アトランタ

アトランタ
都市と州の首都
ダウンタウン エベネザー・バプテスト教会とビホールド像 ジョージア州議会議事堂 メルセデスベンツスタジアム センテニアルオリンピック公園 バンク オブ アメリカ プラザ コカコーラの世界 フォックス劇場
フラグ シール
ニックネーム:  森の中の都市、[1] ATL、[2] The A、[3]ホットランタ、[4]ゲートシティ、[5]南部のハリウッド[6] （アトランタのニックネームも参照）
モットー:  Resurgens（ラテン語で「再び立ち上がる」、不死鳥の神話を暗示）
アトランタのインタラクティブマップ
アトランタ ジョージア内の位置 Show map of Georgia アトランタ 米国内の所在地 Show map of the United States
座標: 33°44′56″N 84°23′24″W / 33.74889°N 84.39000°W / 33.74889; -84.39000
国	アメリカ合衆国
州	ジョージア
郡	フルトン、ディカルブ
ターミナル	1837年; 187年前 (1837)
マーサズビル	1843年; 181年前 (1843)
アトランタ市	1847年12月29日; 176年前 (1847-12-29)
政府
• タイプ	強い市長議会
• 市長	アンドレ・ディケンズ( D )
• 体	アトランタ市議会
エリア [7]
• 都市と州の首都	136.31平方マイル（353.04 km 2）
• 土地	135.32平方マイル（350.48 km 2）
• 水	0.99平方マイル（2.57 km 2）
標高 [8]	1,050フィート（320メートル）
人口  （2020年）[9]
• 都市と州の首都	498,715
• 見積もり  （2023年）[9]	510,823
• ランク	アメリカで37位ジョージア州で 1位
• 密度	3,685.45/平方マイル (1,422.96/km 2 )
• 都会的な [10]	5,100,112 (米国: 9位)
• 都市の密度	1,997.7/平方マイル (771.3/km 2 )
• メトロ [11]	6,307,261 (米国: 6位)
異名	アトランタ
国内総生産 [12]
• アトランタ（MSA）	5,259億ドル（2022年）
タイムゾーン	UTC−5（東部標準時）
• 夏 ( DST )	UTC−4 ( EDT )
郵便番号	30301～30322、30324～30329、30331～30334、30336～30346、30348～30350、30353～30364、30366、30368～30371、30374～30375、 、30380、30384-30385、30388、30392、30394、 30396、30398、31106-31107、31119、31126、31131、31136、31139、31141、 31145-31146、31150、31156、31192-31193、31195-31196、39901
市外局番	404 / 678/770/470/943
FIPS コード	13-04000 [13]
GNISフィーチャ ID	351615 [8]
Webサイト	アトランタ

アトランタ( / æ t ˈ l æ n ( t ) ə / ^ⓘ at-LAN-(t)ə)^[14]アメリカ合衆国ジョージア州の州都であり、が最も多い都市。フルトン郡の庁所在地、市域の一部は隣接するディカルブ郡2020年の米国国勢調査によると、アトランタは市域内に510,823人の人口を抱え、南東部、米国で37番目に人口の多い都市で。^[9]コブ郡、クレイトン郡、グウィネット含む、はるかに アトランタ都市圏の主要都市である。アトランタ都市圏には630万人以上が居住しており（2023年の推定）、米国で6番目に大きな都市圏。^[15]アパラチアの麓、海抜1,000フィート（300メートル）を超える標高に位置するアトランタは、なだらかな丘陵、豊かな緑、米国の主要都市の中で最も密集した都市樹木^[16]

アトランタはもともと州が後援する主要鉄道の終着駅として設立されましたが、すぐに複数の鉄道の集合地点となり、急速な成長に拍車をかけました。最大の鉄道はウェスタン・アンド・アトランティック鉄道で、「アトランタ」という名前はここから由来しており、主要な交通の中心地としての評判が高まっていることを意味しています。^[17]南北戦争中、アトランタは1864年に占領されるまで、南軍にとって戦略的に重要な役割を果たしました。ウィリアム・T・シャーマン将軍の海への行進中に、街はほぼ完全に焼け落ちました。しかし、戦後、街は劇的に復興し、すぐに全国的な産業の中心地となり、「ニューサウス」の非公式な首都になりました。第二次世界大戦後には、製造業と技術の中心地にもなりました。^{[18] 1950年代から1960年代にかけて、アトランタは}アメリカの公民権運動の主要な組織中心地となり、マーティン・ルーサー・キング・ジュニア、ラルフ・アバナシー、その他多くの地元民が運動の指導者として著名な人物となった。^[19]現代でもアトランタは主要な交通の中心地であり続け、ハーツフィールド・ジャクソン国際空港は1998年に旅客数で世界で最も忙しい空港となり（2020年を除いて毎年この地位を維持している）、2022年には推定9,370万人の乗客が利用している。^{[20] [21] [22]}

2021年の名目国内総生産（GDP）が4,730億ドルのアトランタは、米国の都市の中で11番目、世界で22番目に大きい経済規模を誇ります。^[23]アトランタの経済は多様であると考えられており、交通、航空宇宙、物流、ヘルスケア、ニュースおよびメディア運営、映画およびテレビ番組制作、情報技術、金融、生物医学研究および公共政策などの産業が主要部門となっています。アトランタは、1996年の夏季オリンピックで優勝し、開催したことで、世界の舞台に名を連ねました。オリンピックは、21世紀にかけてのアトランタの開発成長に影響を与え、市内の大学、公園、観光産業への投資を大幅に促進しました。^{[24] 21世紀には、}アトランタ・ベルトラインの成長に伴い、一部の地区のジェントリフィケーションが激化しました。これにより、人口統計、政治、美学、文化が変化しました。 ^{[25] [26] [27]}

北ジョージアにヨーロッパ人入植者が到着する何千年も前から、先住民のクリーク族とその祖先がこの地域に住んでいた。^{[28]ピーチツリー} クリークがチャタフーチー川に流れ込むクリーク族の村、スタンディングピーチツリーは、現在のアトランタに最も近いネイティブアメリカンの集落だった。^[29] 19世紀初頭を通じて、ヨーロッパ系アメリカ人はジョージア州北部のクリーク族に組織的に侵入し、1802年から1825年にかけて彼らをこの地域から追い出した。^{[30]連邦政府による}インディアン移住法に基づき、1821年にクリーク族はこの地域から追い出され、翌年ヨーロッパ系アメリカ人入植者が到着した。^[31]

1836年、ジョージア州議会はサバンナ港と中西部を結ぶウェスタン・アンド・アトランティック鉄道の建設を可決した。^[32]当初のルートはチャタヌーガから南下し、サバンナにつながるチャタフーチー川の東の終点まで走ることになっていた。技術者が終点の候補地をいろいろ調査した後、現在のファイブ・ポインツのファウンドリー・ストリートに「ゼロ・マイルポスト」が打ち込まれた。1837年にこの小さな村の将来について尋ねられた鉄道の主任技術者スティーブン・ハリマン・ロングは、この場所は「居酒屋1軒、鍛冶屋、食料品店、それ以外は何も」には適さないだろうと答えた。^[33] 1年後、マイルポストの周辺地域は集落に発展し、最初はターミナスと呼ばれ、後にこの地域に家屋と雑貨店を建てた地元商人にちなんでスラッシャービルと呼ばれるようになった。^[34] 1842年までに、町には6つの建物と30人の住民がおり、ウィルソン・ランプキン知事の娘マーサに敬意を表してマーサズビルと改名されました。後に、ジョージア鉄道の主任技師ジョン・エドガー・トムソンは、町の名前をアトランタに変更することを提案しました。これは、ウェスタン・アンド・アトランティック鉄道を指す「アトランティック」の女性形であると考えられています。^[17]住民は承認し、町は1847年12月29日にアトランタとして法人化されました。^[35]

1860年までにアトランタの人口は9,554人にまで増加した。^{[36] [37]}南北戦争中、アトランタの複数の鉄道網は軍事物資の配給の戦略的な拠点となった。^[38]

1864年、北軍はチャタヌーガを占領した後南下し、ジョージア州北部への侵攻を開始した。アトランタ周辺地域ではいくつかの大規模な軍事戦闘が行われ、アトランタの戦いとウィリアム・シャーマン将軍の指揮する北軍による4か月に及ぶ包囲戦で最高潮に達した。1864年9月1日、南軍のジョン・ベル・フッド将軍はアトランタからの撤退を決定し、北軍に利用される可能性のあるすべての公共の建物と資産の破壊を命じた。翌日、ジェームズ・カルフーン市長はアトランタを北軍に明け渡し、9月7日、シャーマンは市の民間人に避難を命じた。1864年11月11日、シャーマンは北軍の海への行進に備えて、アトランタに残っていた軍事資産の破壊を命じた。^[39]

1865年に南北戦争が終結した後、アトランタは復興期に徐々に再建され、多くの新しい住民が集まりました。鉄道輸送網が優れていたため、1868年に州都はミレッジビルからアトランタに移されました。 ^[40] 1880年の国勢調査では、アトランタはサバンナを抜いてジョージア州最大の都市となっていました。^[41]

