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State in the SE United States, the last of the Thirteen Colonies to be founded. It is bordered by Florida, Alabama, Tennessee and North Carolina, and South Carolina and the Atlantic Ocean.
Area, 58,876 sq mi (152,489 sq km).
Population, (2000) 8,186,453, an 26.4% increase since the 1990 census.
Capital and largest city, Atlanta.
Nickname, Empire State of the South.
Motto, Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation.
State bird,brown thrasher.
State flower, Cherokee rose.
State tree, live oak.
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Although the trade and service sectors supply the majority of jobs in Georgia, manufacturing and agriculture remain important to the state's economy. In addition, federal facilities, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, near Atlanta; Fort Benning, near Columbus; and the Kings Bay naval base, contribute to the economy.
Cotton, once Georgia's most valuable crop, has declined in importance; in the 1990s it was rivaled by peanuts, tobacco, and corn. Georgia is easily the nation's largest producer of peanuts. Tobacco is the principal crop in the central and southern sections of the state, peanuts in the southwest. Livestock and poultry raising account for the largest share of farm income; broilers, eggs, and cattle are major products.
The manufacture of textiles and textile products has long been Georgia's leading industry, centering mainly around Columbus, Augusta, Macon, and Rome. Other major manufactures include transportation equipment, foods, paper products, and chemicals. Automobile manufacturing is important around Atlanta. Much of Georgia is heavily forested with pine, and the state is a leading producer of lumber and pulpwood. Although the state is rich in minerals, mining is not as important as manufacturing and agriculture. The most valuable minerals produced are clays, stone, kaolin, iron ore, sand, and gravel. Georgia is famous for its fine marble.
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