Georgia is located in the Southeastern United States and, with an area of 59,425 square miles (153,909 km²), is the largest state east of the Mississippi. The colony of Georgia was founded in 1733 and named after the British King George II. As one of the Thirteen Colonies, it became the fourth state to be admitted to the Union in 1788. In conjunction with the industrialization of the 19^th century, Georgia gained the nickname "Empire State of the South". The state motto of Georgia is "Wisdom, Justice, Moderation".

Georgia's landscape ranges from the Coastal Plain to the Piedmont Plateau and the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians to the Blue Ridge Mountains, known for their picturesque bluish color when viewed from a distance. Across the state, archaeological sites bear witness to pre-Columbian inhabitants. The mound-building peoples of Georgia include the South Appalachians Misssissippian, the Swift Creek and Weeden Island cultures. Many of the mounds are designated as National Historic Landmarks.

The capital, Atlanta, is a major transportation hub. It was founded as the terminus of the Western & Atlantic Railroad, from which the city's name is derived, and is home to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the largest airport in the world in terms of passenger traffic. In addition, the city is the most popular destination for for film and television productions in the nation. Stone Mountain Park, east of Atlanta, is home to a huge dome-shaped quartz monzonite with the largest bas-relief in the world. It was completed in 1972 and depicts three leading figures of the Confederacy.

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