1880年代初頭、アトランタ・コンスティテューション紙の編集者ヘンリー・W・グレイディは、アトランタを、近代的な経済を基盤とし、農業への依存度が低い「ニューサウス」の都市として潜在的投資家に売り込んだ。1885年までに、ジョージア工科学校（現在のジョージア工科大学）と、男子と女子のユニットからなる歴史的黒人大学の連合体であるアトランタ大学センターが設立され、アトランタは高等教育の中心地としての地位を確立した。1895年、アトランタは綿花州国際博覧会を主催し、約80万人の参加者を集め、ニューサウスの発展を世界に宣伝することに成功した。^[42]

20 世紀の最初の数十年間、アトランタは前例のない成長期を迎えました。30 年の間にアトランタの人口は 3 倍になり、市域は近くの路面電車の郊外を含むように拡大しました。市のスカイラインは、エクイティブル、フラットアイアン、エンパイア、キャンドラーの各ビルの建設により高くなりました。スウィートオーバーンは黒人商業の中心地として浮上しました。この時代は争いと悲劇にも特徴づけられました。人種間の緊張が高まり、 1906 年にアトランタ人種暴動が発生しました。この暴動では白人が黒人を襲撃し、少なくとも 27 人が死亡、70 人以上が負傷し、黒人地区に甚大な被害が出ました。1913 年、ユダヤ系アメリカ人の工場長レオ フランクが、大々的に報道された裁判で 13 歳の少女殺害の罪で有罪判決を受けました。フランクは死刑を宣告されましたが、知事が終身刑に減刑しました。1915年、激怒した組織的なリンチ集団が彼を刑務所から連れ出し、マリエッタで絞首刑に処した。アトランタと全国のユダヤ人コミュニティは恐怖に陥った。^{[43] [44]} 1917年5月21日、アトランタ大火により、現在のオールドフォースワードにある1,938棟の建物が焼失し、1人が死亡、1万人が避難を余儀なくされた。^[17]

1939年12月15日、アトランタは、アトランタ出身のマーガレット・ミッチェルのベストセラー小説に基づいた大作映画『風と共に去りぬ』のプレミア上映会を開催した。ロウズ・グランド・シアターで行われた祝賀イベントには、映画の伝説的なプロデューサー、デヴィッド・O・セルズニックや、映画スターのクラーク・ゲーブル、ヴィヴィアン・リー、オリヴィア・デ・ハビランドが出席したが、アフリカ系アメリカ人女優でオスカー受賞者のハッティ・マクダニエルは、人種差別法によりイベントへの参加を禁じられた。^[45]

アトランタは、戦争関連の製造会社、鉄道網、軍事基地の存在により、第二次世界大戦中は連合国軍の活動に重要な役割を果たした。防衛産業は何千人もの新たな住民を惹きつけ、収益を生み出し、急速な人口増加と経済成長をもたらした。1950年代には、連邦政府の補助金に支えられた市内の高速道路網が新たに建設され、中流階級のアトランタ市民は郊外への移住が可能になった。その結果、アトランタ市は大都市圏の人口に占める割合がますます小さくなっていった。^[17]

アフリカ系アメリカ人の退役軍人たちは、第二次世界大戦から帰国し、自国での完全な権利を求め、活発な活動を始めた。投票権のある黒人コミュニティの支援と引き換えに、1948年に市長は市内で最初の8人のアフリカ系アメリカ人警察官の雇用を命じた。^[46]

1956年のシュガーボウルでは、アフリカ系アメリカ人のフルバック、ボビー・グリアを擁するピッツバーグ・パンサーズがジョージア工科大学イエロージャケッツと対戦したが、その前には多くの論争があった。^[47]グリアが人種を理由にプレーを許可されるべきかどうか、またジョージア州知事マービン・グリフィンが人種統合に反対しているため、ジョージア工科大学がそもそもプレーすべきかどうかについて論争があった。^{[48] [49] [50]}グリフィンがジョージア工科大学に人種統合イベントに参加しないよう求める電報を州理事会に公に送った後、ジョージア工科大学の学長ブレイク・R・ヴァン・リアーはその要求を拒否し、辞任すると脅した。試合は予定通りに行われた。^[51]

1960年代、アトランタは公民権運動の主要な組織の中心地となり、マーティン・ルーサー・キング・ジュニア、ラルフ・アバナシー、アトランタの歴史的に黒人が多く通う大学の学生が運動の指導者として主要な役割を果たした。戦後のアトランタは他の都市に比べて人種間の争いが比較的少なかったが、黒人は差別、隔離、そしてほとんどの有権者の継続的な選挙権剥奪によって制限されていた。^[52] 1961年、市はカスケードハイツに道路バリアを設置して不動産業者によるブロックバスターを阻止しようとし、アトランタを「憎むには忙しすぎる都市」として育てようとする市民やビジネスリーダーの努力に対抗した。^{[52] [53]}

公共圏における人種差別撤廃は段階的に行われ、公共交通機関は1959年までに人種差別撤廃され、^[54]リッチズ百貨店のレストランは1961年までに、 ^[55]映画館は1963年までに、^[56]公立学校は1973年までに人種差別撤廃された（米国最高裁判所が公立学校の人種隔離は違憲であると判決を下してから約20年後）。^[57]

1960年には、白人が市の人口の61.7%を占めていた。^[58] 1950年代から70年代にかけて、郊外化と都市部からの白人の流出により、人口構成に大きな変化が生じた。 ^[52] 1970年までに、アフリカ系アメリカ人が市の人口の大半を占めるようになり、1973年にアトランタ初の黒人市長であるメイナード・ジャクソンを選出することで、施行されたばかりの投票権と政治的影響力を行使した。ジャクソン市長の在任中、アトランタの空港は近代化され、交通の中心地としての都市の役割が強化された。1976年にジョージア・ワールド・コングレス・センターがオープンしたことで、アトランタがコンベンション都市として台頭することがさらに確固たるものになった。^[59]市の地下鉄システムの建設は1975年に始まり、鉄道サービスは1979年に開始されました。 ^[60]これらの改善にもかかわらず、アトランタは1970年から1990年の間に10万人以上の住民を失い、人口の20％以上を失いました。^[61]同時に、多くの企業を誘致した後、新しいオフィススペースが開発され、北部地域からの労働者の割合が増加しました。^[62]

アトランタは1996年夏季オリンピックの開催地に選ばれた。発表後、市政府はアトランタの公園、スポーツ施設、交通インフラを改善するため、いくつかの大規模な建設プロジェクトに着手した。しかし、大会の17億ドルの費用のうち、初めて政府資金が一切なかった。大会は交通と宿泊の問題を抱え、特別な安全対策にもかかわらず、センテニアル・オリンピック・パーク爆破事件があったが、^[63]このスペクタクルはアトランタの歴史において画期的な出来事だった。オリンピック史上初めて、大会に招待された過去最多の197の国立オリンピック委員会のすべてが選手を派遣し、過去最多の271の競技に1万人を超える競技者が参加した。アトランタのオリンピック・レガシー・プログラムや市民の努力などの関連プロジェクトは、その後の10年間で市の根本的な変革を開始した。^[61]

2000年代、アトランタ市は大きな物理的、文化的、人口動態的変化を経験した。アフリカ系アメリカ人の中流・上流階級の一部も郊外に移り住み始め、好景気により多くの移民が米国内の他都市からやって来て、市の人口動態の変化に貢献した。アフリカ系アメリカ人が人口に占める割合は減少し、1990年の最高67%から2010年には54%にまで減少した。^[64] 2000年から2010年にかけて、アトランタの白人居住者は22,763人、アジア系居住者は5,142人、ヒスパニック系居住者は3,095人増加したが、黒人人口は31,678人減少した。^{[65] [66]}この10年間のアトランタの人口動態の変化の多くは、若い大学教育を受けた専門家によって推進された。2000年から2009年にかけて、アトランタのダウンタウンの半径3マイル圏内には、25歳から34歳で少なくとも4年制の学位を持つ住民が9,722人増え、61％増加した。^[67]これは、若い大学教育を受けた独身または既婚のカップルがダウンタウンに住む他の都市の傾向と同様であった。^[68]

1990年代半ばから2010年の間に、HOPE VIプログラムからの資金援助とCEOレニー・ルイス・グローバー（1994–2013）のリーダーシップの下、^[69]アトランタ住宅局は、合計17,000ユニット、市内の全住宅ユニットの約10％にあたる公営住宅のほぼすべてを解体した。^{[70] [71] [72]} AHAは、主に高齢者向けに2,000ユニットを確保した後、その敷地を多目的および混合所得の高密度開発用に再開発することを許可し、ユニットの40％を低価格住宅用に確保した。以前の公営住宅居住者の5分の2がそのようなユニットに新しい住宅を手に入れ、残りは郊外を含む他のユニットで使用できるバウチャーを受け取った。同時に、AHAは、補助金付き住宅の受給者の文化を変える取り組みとして、そのような居住者に就労（または真の期間限定のトレーニングプログラムへの登録）を義務付けた。 AHAは、この要件を設けた事実上唯一の住宅当局である。問題を防ぐために、AHAは、混合所得またはバウチャーユニットの管理者に、就労要件に従わない、または行動上の問題を引き起こした入居者を立ち退かせる権限も与えた。^[73]

