No. Atlanta is a city, not a state. It is in Georgia, postal code GA, and Atlanta is both the state capital and Georgia's largest city. The state is Georgia, the city inside it is Atlanta.
| State | Georgia |
|---|---|
| USPS code | GA |
| Capital | Atlanta |
| Largest city | Atlanta, the same city |
| Region | South, South Atlantic division |
| Statehood | January 2, 1788, the 4th state |
| Nickname | Peach State |
| Motto | Wisdom, Justice, Moderation |
| Electoral votes | 16 |
| Area rank | 24th of 50 |
Why this question gets asked
Atlanta collects more of this confusion than most big US cities, and the causes are particular to it.
- There are two Georgias. Georgia is also a country on the Black Sea, with its own capital, Tbilisi. Search results and news stories mix the two constantly, so people checking Atlanta run into a Georgia that genuinely is a top level unit, and the doubt spreads to the city.
- Atlanta is both capital and largest city. That combination belongs to a minority of states. Anyone relying on the usual pattern, where the famous city is not the seat of government, has no reason to expect Atlanta to be either one, let alone both.
- ATL travels further than GA. Atlanta's airport is one of the busiest passenger hubs in the world, and its three letter code appears on far more boarding passes and signage than the state's two letter code does. People connect through Atlanta without ever reading the word Georgia.
The near answers people give instead
- Georgia the country. A sovereign state in the Caucasus, unrelated to the US state beyond the name. If the question involves Atlanta, the Georgia in play is the American one.
- Savannah. Georgia's first city, on the Atlantic coast, and its colonial capital before the seat of government moved inland. Still a city, not a state.
- Augusta. There is an Augusta in Georgia, but the Augusta that is a capital is in Maine. Crossword clues reading "capital, 7 letters" point at Maine, not Georgia.
- Columbus. Same trap. Georgia has a Columbus, but the Columbus that is a state capital is in Ohio.
What Georgia actually is
Georgia ratified the Constitution on January 2, 1788, making it the fourth state and one of the original 13. It later joined the Confederacy, and it ranks 24th of the 50 states in area.
The state has an Atlantic coastline in the south east and Appalachian ridges in the north, where the Appalachian Trail begins its run to Maine. Its nickname is the Peach State and its motto is "Wisdom, Justice, Moderation". The state bird is the Brown Thrasher, the flower the Cherokee Rose, the tree the Live Oak. Georgia carries 16 electoral votes, and one US president was born there: Jimmy Carter.
Filling in a form or a quiz
- City: Atlanta
- County: mostly Fulton County, with part of the city in DeKalb County
- State: Georgia
- State abbreviation (USPS): GA
- State capital: Atlanta, the same answer
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Is Atlanta a state?
No, Atlanta is a US city in Georgia.
What state is Atlanta in?
Atlanta is in Georgia.
What is the capital of Georgia?
The capital of Georgia is Atlanta, which is also the largest city in the state.
Is Georgia a country or a US state?
Both names exist. Georgia is one of the 50 US states, capital Atlanta, and Georgia is also a country in the Caucasus, capital Tbilisi. Atlanta belongs to the US state.
How many cities does Georgia have?
Georgia has dozens of incorporated cities and towns. The largest is Atlanta. See all of Georgia's major cities and facts.