,906 sq mi (149,976 km2) total land. It’s the the 24th-largest state of the United States in area. But when we count only the land area, Georgia is 21st largest state. When we talk about the states that lies entirely on the east of the Mississippi river, then Georgia is the largest in land area.
2. Georgia was the Last of the Original Thirteen Colonies to be Established
Georgia was established as British Colony. It was established in 1733 that makes Georgia the last of the original thirteen colonies. Besides the last one, Georgia was also the southernmost of the original thirteen colonies. Georgia was named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution on January 2, 1788.
3. Atlanta is the Capital and Most Populous City of Georgia
The capital city of Georgia is Atlanta. Atlanta is also the most populous city of Georgia. Atlanta has been Georgia’s capital city since 1868. It’s located at the Eastern Continental Divide. The Atlanta metropolitan area is also the largest metropolitan area in Georgia and ninth largest metropolitan area in the United States.
4. Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the Busiest Airport in the World
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (IATA: ATL) is an international airport that located 7 mi (11 km) south of the Downtown Atlanta district. It has been the world’s busiest airport by passenger travel since 1998. Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport is also the most efficient airport in the world that accommodates more than a hundred million passengers annually with 4,700 acres (1,902 ha) of land and five parallel runways.
5. Cherokee Rose is the State Flower of Georgia
The state rose of Georgia is Cherokee rose (Rosa laevigata) that was designated in 1916. It is a white, fragrant rose that was introduced to the southeastern United States in about 1780. It is native to Southern China and Taiwan, as well as Laos and Vietnam. The Cherokee rose flowers are 6–10 centimetres (2.4–3.9 in) diameter with yellow stamens and pure white petals.
6. Honeybee is the State Insect of Georgia
The state insect of Georgia is Honeybee (Apis mellifera). Honeybee was chosen as the state insect of Georgia in 1975. Besides the state insect of Georgia, Honeybee is also the state insect of Kansas, Arkansas, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont and Wisconsin. Honeybee is chosen as the state insect because of its contribution for Georgia through honey production and helping with agriculture pollination.
7. Southern Live Oak is the State Tree of Georgia
The state tree of Georgia is Southern live oak (Quercus virginiana). Southern live oak is endemic to the Southeastern United States. It was designated as the state tree of Georgia in 1937. Southern live oak typically can reach 20 meters (65.5 feet) in height with an open-grown environment. Live oak wood is very strong although it’s difficult to work with. It was the preferred source of the framework timbers of the wooden ships. Southern live oak wood from St. Simons Island, Georgia was used to construct the frame of USS Constitution.
8. The State Bird of Georgia is Brown Thrasher
Brown trasher (Toxostoma rufum) is the state bird of Georgia. It was selected as the state bird in 1928. Brown trasher belongs to the New World family of passerine birds, Mimidae. It’s widely found in the eastern and central United States as well as southern and central Canada. As an omnivore bird, Brown trasher eats insects to fruits and nuts.
9. Gopher tortoise is the State Reptile of Georgia
The state reptile of Georgia is Gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus). Gopher tortoise was designated as the state reptile of Georgia in 1989. Gopher tortoise is also the state tortoise of Florida. The gopher tortoise belongs to the family Testudinidae. It’s a vulnerable species of turtle that native to the southeastern United States.
10. The Largest Hindu Temple in the United States is Located in Lilburn, Atlanta
The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is the largest Hindu temple in the United States. It’s located in Lilburn, Atlanta. It’s a place of worship (mandir) of traditional Hindu that was inaugurated on 26 August 2007. The mandir is situated on landscaped grounds spread over 30 acres and made of 34,450 pieces of hand-carved Italian marble, Turkish Limestone and Indian pink sandstone.
I’m sure that there are more interesting facts about Georgia that we don’t talk about in this article. If you are interested to share other interesting facts about Georgia, it’s a good idea to share with us.