2005年、市は28億ドルのベルトラインプロジェクトを承認した。これは、中心街を囲む使われなくなった22マイルの貨物鉄道ループを、芸術に満ちた多目的トレイルとライトレールトランジットラインに改造し、市の公園スペースを40％増やすことを目的としていた。^[74]このプロジェクトはループ沿いの小売業と住宅開発を刺激したが、一部の黒人コミュニティに悪影響を与えるとして批判されている。^[75] 2013年、このプロジェクトは南西回廊を開発するために1800万ドルの連邦助成金を受けた。2019年9月、ジェームズ・M・コックス財団はPATH財団に600万ドルを寄付し、シルバーコメットトレイルをアトランタベルトラインに接続し、2022年までに完成する予定である。完成すると、アトランタベルトラインとシルバーコメットトレイルを合わせたアトランタ周辺の相互接続されたトレイルの総距離は、合計約300マイル（480 km）で、米国で最も長い舗装されたトレイル表面となる。^[74]

2000年代にはアトランタの文化的提供が拡大した。ハイ美術館は規模が倍増し、アライアンス劇場はトニー賞を受賞し、かつては工業地帯だったウェストサイドにはアートギャラリーが設立された。^[76]カレッジフットボール殿堂はアトランタに移転し、国立公民権人権センター博物館が建設された。アトランタ市は2018年3月から大規模なサイバー攻撃の対象となった。 ^[77] 2019年12月、アトランタはミス・ユニバース2019コンテストを開催した。^{[78] [79] [80] 2022年6月16日、アトランタは}2026 FIFAワールドカップの開催都市に選ばれた。^[81]

アトランタの面積は134.0平方マイル（347.1 km ²）で、そのうち133.2平方マイル（344.9 km ²）が陸地、0.85平方マイル（2.2 km ²）が水域である。^[82]この都市は、アパラチア山脈の麓にある米国南東部のディープサウスに位置している。平均海抜1,050フィート（320 m）のアトランタは、ミシシッピ川の東にある主要都市の中で最も標高が高い。^[83]アトランタは、東部大陸分水嶺にまたがっている。分水嶺の南側と東側に降った雨水は大西洋に流れ込み、分水嶺の北側と西側の雨水はメキシコ湾に流れ込む。^{[84]アトランタは、} ACF川流域の一部であるチャタフーチー川の南側の尾根に開発された。川は市の北西端に接しており、その自然生息地の多くはチャタフーチー川国立レクリエーションエリアによって部分的に保護されている。^[85]

アトランタはマリエッタの南東21マイル(34 km) 、^[86]アルファレッタの南西27マイル(43 km) 、サウスカロライナ州グリーンビルの南西146マイル(235 km) 、^[87]アラバマ州バーミンガムの東147マイル(237 km) 、^[88]ノースカロライナ州シャーロットの南西245マイル(394 km)に位置しています。^[89]

1973年から1999年の間に樹冠被覆率が大幅に低下したにもかかわらず、アトランタは現在、米国の主要都市の中で最も樹木が密集しており、「樹木の街」や「森の中の街」と呼ばれることが多い。 ^{[16] [90] [91] [92]}

アトランタの大半は南北戦争の最後の数ヶ月で焼け落ち、市内の歴史的建築物の多くが消失した。しかし建築的には、この都市は伝統的に「南部」の都市ではなかった。アトランタはサバンナや チャールストンのようなプランター階級が支配する南部の港町ではなく、鉄道の町として始まった。その後の発展により、市内のランドマークの多くは、全国的な建築様式が共通していた時代に設計されたため、北東部や中西部の建物と建築上の特徴を共有している。^[93]

20世紀後半、アトランタは、特に商業施設や公共施設において、近代建築の世界的潮流を取り入れました。例としては、 1966年に建てられたジョージア州庁舎や、1982年のジョージア パシフィック タワーなどがあります。この時期の最も注目すべき例の多くは、世界的に有名なアトランタの建築家ジョン ポートマンによって設計されました。ダウンタウンのスカイラインを特徴づける建物のほとんどは、この時期にポートマンによって設計され、ウェスティン ピーチツリー プラザやアトランタ マリオット マーキスなどがあります。1980年代後半、アトランタは、デザインに古典的な要素を再導入したポストモダン建築の初期の拠点の1つになりました。アトランタで最も高い超高層ビルの多くは、この時期のスタイルで建てられ、ワン アトランティック センター(1987年)、191 ピーチツリー タワー(1991年)、フォーシーズンズ ホテル アトランタ(1992年) など、先細りの尖塔やその他の装飾された冠が特徴です。また、この時代に完成した建物としては、1992年に建設されたポートマン設計のバンク・オブ・アメリカ・プラザがある。高さ1,023フィート（312メートル）のこの建物は、ニューヨーク市内で最も高い建物であり、米国でも14番目に高い建物である。^[94]

アトランタ市が近代建築を取り入れたことで、歴史的建造物の保存に対する曖昧な姿勢が生まれ、多くの著名な建築物の破壊につながった。エクイタブル・ビル（1892年～1971年）、ターミナル駅（1905年～1972年）、カーネギー図書館（1902年～1977年）などである。^[95] 1970年代半ばには、今では市の文化的象徴となっているフォックス劇場も、草の根運動によって保存されなければ、同じ運命をたどっていただろう。 ^{[93]最近では、保存論者がいくらか前進したかもしれない。例えば、2016年には活動家たちがアトランタ市議会を説得し、著名な建築家}マルセル・ブロイヤーが設計した最後の建物であるアトランタ・フルトン中央図書館を取り壊さないようにした。^[96]

アトランタは242の公式に定義された地区に分かれています。^{[97]市内には、}ピーチツリーに沿って南北軸を形成する3つの主要な高層地区、ダウンタウン、ミッドタウン、バックヘッドがあります。^[98]これらの高密度地区を取り囲むのは、緑豊かで低密度の地区で、そのほとんどは一戸建て住宅です。^[99]

ダウンタウンアトランタには、メトロエリアで最も多くのオフィススペースがあり、その多くは政府機関が占めています。ダウンタウンには、市のスポーツ会場や多くの観光スポットがあります。^[100] ミッドタウンアトランタは、市内で2番目に大きなビジネス地区で、地域の多くの法律事務所のオフィスがあります。ミッドタウンは、芸術機関、文化的アトラクション、高等教育機関、密集した形式で知られています。^{[101] [102] [103] [104] [105]市のアップタウン地区である} バックヘッドは、ダウンタウンから北に8マイル (13 km) にあり、市内で3番目に大きなビジネス地区です。この地区は、ピーチツリーロードに沿った都市化された中心部が特徴で、森と起伏のある丘に囲まれた郊外の一戸建て住宅街に囲まれています。^{[106] [107] [108] [109]}

アトランタの3つの高層地区を取り囲むのは、市内の低密度および中密度地区で、^[106]職人技の バンガロー一戸建て住宅が主流です。^[110]東側は、1890年代から1930年代にかけて上流中流階級の避難所として建設された歴史的な路面電車の郊外が特徴的です。これらの地区の多くは、日陰のある建築的に独特な住宅街に囲まれた独自の村を含んでおり、ビクトリア朝の インマンパーク、ボヘミアン イーストアトランタ、折衷的なオールドフォースワードなどがあります。^{[93] [111]}西側と東側のベルトライン沿いでは、かつての倉庫や工場が住宅、小売スペース、アートギャラリーに改装され、ウエストミッドタウンなどのかつての工業地帯がスマートグロース、歴史的建造物の再生、インフィル建設のモデル地区に生まれ変わりました。^[112]

アトランタ南西部では、ダウンタウンに近い地区は歴史的なウェストエンドなど路面電車の郊外として始まったが、ダウンタウンから遠い地区は戦後の郊外のレイアウトを維持している。これらには、歴史的にアトランタの上流中流階級のアフリカ系アメリカ人の人口の多くが住んでいたコリアーハイツとカスケードハイツが含まれる。^{[113] [114] [115]}アトランタ北西部には、マリエッタ大通りの西側とマーティンルーサーキングジュニアドライブの北側の地域が含まれ、リバーサイド、ボルトン、ウィッティアミルなどダウンタウンから離れた地区も含まれる。ウィッティアミルはアトランタのランドマーク歴史的地区に指定されている。ヴァインシティは厳密には北西部だが、ダウンタウンエリアに隣接しており、最近ではコミュニティアウトリーチプログラムや経済開発イニシアチブの対象となっている。^[116]

