Atlanta is the capital of, and the most populous city in, the United States state of Georgia.
The city is situated among the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.
As of September 2018, the population of Atlanta is about 4.9 million people.
Atlanta covers a total area of 347 square kilometers (134 square miles), of which 345 square kilometers (133 square miles) is land and 2.2 km (20.85 square miles) is water.
At 320 meters (1,050 feet) above mean sea level, Atlanta has one of the highest elevations among major cities east of the Mississippi River.
Atlanta has topographic features that include rolling hills and dense tree coverage, earning it the nickname of “the city in a forest.”
The Eastern Continental Divide line runs through Atlanta.
Atlanta was founded as a transportation hub at the intersection of two railroad lines in 1837.
After being mostly burned to the ground during the American Civil War, the city rose from its ashes to become a national center of commerce and the unofficial capital of the “New South”.
Atlanta was home to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and a major center for the Civil Rights Movement. Resulting desegregation occurred in stages over the 1960s.
Today, Atlanta is home to soaring skyscrapers and major corporations, co-existing within blocks of stately historic homes. New residents continue to flock here from all over the country to experience its attractive ambiance and high-quality lifestyles.
The Georgia Aquarium is a public aquarium in Atlanta. It houses more than a hundred thousand animals and represents several thousand species, all of which reside in 38 millions liters (10 million US gallons) of marine and salt water. It was the largest aquarium in the world from its opening in 2005 until 2012, when it was surpassed by Marine Life Park in Singapore.
The World of Coca-Cola is a museum, located in Atlanta, showcasing the history of The Coca-Cola Company. The 81,000-square-meter (20-acre) complex opened to the public on May 24, 2007, relocating from and replacing the original exhibit, which was founded in 1990 in Underground Atlanta.
The Atlanta Botanical Garden is a 12 hectares (30 acres) botanical garden located adjacent to Piedmont Park in Midtown Atlanta. Incorporated in 1976, the garden’s mission is to “develop and maintain plant collections for the purposes of display, education, conservation, research and enjoyment.”
Centennial Olympic Park is a 8.5-hectare (21-acre) public park located in downtown Atlanta. It was built by the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG) as part of the infrastructure improvements for the 1996 Summer Olympics. It plays host to millions of visitors a year and several events, including a summer popular music concert series (Wednesday WindDown) and an annual Independence Day concert and fireworks display.
Atlanta’s place in the American Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s is marked by a beautifully conceived interpretation center/museum that places this epic struggle into the greater worldwide movement for human rights. The Center for Civil and Human Rights explores the history of Jim Crow laws with actual television newscasts, speeches, photos, videos, personal accounts, and interactive experiences that bring visitors into the struggle. Portraits and stories of their work honor men and women who lost their lives in the struggle.
The Fox Theatre was built in the 1920s as the Yaarab Temple Shrine Mosque, with an extremely posh Arabian-themed design. It has had a varied history, with problems during the Great Depression, but has always been a much loved landmark building since its construction. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The interior of the theater has seen considerable restoration work over the years in an attempt to maintain its original elegance, including the repair and restoration of the furniture collection to preserve its 1929 appearance.
Atlanta is rated as a “beta(+)” world city that exerts a moderate impact on global commerce, finance, research, technology, education, media, art, and entertainment.
As a national center for the arts, Atlanta is home to significant art museums and institutions.
In 1996 Atlanta hosted the Summer Olympics, for which new facilities and infrastructure were built.
The region where Atlanta and its suburbs were built was originally Creek and Cherokee Native American territory.
Atlanta was first named Marthasville in honor of the then-governor’s daughter, nicknamed Terminus for its rail location, and then changed soon after to Atlanta, the feminine of Atlantic — as in the railroad.
The Phoenix is the symbol of Atlanta that like the mythical bird rose from the ashes of the American Civil War.
There are “Peachtree” streets all over Atlanta, but precious few peach trees. In fact, 68 street names have “Peachtree” in them.
One of the largest Hindu temples outside of India is located in the Atlanta metro area.
Originally intended as a patent medicine, Coca-Cola was invented in 1886 by Atlanta pharmacist John Pemberton.
The Varsity is the world’s largest drive-in restaurant. It serve more Coca-Cola by volume than anywhere else in the world.
Atlanta International Airport is the world’s busiest airport.