Geography of Georgia (U.S. state)

Geography of Georgia (U.S. state)
Map of Georgia elevations
Map of Georgia eleven
Area
Total 153,870 km2 (59,410 sq mi)
Land 149,976 km2 (57,906 sq mi)
Water 854 sq mi (2,210 km2)[1]
Latitude 30° 35′ N to 35° N
Longitude 80° 50′ W to 85° 36′ W
Borders
Florida state
South Carolina state
Alabama state
Tennessee state
North Carolina state
Coastlines 100 miles[2]

Georgia is a state in the Southeastern United States in North America. The Golden Isles of Georgia lie off the coast of the state. The main geographical features include mountains such as the Ridge-and-valley Appalachians in the northwest, the Blue Ridge Mountains in the northeast, the Piedmont plateau in the central portion of the state and Coastal Plain in the south. The highest area in Georgia is Brasstown Bald which is 1,458 m (4,783 ft) above sea level, while the lowest is at sea level, at the Atlantic Ocean. Georgia is located at approximately 33° N 83.5° W. The state has a total area of 154,077 km2 (59,489 sq mi) and the geographic center is located in Twiggs County.[3]

Georgia has primarily a humid subtropical climate with hot and humid summers, except at the highest elevations. Georgia's subtropical climate depends on latitude and how close an area is to the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico. The state's weather is mostly moderate, but Georgia has occasional extreme weather. The highest temperature ever recorded is 112 °F (44 °C) and the lowest is −17 °F (−27 °C).[4] Georgia is vulnerable to hurricanes, though the coast rarely experiences a direct hurricane strike.

Georgia has 536 cities in 159 counties and 14 congressional districts. 152 of the 159 counties in the state are governed by a commission of between three to eleven commissioners while the other seven are overseen by a single commissioner.[5] Most of the 536 cities are governed by a mayor-council system. Georgia has almost eight million acres (32,000 km2) of prime farmland while over 60% of the land is made up of pine forests. Georgia has 70,150 miles (112,900 km) of streams and rivers, 425,000 acres (1,720 km2) of lakes, and approximately 4,500,000 acres (18,000 km2) of freshwater wetlands. Manganese, iron, copper, and other minerals make up the natural resources of the state.

  1. ^ wetstates.html Archived 2011-04-07 at the Wayback Machine, Accessed October 4, 2007
  2. ^ Georgia.org Archived 2007-10-07 at the Wayback Machine, Accessed October 7, 2007
  3. ^ USGS.gov Archived 2007-08-13 at the Wayback Machine, Accessed May 25, 2007
  4. ^ Each state's low temperature record Archived 2012-08-27 at the Wayback Machine USA Today, last updated August 2006
  5. ^ The Government of Georgia Archived 2008-06-26 at the Wayback Machine, Accessed June 24, 2008