市内の近隣地域のジェントリフィケーションは、現代のアトランタを形作る最も物議を醸し、変革をもたらす力の一つである。アトランタのジェントリフィケーションは、アトランタの近隣地域の多くが衰退し、20世紀半ばに他の主要都市を襲った都市荒廃に見舞われた後の1970年代に始まった。近隣住民の反対により、1975年に市の東側を通る2本の高速道路の建設が阻止され、この地域はアトランタのジェントリフィケーションの出発点となった。1990年にアトランタがオリンピック開催地に選ばれた後、オリンピックの準備として行われたインフラ整備に刺激され、ジェントリフィケーションは市内の他の地域にも広がった。2000年以降の新たな開発は、アトランタ住宅局による市の公営住宅の撤去によって促進された。前述のように、同局はこれらの敷地を混合所得者向け住宅として開発することを許可し、開発業者に相当な部分を低価格住宅用に確保することを義務付けた。また、他の元居住者に他の地域で住宅を取得するためのバウチャーを提供することも規定した。^[73]ベルトラインの建設は、その沿線における新たな開発や関連する開発を促進した。^[117]

ケッペンの気候区分では、アトランタは湿潤亜熱帯気候（Cfa）^[118]で、年間を通じて降水量が多く、アップランド・サウスに典型的である。アトランタは米国農務省植物耐寒性ゾーン8aに位置し、北部および西部の郊外とミッドタウンの一部は7bに移行している。^[119]夏は高温多湿だが、市の標高により気温はいくらか和らげられる。冬は全体的に穏やかだが変わりやすく、州の中央部や南部とは異なり、時折少量ではあるが吹雪になることがある。 ^{[120] [121]}メキシコ湾からの暖かい空気は春のような最高気温をもたらす一方、強い北極気団は最低気温を華氏10代（摂氏−7度から−12度）まで押し上げることがある。

7月の平均気温は80.9 °F (27.2 °C)で、最高気温が90 °F (32 °C)に達する日が年間平均47日ありますが、100 °F (38 °C)を超える年はほとんどの年ありません。^[122] 1月の平均気温は44.8 °F (7.1 °C)で、郊外の気温は主に都市ヒートアイランド現象の影響でやや低くなります。氷点下またはそれ以下の気温になる夜は年間36夜ありますが、^[123] 10 °F (-12 °C)を下回った最後の日は2022年12月24日、^[123]と2014年1月であり、8年の差があります。極端な気温は、1899年2月13日の−9°F（−23°C）から2012年6月30日の106°F（41°C）までの範囲です。^[123]夏の平均露点は、6月の63.7°F（17.6°C）から7月の67.8°F（19.9°C）までの範囲です。^[124]

米国南東部の典型として、アトランタは年間を通じて均等に雨が降りますが、晩春と初秋はやや乾燥しています。年間降水量の平均は50.43インチ（1,281 mm）で、降雪は通常は少なく稀で、冬は通常2.2インチ（5.6 cm）です。^[123]最も降雪が多かったのは1940年1月23日で、積雪量は約10インチ（25 cm）でした。^[125]しかし、氷嵐は通常、降雪よりも多くの問題を引き起こし、最も深刻だったのは1973年1月7日でした。^[126]市内で竜巻が発生することはまれですが、2008年3月14日のEF2竜巻はアトランタのダウンタウンの有名な建物に損害を与えました。^[127]

The 2020 United States census reported that Atlanta had a population of 498,715. The population density was 3,685.45 persons per square mile (1,422.95/km²). The racial and ethnic makeup of Atlanta (including Hispanics) was 51.0% Black or African American, 40.9% non-Hispanic white, 4.2% Asian and 0.3% Native American, and 1.0% from other races. 2.4% of the population reported two or more races.^[148] Hispanics and Latinos of any race made up 6.0% of the city's population.^[149] The median income for a household in the city was $77,655 in 2022.^[150] The per capita income for the city was $60,778 in 2022.^[150] Approximately 17.7% percent of the population was living below the poverty line in 2022.^[150] Circa 2024, of the Atlanta residents, 391,711 of them lived in Fulton County and 28,292 of them lived in DeKalb County.^[151]

In the 1920s, the Black population began to grow in Southern metropolitan cities like Atlanta, Birmingham, Houston, and Memphis.^[152] The New Great Migration brought an insurgence of African Americans from California^[153] and the North to the Atlanta area.^[154][155] It has long been known as a center of African-American political power, education, entrepreneurship, and culture, often called a Black mecca.^{[156][157][158]} However, in the 1990s, Atlanta started to experience Black flight.^[159][160] African Americans have moved to the suburbs seeking a lower cost of living or better public schools. The African-American share of Atlanta's population has declined faster than that of any racial group.^[161] The city's share of Black residents shrank from 67% in 1990 to 47% in 2020. Blacks made up nine percent of new Atlanta residents between 2010 and 2020.^{[161][64][65]} At the same time, Atlanta is home to a sizable foreign-born Black population,^[162] notably from Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Somalia, Liberia, and Nigeria.^[163]

With many notable investments occurring in Atlanta initiated by the 1996 Summer Olympics, the non-Hispanic white population of Atlanta began to rebound after several decades of white flight to Atlanta's suburbs.^[164][165] Between 2000 and 2020, the proportion of whites in the city had strong growth. In two decades, Atlanta's White population grew from 33% to 39% of the city's population. Whites made up the majority of new Atlanta residents between 2010 and 2020.^[161][166]

The Hispanic and Latino populations of metro Atlanta have grown significantly in recent years.^[167] The largest Hispanic ancestries in Atlanta are Mexican, Puerto Rican and Cuban.^[168] There is a growing population of Mexican ancestry throughout the region, with notable concentrations along the Buford Highway and I-85 corridor, and now extending into Gwinnett County.^[169] In 2013, Metro Atlanta had the 19th largest Hispanic population in the United States.^[170]

The Atlanta area also has a fast growing Asian American population. The largest groups of Asian origin are those of Indian, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Pakistani and Japanese descent.^[171] Pew Research Center ranks the Atlanta area among the top 10 U.S. metropolitan areas by Indian population in 2019.^[172]

Early immigrants in the Atlanta area were mostly Jews and Greeks. Since 2010, the Atlanta area has experienced notable immigration from India, China, South Korea, and Jamaica.^[173][174] Other notable source countries of immigrants are Vietnam, Eritrea, Nigeria, the Arabian gulf, Ukraine and Poland.^[175] Within a few decades, and in keeping with national trends, immigrants from England, Ireland, and German-speaking central Europe were no longer the majority of Atlanta's foreign-born population. The city's Italians included immigrants from northern Italy, many of whom had been in Atlanta since the 1890s; more recent arrivals from southern Italy; and Sephardic Jews from the Isle of Rhodes, which Italy had seized from Turkey in 1912.^[176] Europeans from Great Britain, Ireland and Germany settled in the city as early as the 1840s.^[177] Most of Atlanta's European population are from the United Kingdom and Germany. Bosnian refugees settled in Atlanta.^[178]

Vietnamese people, Cambodians, Ethiopians and Eritreans were the earliest refugees formally brought to the city.^[179]

Of the total population five years and older, 83.3% spoke only English at home, while 8.8% spoke Spanish, 3.9% another Indo-European language, and 2.8% an Asian language.^[180] Among them, 7.3% of Atlantans were born abroad (86th in the US).^[149][181] Atlanta's dialect has traditionally been a variation of Southern American English. The Chattahoochee River long formed a border between the Coastal Southern and Southern Appalachian dialects.^[182] Because of the development of corporate headquarters in the region, attracting migrants from other areas of the country, by 2003, Atlanta magazine concluded that Atlanta had become significantly "de-Southernized". A Southern accent was considered a handicap in some circumstances.^[183] In general, Southern accents are less prevalent among residents of the city and inner suburbs and among younger people; they are more common in the outer suburbs and among older people.^[182] At the same time, some residents of the city speak in Southern variations of African-American English.^[184]

Atlanta has a thriving and diverse lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. According to a survey by the Williams Institute, Atlanta ranked third among major American cities, behind San Francisco and slightly behind Seattle, with 12.8% of the city's total population identifying as LGB.^[185] The Midtown and Cheshire Bridge areas have historically been the epicenters of LGBT culture in Atlanta.^[186] Atlanta formed a reputation for being a place inclusive to LGBT people after former mayor Ivan Allen Jr. dubbed it "the city too busy to hate" in the 1960s (referring to racial relations).^{[187][188][189][190]} Atlanta has consistently scored 100% on the Human Rights Campaign's Municipal Equality Index that measures how inclusive a city's laws, policies and services are for LGBT people who live or work there.^[191]

Religion in Atlanta, while historically centered on Protestant Christianity, now encompasses many faiths, as a result of the city and metro area's increasingly international population. Some 63% of residents identified as some type of Protestant according to the Pew Research Center in 2014,^[192][193] but in recent decades the Roman Catholic Church has increased in numbers and influence because of new migrants to the region. Metro Atlanta also has numerous ethnic or national Christian congregations, including Korean and Indian churches. Per the Public Religion Research Institute in 2020, overall, 73% of the population identify with some tradition or denomination of Christianity;^[194] despite continuing religious diversification, historically African-American Protestant churches continue prevalence in the whole metropolitan area alongside historic Black Catholic churches. The larger non-Christian faiths according to both studies are Judaism, Islam, and Hinduism. Overall, there are over 1,000 places of worship within Atlanta.^[195]

