Atlanta

Introducing Atlanta

With five million residents and counting, the so-called ‘capital of the South’ continues to experience explosive growth thanks to southbound Yankees and international immigrants alike. It’s also booming as a tourist destination thanks to two glitzy 21st-century attractions – the Georgia Aquarium and the new World of Coca-Cola – plus the arrival of Mei Lan, a giant panda cub at the Atlanta Zoo. Beyond the attractions you’ll find a constellation of superlative restaurants, two luxury megamalls, ample Civil War lore, miles of hiking trails and a plethora of African American history.

Without natural boundaries to control development, Atlanta keeps growing – sometimes up, but mostly out. Suburban sprawl has turned Atlanta into an almost endless city. Increased car dependence creates horrendous traffic, traffic creates smog, smog pollutes water and so on.

For all this suburbanization, Atlanta is a pretty city covered with trees and elegant homes. Distinct neighborhoods are like friendly small towns. Racial tensions are minimal in ‘The City Too Busy To Hate, ’ which prides itself as hometown to the civil rights titan Martin Luther King Jr.

Last updated: Oct 6, 2009