The capital of Georgia and seat of Fulton County, Atlanta is the premier
transportation, commercial, and financial center in the Southeast. As of
1992, Atlanta was ranked as the 13th largest metropolitan area in the United
States, with a total population of 3,142,857.
Atlanta is located in north central Georgia, in the foothills of the Blue
Ridge Mountains. The city's relatively high elevation (1,050 feet above
sea level) yields a moderate climate. The average daily temperature for
the month of July is a pleasant 78.8 degrees Farenheit.
Like most modern cities, the growth of the Atlanta metropolitan area has
been driven by the expansion of suburban neighborhoods. Some of the most
attractive areas include Gwinnett County to the East (population 434,030
and growing at an average of nearly 6 percent per year), Cobb County to
the Northwest (population 508,922 and growing at 3.6 percent per year),
and Cherokee County to the North (population 108,854 and growing at
5.2 percent per year). Fulton County itself boasts a population of
690,534 and a growth rate of 1.6 percent per year, while DeKalb County,
located to the South and East of Atlanta, is home to 577,787 and growing
at an annual rate of 1.5 percent.
The transportation system in Atlanta is among the nation's finest. During
the 1970s, forward thinking city planners created MARTA, the Metropolitan
Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority. MARTA trains carry thousands of suburban
commuters daily. Hartsfield International Airport is among the nation's
busiest. It is the Southeastern hub for many major airlines, and is the
home of Delta Airlines, one of the largest commercial air carriers in the
world. Commuters who travel by personal automobile will find convenient
access to outlying areas. The city is intersected by Interstate 20,
Interstate 75, and Interstate 85. Interstate 285, which encircles the
city of Atlanta, provides a ready route for those who need or choose to
bypass the city center. Finally, Georgia Highway 400 supplies quick
access to the Northern suburban areas, while US Highway 78 performs the
same function for persons traveling East to Gwinnett and DeKalb counties.
Atlantans rightly take great pride in their educational institutions.
Local elementary and secondary schools compare very favorably with their
counterparts in the rest of the country. Atlanta is also home to several
institutions of higher education, most notable Georgia State University,
the Georgia Institute of Technology, and Emory University. The
University of Georgia operates a satellite campus in Gwinnett County.
The Atlanta population is relatively well-educated compared to other
major metropolitan areas in the United States. It ranks 20th in the
proportion of the populace that posseses at least a bachelor's degree.
This places it ahead of many larger cities, including New York and Los
Angeles, which are tied for 34th, and Chicago, which is ranked 49th.
Recreational and cultural opportunites suiting a wide range of tastes are
available in Atlanta and its environs. The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
is recognized as one of the nation's finest. The Fox Theater, located
in the heart of Midtown Atlanta, is the scene of numerous musical and
theatrical performances. The Atlanta Braves have
emerged as one of the most exciting professional baseball teams of the
1990s, while the Atlanta Falcons play eight National Football League
games per year in the fabulous Georgia Dome.