With a GDP of $385 billion,^[196] the Atlanta metropolitan area's economy is the 8th-largest in the country and the 15th-largest in the world. Corporate operations play a major role in Atlanta's economy, as the city claims the nation's third-largest concentration of Fortune 500 companies (tied for third with Chicago).^[197][198] It also hosts the global headquarters of several corporations such as The Coca-Cola Company,^[199] The Home Depot,^[200] Delta Air Lines,^[201] Arby's,^[202] AT&T Mobility,^[203] Georgia-Pacific,^[204] Chick-fil-A,^[205] Church's Chicken,^[206] Dunkin Donuts,^[207] Norfolk Southern Railway,^[208] Mercedes-Benz USA,^[209] NAPA Auto Parts, Papa Johns,^[210] Porsche AG,^[211] Newell Brands, Rollins, Inc., Marble Slab Creamery, and UPS.^[212] Over 75% of Fortune 1000 companies conduct business operations in the city's metro area, and the region hosts offices of over 1,250 multinational corporations.^[213] Many corporations are drawn to the city by its educated workforce; as of 2014^[update], 45% of adults aged 25 or older residing in the city have at least four-year college degrees, compared to the national average of 28%.^{[214][215][216]}

Atlanta was born as a railroad town, and logistics continue to represent an important part of the city's economy to this day. In 2021, major freight railroad Norfolk Southern moved their headquarters to Atlanta,^[217] and the city hosts major classification yards for Norfolk Southern and CSX. Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the world's busiest airport,^[218] and the headquarters of Delta Air Lines. Delta operates the world's largest airline hub at Hartsfield-Jackson and is metro Atlanta's largest employer.^[219] UPS, the world's largest courier company, operates an air cargo hub at Hartsfield-Jackson, and has their headquarters in neighboring Sandy Springs.

Media is also an important aspect of Atlanta's economy. In the 1980s, media mogul Ted Turner founded the Cable News Network (CNN), Turner Network Television (TNT),^[220] HLN (HLN), Turner Classic Movies (TCM), The Cartoon Network, Inc. and its namesake television network, TruTV (truTV) and the Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) in the city.^[221] Around the same time, Cox Enterprises, now the nation's third-largest cable television service and the publisher of over a dozen American newspapers, moved its headquarters to the city.^[222] Notable sports networks headquartered in Atlanta include Warner Bros. Discovery Sports, NBA TV, Bally Sports South, and Bally Sports Southeast.^[223][224] The Weather Channel is also based just outside of the city in suburban Cobb County.^[225]

Information technology (IT) has become an increasingly important part of Atlanta's economic output, earning the city the nickname the "Silicon peach". As of 2013^[update], Atlanta contains the fourth-largest concentration of IT jobs in the US, numbering 85,000+. The city is also ranked as the sixth fastest-growing for IT jobs, with an employment growth of 4.8% in 2012 and a three-year growth near 9%, or 16,000 jobs. Companies are drawn to Atlanta's lower costs and educated workforce.^{[226][227][228][229]}

Recently, Atlanta has been the center for film and television production, largely because of the Georgia Entertainment Industry Investment Act, which awards qualified productions a transferable income tax credit of 20% of all in-state costs for film and television investments of $500,000 or more.^[230][231] Film and television production facilities based in Atlanta include Techwood Studios, Pinewood Atlanta Studios, Tyler Perry Studios, Williams Street Productions, and the EUE/Screen Gems soundstages. Film and television production injected $9.5 billion into Georgia's economy in 2017, with Atlanta garnering most of the projects.^[232] Atlanta has emerged as the all-time most popular destination for film production in the United States and one of the 10 most popular destinations globally.^[230][233]

Compared to other American cities, Atlanta's economy was disproportionately affected by the Great Recession, with the city's economy being ranked 68th among 100 American cities in a September 2014 report due to an elevated unemployment rate, declining real income levels, and a depressed housing market.^{[234][235][236][237]} From 2010 to 2011, Atlanta saw a 0.9% contraction in employment and plateauing income growth at 0.4%. Although unemployment had decreased to 7% by late 2014, this was still higher than the national unemployment rate of 5.8%^[238] Atlanta's housing market has also struggled, with home prices dropping by 2.1% in January 2012, reaching levels not seen since 1996. Compared with a year earlier, the average home price in Atlanta plummeted to 17.3% in February 2012, thus becoming the largest annual drop in the history of the index for any American or global city.^[239][240] The decline in home prices prompted some economists to deem Atlanta the worst housing market in the nation at the height of the depression.^[241] Nevertheless, the city's real estate market has resurged since 2012, so much median home value and rent growth significantly outpaced the national average by 2018, thanks to a rapidly-growing regional economy.^{[242][243][244]}

Atlanta has drawn residents from many other parts of the U.S., in addition to many recent immigrants to the U.S. who have made the metropolitan area their home, establishing Atlanta as the cultural and economic hub of an increasingly multi-cultural metropolitan area.^[245][246] This unique cultural combination reveals itself in the arts district of Midtown, the quirky neighborhoods on the city's eastside, and the multi-ethnic enclaves found along Buford Highway.^[247]

Atlanta is one of few United States cities with permanent, professional, and resident companies in all major performing arts disciplines: opera (Atlanta Opera), ballet (Atlanta Ballet), orchestral music (Atlanta Symphony Orchestra), and theater (the Alliance Theatre).^{[248][249][250][251]} Atlanta attracts many touring Broadway acts, concerts, shows, and exhibitions catering to a variety of interests. Atlanta's performing arts district is concentrated in Midtown Atlanta at the Woodruff Arts Center, which is home to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the Alliance Theatre. The city frequently hosts touring Broadway acts, especially at The Fox Theatre, a historic landmark among the highest-grossing theaters of its size.^[252]

As a national center for the arts,^[253] Atlanta is home to significant art museums and institutions. The renowned High Museum of Art is arguably the South's leading art museum. The Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA) and the SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film are the only such museums in the Southeast.^[254][255] Contemporary art museums include the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center and the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia. Institutions of higher education contribute to Atlanta's art scene, with the Savannah College of Art and Design's Atlanta campus providing the city's arts community with a steady stream of curators. Emory University's Michael C. Carlos Museum contains the largest collection of ancient art in the Southeast.^[256] The Spelman College Museum of Fine Art is the only museum in the nation to focus on art by women of the African diaspora.^[257] Georgia Tech's Robert C. Williams Paper Museum features the largest collection of paper and paper-related artifacts in the world.^[258]

Atlanta has become one of the U.S.'s best cities for street art in recent years.^[259] It is home to Living Walls, an annual street art conference and the Outerspace Project, an annual event series that merges public art, live music, design, action sports, and culture. Examples of street art in Atlanta can be found on the Atlanta Street Art Map.^[260]

Atlanta has played a major or contributing role in the development of various genres of American music at different points in the city's history. Beginning as early as the 1920s, Atlanta emerged as a center for country music, which was brought to the city by migrants from Appalachia.^[261] During the countercultural 1960s, Atlanta hosted the Atlanta International Pop Festival, with the 1969 festival taking place more than a month before Woodstock and featuring many of the same bands. The city was also a center for Southern rock during its 1970s heyday: the Allman Brothers Band's hit instrumental "Hot 'Lanta" is an ode to the city, while Lynyrd Skynyrd's famous live rendition of "Free Bird" was recorded at the Fox Theatre in 1976, with lead singer Ronnie Van Zant directing the band to "play it pretty for Atlanta".^[262] During the 1980s, Atlanta had an active punk rock scene centered on two of the city's music venues, 688 Club and the Metroplex, and Atlanta famously played host to the Sex Pistols' first U.S. show, which was performed at the Great Southeastern Music Hall.^[263] The 1990s saw the city produce major mainstream acts across many different musical genres. Country music artist Travis Tritt, and R&B sensations Xscape, TLC, Usher and Toni Braxton, were just some of the musicians who call Atlanta home. The city also gave birth to Atlanta hip hop, a sub-genre that gained relevance and success with the introduction of the home-grown Atlantans known as Outkast, along with other Dungeon Family artists such as Organized Noize and Goodie Mob; however, it was not until the 2000s that Atlanta moved "from the margins to becoming hip-hop's center of gravity with another sub-genre called Crunk, part of a larger shift in hip-hop innovation to the South and East".^{[264][265][266][267]} In the 2000s, Atlanta was recognized by the Brooklyn-based Vice magazine for its indie rock scene, which revolves around the various live music venues found on the city's alternative eastside.^[268][269] To facilitate further local development, the state government provides qualified businesses and productions a 15% transferable income tax credit for in-state costs of music investments.^[270]

