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Atlanta is the largest city in the state of Georgia and the state capital. The Atlanta metropolitan area has a population of more than 5.5 million people, making it the third largest metropolitan area in the Southeast United States and the ninth largest metro in the country. Unique to major American cities, Atlanta is known as the “city in a forest” or the “city of trees” because of its dense canopy of trees that spreads from the city core to the surrounding suburbs.
Atlanta has played a key role in American history. The name “Atlanta” comes from the American Indian word for “Standing Peachtree”. It was home to Cherokee and Creek Indian tribes and was obtained by white settlers in 1822. During the Civil War Atlanta was evacuated and the city was surrendered to the Union Army. General Sherman famously ordered the city’s public buildings to be burned to make way for the Union march to the southeast.
Today Atlanta is regarded as a premium business city and primary transportation hub. Atlanta is a major crossroads to the southeast United States by highway, rail and air. The Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the world’s busiest airport. Atlanta is also home to the world headquarters to many major corporations including The Coca-Cola Company, Home Depot, UPS, AT&T, Delta Airlines and Turner Broadcasting. More than 70% of Fortune 1000 companies have established operations in Atlanta and the city is fifth among U.S. cities as a Fortune 500 headquarters.
Atlanta is one of just 13 American cities with a team representing each of the four major professional sports. These are the Major League Baseball Atlanta Braves, the National Football League Atlanta Falcons, the National Basketball Association Atlanta Hawks, and the Atlanta Thrashers of the National Hockey League. Atlanta is also home to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The city annually hosts the collegiate football Chik-fil-A Bowl, formerly known as the Peach Bowl. Atlanta was the host of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games.
The median population age in Atlanta is 33 years old, making it one of the nation’s youngest major metropolitan areas. The median household income is just above $69,000 annually, significantly above the U.S. median of approximately $50,000. Atlanta boasts an educated adult population with 87.9% of those age 25 or above graduating high school and more than 35% earning a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Atlanta has aggressively improved public safety and reduced crime over the past decade. The incidents of violent crime in Atlanta have decreased by 55% and public safety improvements have increased at twice the rate of any other U.S. city. Atlanta’s crime reduction has far surpassed the national trend.
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