Georgia

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State of Georgia
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): Peach State; Empire State of the South
Motto(s): Wisdom, Justice, Moderation
Official language(s)	English
Demonym	Georgian
Capital (and largest city)	Atlanta
Largest metro area	Atlanta metro area
Area	Ranked 24th in the U.S.
- Total	59,425 sq mi (153,909 km2)
- Width	230 miles (370 km)
- Length	298 miles (480 km)
- % water	2.6
- Latitude	30.356 – 34.985° N
- Longitude	80.840 – 85.605° W
Population	Ranked 9th in the U.S.
- Total	(2010) 9,687,653[1]
- Density	141.4/sq mi  (54.59/km2) Ranked 18th in the U.S.
- Median income	$50,861 (23rd)
Elevation
- Highest point	Brasstown Bald[2] 4,784 ft  (1,458 m)
- Mean	591 ft  (180 m)
- Lowest point	Atlantic Ocean[2] 0 ft  (0 m)
Before statehood	Province of Georgia
Admission to Union	January 2, 1788 (4th)
Governor	Nathan Deal (R)
Lieutenant Governor	Casey Cagle (R)
Legislature	General Assembly
- Upper house	State Senate
- Lower house	House of Representatives
U.S. Senators	Saxby Chambliss (R) Johnny Isakson (R)
U.S. House delegation	8 Republicans, 5 Democrats (list)
time zone	Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Abbreviations	GA Ga. US-GA
Website	georgia.gov

Georgia ⁱ/ˈdʒɔrdʒⁱə/ is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify theUnited States Constitution, on January 2, 1788. It declared its secession from the Union on January 21, 1861, and was one of the original seven Confederate states. It was the last state to be restored to the Union, on July 15, 1870.

The 2010 US Census reported 9,687,653 residents, making Georgia the ninth most populous state.^[1] From 2007 to 2008, 14 of Georgia's counties ranked among the nation's 100 fastest-growing, second only to Texas.^[3] Georgia is known as the Peach State and the Empire State of the South. Atlanta is the capital and the most populous city.

Georgia is bordered on the south by Florida; on the east by the Atlantic Ocean and South Carolina; on the west by Alabama; and on the north by Tennessee and North Carolina. The northern part of the state is in the Blue Ridge Mountains, amountain range in the vast Appalachian Mountains system. The central piedmont extends from the foothills to the fall line, where the rivers cascade down in elevation to the continental coastal plain of the southern part of the state. The highest point in Georgia is Brasstown Bald, 4,784 feet (1,458 m); the lowest point is sea level.

With an area of 59,425 square miles (153,910 km²), Georgia is ranked 24th in size among the 50 U.S. states. Georgia is the largest state east of the mississippi river in terms of land area, although it is the fourth largest (after Michigan, Florida, and Wisconsin) in total area, a term which includes expanses of water which are part of state territory.^[4]