As the national leader for motion picture and television production,^[230][271] and a top ten global leader,^[233][230] Atlanta plays a significant role in the entertainment industry. Atlanta is home to the Tyler Perry Studios which is one of the largest film production studios in the U.S.^[272][273] Atlanta doubles for other parts of the world and fictional settlements in blockbuster productions, among them the newer titles from The Fast and the Furious franchise and Marvel features such as Ant-Man (2015), Captain America: Civil War (2016), The Change Up (2011), Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War (both 2018).^[274][275] On the other hand, Gone With the Wind (1939), Smokey and the Bandit (1977), The Dukes of Hazzard (1979), Sharky's Machine (1981), The Slugger's Wife (1985), Driving Miss Daisy (1989),^[276] ATL (2006), Ride Along (2014) and Baby Driver (2017) are among several notable examples of films actually set in Atlanta.^[277][278] It was announced in 2022 a film about the 1956 Sugar Bowl and '56 Atlanta riots would be produced here.^[279][280]

The city also provides the backdrop for shows such as Ozark, Watchmen, The Walking Dead, Stranger Things, Love Is Blind, Star, Dolly Parton's Heartstrings, The Outsider, The Vampire Diaries, The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta and Atlanta, in addition to a myriad of animated and reality television programming.^{[230][281][282]}

Atlanta's festival season stretches from January through November.^[283] Atlanta has more festivals than any city in the southeastern United States.^[284] Some notable festivals in Atlanta include the Atlanta Dogwood Festival, Shaky Knees Music Festival, Dragon Con, the Peachtree Road Race, Music Midtown, the Atlanta Film Festival, National Black Arts Festival, Festival Peachtree Latino, Atlanta Pride, the neighborhood festivals in Inman Park, Atkins Park, Virginia-Highland (Summerfest), and the Little Five Points Halloween festival.^[285][286]

As of 2010^[update], Atlanta is the seventh-most visited city in the United States, with over 35 million visitors per year.^[287] Although the most popular attraction among visitors to Atlanta is the Georgia Aquarium,^[288] and until 2012, the world's largest indoor aquarium, Atlanta's tourism industry is mostly driven by the city's history museums and outdoor attractions. Atlanta contains a notable number of historical museums and sites, including the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park, which includes the preserved childhood home of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as well as his final resting place; the Atlanta Cyclorama & Civil War Museum, which houses a massive painting and diorama in-the-round, depicting the Battle of Atlanta in the Civil War; the World of Coca-Cola, featuring the history of the world-famous soft drink brand and its well-known advertising; the College Football Hall of Fame, which honors college football and its athletes; the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, which explores the civil rights movement and its connection to contemporary human rights movements throughout the world; the Carter Center and Presidential Library, housing U.S. President Jimmy Carter's papers and other material relating to the Carter administration and the Carter family's life; and the Margaret Mitchell House and Museum, where Mitchell wrote the best-selling novel Gone with the Wind.^[289]

Atlanta contains several outdoor attractions.^[290] The Atlanta Botanical Garden, adjacent to Piedmont Park, is home to the 600-foot-long (180 m) Kendeda Canopy Walk, a skywalk that allows visitors to tour one of the city's last remaining urban forests from 40 feet (12 m) above the ground. The Canopy Walk is the only canopy-level pathway of its kind in the United States.^[291] Zoo Atlanta, in Grant Park, accommodates over 1,300 animals representing more than 220 species. Home to the nation's largest collections of gorillas and orangutans, the zoo is one of only four zoos in the U.S. to house giant pandas.^[292] Festivals showcasing arts and crafts, film, and music, including the Atlanta Dogwood Festival, the Atlanta Film Festival, and Music Midtown, respectively, are also popular with tourists.^[293]

Tourists are drawn to the city's culinary scene,^[294] which comprises a mix of urban establishments garnering national attention, ethnic restaurants serving cuisine from every corner of the world, and traditional eateries specializing in Southern dining. Since the turn of the 21st century, Atlanta has emerged as a sophisticated restaurant town.^[295] Many restaurants opened in the city's gentrifying neighborhoods have received praise at the national level, including Bocado, Bacchanalia, and Miller Union in West Midtown, Empire State South in Midtown, and Two Urban Licks and Rathbun's on the east side.^{[76][296][297][298]} In 2011, The New York Times characterized Empire State South and Miller Union as reflecting "a new kind of sophisticated Southern sensibility centered on the farm but experienced in the city".^[299] Visitors seeking to sample international Atlanta are directed to Buford Highway, the city's international corridor, and suburban Gwinnett County. There, the nearly-million immigrants that make Atlanta home have established various authentic ethnic restaurants representing virtually every nationality on the globe.^[300][301] For traditional Southern fare, one of the city's most famous establishments is The Varsity, a long-lived fast food chain and the world's largest drive-in restaurant.^[302] Mary Mac's Tea Room and Paschal's are more formal destinations for Southern food.^[303][304]

Atlanta is best known for its barbecue, hamburgers, Southern fried chicken, and lemon pepper wings.^[305][306] Buford Highway (immediately northeast of Atlanta) is home to many authentic ethnic cuisines such as Mexican and Asian foods.^[307] Atlanta's culinary landscape is highlighted by its inclusion in the prestigious Michelin Guide, featuring several restaurants recognized for their exceptional cuisine and premier dining destination in the Southeast.^[308] Atlanta's rapidly expanding food scene is marked by a notable diversity, particularly with the increasing variety and number of Indian restaurants across the city and its metropolitan area,^[309] including Chai Pani, a Michelin Guide restaurant.

Sports are an important part of the culture of Atlanta. The city is home to professional franchises for four major team sports: the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball,^[310] the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association,^[311] the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League,^[312] and Atlanta United FC of Major League Soccer.^[313] In addition, many of the city's universities participate in collegiate sports. The city also regularly hosts international, professional, and collegiate sporting events.^[314]

The Braves moved to Atlanta in 1966. Originally established as the Boston Red Stockings in 1871, they are the oldest continually operating professional sports franchise in the United States.^[315] The Braves franchise overall has won eighteen National League pennants and four World Series championships in three different cities, with their first in 1914 as the Boston Braves, in 1957 as the Milwaukee Braves, and in 1995 and 2021 as the Atlanta Braves.^[316] The 1995 title occurred during an unprecedented run of 14 straight divisional championships from 1991 to 2005.^[317][318] The team plays at Truist Park, having moved from Turner Field for the 2017 season. The new stadium is outside the city limits, located 10 miles (16 km) northwest of downtown in the Cumberland/Galleria area of Cobb County.^[319]

The Atlanta Falcons have played in Atlanta since their inception in 1966. The team plays its home games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, having moved from the Georgia Dome in 2017. The Falcons have won the division title six times (1980, 1998, 2004, 2010, 2012, 2016) and the NFC championship in 1998 and 2016. They have been unsuccessful in both of their Super Bowl trips, losing to the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXIII in 1999 and to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI in 2017,^[320] the largest comeback in Super Bowl history.^[321] In 2019, Atlanta also briefly hosted an Alliance of American Football team, the Atlanta Legends, but the league was suspended during its first season and the team folded.

The Atlanta Hawks were founded in 1946 as the Tri-Cities Blackhawks, playing in Moline, Illinois. They moved to Atlanta from St. Louis in 1968 and play their games in State Farm Arena.^[322] The Atlanta Dream of the Women's National Basketball Association shared an arena with the Hawks for most of their existence; however the WNBA team moved to a smaller arena in the southern Atlanta suburb of College Park in 2021.^[323]

Professional soccer has been played in some form in Atlanta since 1967. Atlanta's first professional soccer team was the Atlanta Chiefs of the original North American Soccer League which won the 1968 NASL Championship and defeated English first division club Manchester City F.C. twice in international friendlies. In 1998 the Atlanta Silverbacks were formed, playing the new North American Soccer League. They now play as an amateur club in the National Premier Soccer League. In 2017, Atlanta United FC began play as Atlanta's first premier-division professional soccer club since the Chiefs.^[324] They won MLS Cup 2018, defeating the Portland Timbers 2–0. Fan reception has been very positive; the team has broken several single-game and season attendance records for both MLS and the U.S. Open Cup. The club is estimated by Forbes to be the most valuable club in Major League Soccer.^[325] The United States Soccer Federation moved their headquarters from Chicago to Atlanta in 2023 with the help of Falcons and Atlanta United owner Arthur Blank, with the new training center bearing his name.

In ice hockey, Atlanta has had two National Hockey League franchises, both of which relocated to a city in Canada after playing in Atlanta for fewer than 15 years. The Atlanta Flames (now the Calgary Flames) played from 1972 to 1980, and the Atlanta Thrashers (now the Winnipeg Jets) played from 1999 to 2011. The Atlanta Gladiators, a minor league hockey team in the ECHL, have played in the Atlanta suburb of Duluth since 2003.^[326]

The ASUN Conference moved its headquarters to Atlanta in 2019.^[327]

Several other emerging sports also have professional franchises in Atlanta. The Georgia Swarm compete in the National Lacrosse League. The Atlanta Vibe compete in the Pro Volleyball Federation. In Rugby union, on September 21, 2018, Major League Rugby announced that Atlanta was one of the expansion teams joining the league for the 2020 season^[328] named Rugby ATL.^[329] while in Rugby league, on March 31, 2021, Atlanta Rhinos left the USA Rugby League and turned fully professional for the first time, joining the new North American Rugby League.^[330]

Atlanta has long been known as the "capital" of college football in America.^[331] It is home to four-time national champion Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football and the Georgia State Panthers. Also, Atlanta is within a few hours driving distance of many of the universities that make up the Southeastern Conference, college football's most profitable and popular conference,^[332] and annually hosts the SEC Championship Game. Other annual college football events include the Aflac Kickoff Game, the Celebration Bowl, the MEAC/SWAC Challenge, and the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl which is one of College Football's major New Year's Six Bowl games and a College Football Playoff bowl.^[333] Atlanta additionally hosted the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship and will be the host city again in 2025.

Atlanta regularly hosts a variety of sporting events. Most famous was the Centennial 1996 Summer Olympics.^{[334][335][336][337]} The city has hosted the Super Bowl three times: Super Bowl XXVIII in 1994, Super Bowl XXXIV in 2000, and Super Bowl LIII in 2019.^[338] In professional golf, The Tour Championship, the final PGA Tour event of the season, is played annually at East Lake Golf Club. In 2001 and 2011, Atlanta hosted the PGA Championship, one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, at the Atlanta Athletic Club. In 2011, Atlanta hosted professional wrestling's annual WrestleMania.^[339] In soccer, Atlanta has hosted numerous international friendlies and CONCACAF Gold Cup matches. The city has hosted the NCAA Final Four Men's Basketball Championship five times, most recently in 2020. Atlanta will serve as one of the eleven US host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.^[340] Every summer, Atlanta hosts the Atlanta Open, a men's professional tennis tournament.

Running is a popular local sport, and the city declares itself to be "Running City USA".^[341] The city hosts the Peachtree Road Race, the world's largest 10 km race, annually on Independence Day.^[342] Atlanta also hosts the nation's largest Thanksgiving day half marathon, which starts and ends at Center Parc Stadium.^[343] The Atlanta Marathon, which starts and ends at Centennial Olympic Park, routes through many of the city's historic landmarks.^[344]

Atlanta's 343 parks, nature preserves, and gardens cover 3,622 acres (14.66 km²),^[345] which amounts to only 5.6% of the city's total acreage, compared to the national average of just over 10%.^[346][347] However, 77% of Atlantans live within a 10-minute walk of a park, a percentage slightly better than the national average of 76%.^[348] In its 2023 ParkScore ranking, The Trust for Public Land reported that among the park systems of the 100 most populous U.S. cities, Atlanta's park system received a ranking of 28.^[348] Piedmont Park, in Midtown, is Atlanta's most iconic green space.^[349][350] The park, which underwent a major renovation and expansion in recent years, attracts visitors from across the region and hosts cultural events throughout the year. Westside Park at Bellwood Quarry, a 280-acre green space and reservoir, opened in 2021 and is the city's largest park. Other notable city parks include Centennial Olympic Park, a legacy of the 1996 Summer Olympics that forms the centerpiece of the city's tourist district; Woodruff Park, which anchors the campus of Georgia State University; Grant Park, home to Zoo Atlanta; and Chastain Park, which houses an amphitheater used for live music concerts.^[351] The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, in the northwestern corner of the city, preserves a 48 mi (77 km) stretch of the river for public recreation opportunities.^[352]

The Atlanta Botanical Garden, adjacent to Piedmont Park, contains formal gardens, including a Japanese garden and a rose garden, woodland areas, and a conservatory that includes indoor exhibits of plants from tropical rainforests and deserts. The BeltLine, a former rail corridor that forms a 22 mi (35 km) loop around Atlanta's core, has been transformed into a series of parks, connected by a multi-use trail, increasing Atlanta's park space by 40%.^[353]

Atlanta offers resources and opportunities for amateur and participatory sports and recreation. Golf and tennis are popular in Atlanta, and the city contains six public golf courses and 182 tennis courts. Facilities along the Chattahoochee River cater to watersports enthusiasts, providing the opportunity for kayaking, canoeing, fishing, boating, or tubing. The city's only skate park, a 15,000 square feet (1,400 m²) facility that offers bowls, curbs, and smooth-rolling concrete mounds, is at Historic Fourth Ward Park.^[354]

Atlanta is governed by a mayor and the 15-member Atlanta City Council. The city council consists of one member from each of the city's 12 districts and three at-large members. The mayor may veto a bill passed by the council, but the council can override the veto with a two-thirds majority.^[356] The mayor of Atlanta is Andre Dickens, a Democrat elected on a nonpartisan ballot whose first term in office began on January 3, 2022.^[357][358] Every mayor elected since 1973 has been Black.^[359] In 2001, Shirley Franklin became the first woman to be elected mayor of Atlanta, and the first African-American woman to serve as mayor of a major Southern city.^[360] Atlanta city politics suffered from a notorious reputation for corruption during the 1990s administration of Mayor Bill Campbell, who was convicted by a federal jury in 2006 on three counts of tax evasion in connection with gambling winnings during trips he took with city contractors.^[361]

As the state capital, Atlanta is the site of most of Georgia's state government. The Georgia State Capitol building, located downtown, houses the offices of the governor, lieutenant governor and secretary of state, as well as the General Assembly. The Governor's Mansion is in a residential section of Buckhead. Atlanta serves as the regional hub for many arms of the federal bureaucracy, including the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).^[362][363] The City of Atlanta annexed the CDC into its territory effective January 1, 2018.^[364] Atlanta also plays an important role in the federal judiciary system, containing the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.^[365]

Historically, Atlanta has been a stronghold for the Democratic Party. Although municipal elections are officially nonpartisan, nearly all of the city's elected officials are registered Democrats. The city is split among 14 state house districts and four state senate districts, all held by Democrats. At the federal level, Atlanta is split between three congressional districts. Most of the city is in the 5th district, represented by Democrat Nikema Williams. Much of southern Atlanta is in the 13th district, represented by Democrat David Scott. A small portion in the north is in the 11th district, represented by Republican Barry Loudermilk.^[366]

The Atlanta Police Department is responsible for security in the city. The Georgia National Guard is also based in the city.^[367][368]

With more than 15 colleges and universities, including three law schools and two medical schools, Atlanta is considered one of the nation's largest hubs for higher education. Three universities have earned the highest classification of "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity".^[369][370]

The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech, is a prominent public research university in Midtown. It offers highly ranked degree programs in engineering, design, industrial management, the sciences, business, and architecture.^[371][372]

Georgia State University is a major public research university based in Downtown Atlanta; it is the largest in student population of the 29 public colleges and universities in the University System of Georgia and is a significant contributor to the revitalization of the city's central business district.^[373]

Atlanta is home to nationally renowned private colleges and universities, most notably Emory University, a leading liberal arts and research institution that operates Emory Healthcare, the largest health care system in Georgia.^[374] The City of Atlanta annexed Emory into its territory effective January 1, 2018.^[364]

The Atlanta University Center is also in the city; it is the oldest and largest contiguous consortium of historically Black colleges in the nation, comprising Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, and Morehouse School of Medicine.^{[375][376][377][378]} Atlanta contains a campus of the Savannah College of Art and Design, a private art and design university that has proven to be a major factor in the recent growth of Atlanta's visual art community. Atlanta also boasts American Bar Association accredited law schools: Atlanta's John Marshall Law School, Emory University School of Law, and Georgia State University College of Law.^[379]

The University of Georgia's Terry College of Business operates a satellite campus in Atlanta's Buckhead district, a major financial center in the city.^[380] This location facilitates Executive and Professional MBA programs plus executive education offerings. The Buckhead campus also serves as a hub where Terry students, alumni, faculty, and staff can engage with the business community.^[381]

The Atlanta Regional Council of Higher Education (ARCHE) is dedicated to strengthening synergy among 19 public and private colleges and universities in the Atlanta region. Participating Atlanta region colleges and universities partner on joint-degree programs, cross-registration, library services, and cultural events.^[382]

Approximately 49,000 students are enrolled in 106 schools in Atlanta Public Schools (APS), some of which are operated as charter schools.^[383][384] Atlanta is served by many private schools including, without limitation, Atlanta Jewish Academy,^[385] Atlanta International School,^[386] The Westminster Schools,^[387] Pace Academy,^[388] The Lovett School,^[389] The Paideia School,^[390] Holy Innocents' Episcopal School^[391] and Roman Catholic parochial schools operated by the Archdiocese of Atlanta.

In 2018 the City of Atlanta annexed a portion of DeKalb County containing the Centers for Disease Control and Emory University; this portion will be zoned to the DeKalb County School District until 2024, when it will transition into APS.^[392] In 2017 the number of children living in the annexed territory who attended public schools was nine.^[393]

The primary network-affiliated television stations in Atlanta are WXIA-TV 11 (NBC),^[394] WANF 46 (CBS),^[395] WSB-TV 2 (ABC),^[396] and WAGA-TV 5 (Fox).^[397] Other major commercial stations include WPXA-TV 14 (Ion), WPCH-TV 17, (CW),^[398] WUVG-TV 34 (Univision/UniMás), WUPA 69 (Ind.),^[399] and WATL 36 (MyNetworkTV). WPXA-TV, WUVG-TV and WAGA-TV are network O&O's. The Atlanta metropolitan area is served by two public television stations (both PBS member stations), and two public radio stations. WGTV 8 is the flagship station of the statewide Georgia Public Television network, while WABE-TV is owned by Atlanta Public Schools. Georgia Public Radio is listener-funded and comprises one NPR member station, WABE, a classical music station also operated by Atlanta Public Schools. The second public radio, listener-funded NPR member station is WCLK, a jazz music station owned and operated by Clark Atlanta University.^[400]

Atlanta is served by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, its only major daily newspaper with wide distribution. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is the result of a 1950 merger between The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta Constitution, with staff consolidation occurring in 1982 and separate publication of the morning Constitution and afternoon Journal ceasing in 2001.^[401] Alternative weekly newspapers include Creative Loafing, which has a weekly print circulation of 80,000. Atlanta Daily World is the oldest Black newspaper in Atlanta and one of the earliest Black newspapers in American history.^[402] Atlanta magazine is a monthly general-interest magazine based in and covering Atlanta.^[403]

Atlanta's transportation infrastructure comprises a complex network that includes a heavy rail rapid transit system, a light rail streetcar loop, a multi-county bus system, Amtrak service via the Crescent, multiple freight train lines, an Interstate Highway System, several airports, including the world's busiest, and over 45 miles (72 km) of bike paths.^[404]

Atlanta has a network of freeways that radiate out from the city, and automobiles are the dominant means of transportation in the region.^[405] Three major interstate highways converge in Atlanta: I-20 (east-west), I-75 (northwest-southeast), and I-85 (northeast-southwest). The latter two combine in the middle of the city to form the Downtown Connector (I-75/85), which carries more than 340,000 vehicles per day and is one of the most congested segments of interstate highway in the United States.^[406] Atlanta is mostly encircled by Interstate 285, a beltway locally known as "the Perimeter" that has come to mark the boundary between "Inside the Perimeter" (ITP), the city and close-in suburbs, and "Outside the Perimeter" (OTP), the outer suburbs and exurbs. The heavy reliance on automobiles for transportation in Atlanta has resulted in traffic, commute, and air pollution rates that rank among the worst in the country.^{[407][408][409]} The City of Atlanta has a higher than average percentage of households without a car. In 2015, 15.2 percent of Atlanta households lacked a car, and increased slightly to 16.4 percent in 2016. The national average is 8.7 percent in 2016. Atlanta averaged 1.31 cars per household in 2016, compared to a national average of 1.8.^[410]

The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) provides public transportation in the form of buses, heavy rail, and a downtown light rail loop.^[411] Notwithstanding heavy automotive usage in Atlanta, the city's subway system is the eighth busiest in the country.^[412] MARTA rail lines connect key destinations, such as the airport, Downtown, Midtown, Buckhead, and Perimeter Center. However, significant destinations, such as Emory University and Cumberland, remain unserved. As a result, a 2011 Brookings Institution study placed Atlanta 91st of 100 metro areas for transit accessibility.^[413] Emory University operates its Cliff shuttle buses with 200,000 boardings per month, while private minibuses supply Buford Highway. Amtrak, the national rail passenger system, provides service to Atlanta via the Crescent train (New York–New Orleans), which stops at Peachtree Station. In 2014, the Atlanta Streetcar opened to the public. The streetcar's line, which is also known as the Downtown Loop, runs 2.7 miles (4.3 km) around the downtown tourist areas of Peachtree Center, Centennial Olympic Park, the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park, and Sweet Auburn.^[414] The Atlanta Streetcar line is also being expanded on in the coming years to include a wider range of Atlanta's neighborhoods and important places of interest, with a total of over 50 miles (80 km) of track in the plan.^[415]

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the world's busiest airport as measured by passenger traffic and aircraft traffic.^[416] The facility offers air service to over 150 U.S. destinations and more than 75 international destinations in 50 countries, with over 2,500 arrivals and departures daily.^[417] Delta Air Lines maintains its largest hub at the airport.^[418] Situated 10 miles (16 km) south of downtown in Clayton and Fulton counties, the airport covers most of the land inside a wedge formed by Interstate 75, Interstate 85, and Interstate 285.^[419]

Cycling is a growing mode of transportation in Atlanta, more than doubling since 2009, when it comprised 1.1% of all commutes (up from 0.3% in 2000).^[420][421] Although Atlanta's lack of bike lanes and hilly topography may deter many residents from cycling,^[420][422] the city's transportation plan calls for the construction of 226 miles (364 km) of bike lanes by 2020, with the BeltLine helping to achieve this goal.^[423] In 2012, Atlanta's first "bike track" was constructed on 10th Street in Midtown. The two lane bike track runs from Monroe Drive west to Charles Allen Drive, with connections to the Beltline and Piedmont Park.^[424] Starting in June 2016, Atlanta received a bike sharing program, known as Relay Bike Share, with 100 bikes in Downtown and Midtown, which expanded to 500 bikes at 65 stations as of April 2017.^[425][426]

According to the 2016 American Community Survey (five-year average), 68.6% of working city of Atlanta residents commuted by driving alone, 7% carpooled, 10% used public transportation, and 4.6% walked. About 2.1% used all other forms of transportation, including taxi, bicycle, and motorcycle. About 7.6% worked at home.^[427]

The city has also become one of a handful of "scooter capitals", where companies like Lime^[428] and Bird^[429][430] have gained a major foothold by placing electric scooters on street corners and byways.

The city is served by the Atlanta Police Department (APD), which numbers 2,000 officers^[431] and oversaw a 40% decrease in the city's crime rate between 2001 and 2009. In 2012, Forbes ranked Atlanta as the 6th most dangerous American city but by 2023 the city dropped out of its top 10.^[432][433] Despite some improvement in crime, street gangs have continued to plague the city since the 1980s.^{[434][435][436][437]} In 2022, there was a 200% increase in gang-related charges in the city.^[436] In 2023, Money Inc named Atlanta the third worst gang city in the U.S.^[438] Also in 2023, it was estimated that about 1,000 gangs in the Atlanta area were responsible for at least 70% of all crime including identity theft, credit card fraud, and human trafficking. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation Gang Task Force in partnership with the APD is leading efforts in dismantling gang activity and arresting culprits.^[439]

The Atlanta Fire Rescue Department provides fire protection and first responder emergency medical services to the city from its 35 fire stations. In 2017, AFRD responded to over 100,000 calls for service over a coverage area of 135.7 square miles (351.5 square kilometers). The department also protects Hartsfield–Jackson with five fire stations on the property, serving over 1 million passengers from over 100 countries. The department protects over 3000 high-rise buildings, 23 miles (37 kilometers) of the rapid rail system, and 60 miles (97 kilometers) of interstate highway.^[440]

Emergency ambulance services are provided to city residents by hospital-based Grady EMS (Fulton County),^[441] and American Medical Response (DeKalb County).^[442]

Atlanta in January 2017 declared the city was a "welcoming city" and "will remain open and welcoming to all". Nonetheless, Atlanta does not consider itself to be a "sanctuary city".^[443] Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said: "Our city does not support ICE. We don't have a relationship with the U.S. Marshal[s] Service. We closed our detention center to ICE detainees, and we would not pick up people on an immigration violation."^[444]

Atlanta has a reputation as a "city in a forest" due to an abundance of trees that is rare among major cities.^{[446][447][448]} The city's main street is named after a tree, and beyond the Downtown, Midtown, and Buckhead business districts, the skyline gives way to a dense canopy of woods that spreads into the suburbs. The city is home to the Atlanta Dogwood Festival, an annual arts and crafts festival held one weekend during early April, when the native dogwoods are in bloom. The nickname is factually accurate, as vegetation covers 47.9% of the city as of 2017,^[449] the highest among all major American cities, and well above the national average of 27%.^[450] Atlanta's tree coverage does not go unnoticed—it was the main reason cited by National Geographic in naming Atlanta a "Place of a Lifetime".^[445][451]

The city's lush tree canopy, which filters out pollutants and cools sidewalks and buildings, has increasingly been under assault from man and nature due to heavy rains, drought, aged forests, new pests, and urban construction. A 2001 study found Atlanta's heavy tree cover declined from 48% in 1974 to 38% in 1996.^[452] Community organizations and the city government are addressing the problem. Trees Atlanta, a non-profit organization founded in 1985, has planted and distributed over 113,000 shade trees in the city,^[453] and Atlanta's government has awarded $130,000 in grants to neighborhood groups to plant trees.^[447] Fees are additionally imposed on developers that remove trees on their property per a citywide ordinance, active since 1993.^[454]

Atlanta's sister cities are:^[455]

• USS Atlanta, 5 ships

• Official city website
  • Atlanta Department of Watershed Management
  • Atlanta Police Department Archived June 14, 2021, at the Wayback Machine
• Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau
• Atlanta entry in the New Georgia Encyclopedia
• Atlanta History Photograph Collection from the Atlanta History Center
• Atlanta, Georgia, a National Park Service Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary
• Scientific American, "The Atlanta Exposition", October 22, 1881, pp. 257