Georgia’s Geographic Regions

What makes a region?  A region can be defined by common characteristics that are usually- cultural, human or physical  The five regions in Georgia include:  Appalachian Plain  Ridge and Valley  Blue Ridge  Piedmont Plateau  Coastal Plain

Appalachian Plateau Region  Located in the Northwest corner  Smallest of the 5 regions  AKA: Cumberland Plateau and TAG Corner- because it connects the states of Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia at one point.  Cities: LaFayette and Trenton  Includes :  Cloudland State Park- 2 waterfalls  Lookout Mountain- flat topped 100 mile mountain  The site of a major Civil War battle (Tennessee)  Chickamauga  Chattanooga National Military Park  Economy :  Activities included tourism and mining  Soil: limestone, shale, and sandstone (limited agriculture)

Appalachian Region tories/videos/geology_of_geo rgia

The Ridge and Valley Region  Located between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Appalachian Plateau.  The region spans Polk and Bartow counties and north to Chattanooga Tennessee.  Characterized by low open valleys and narrow ridges  Elevation reaches 700-1,600 feet above sea level  Cities: Cartersville, Calhoun, Ellijay, and Dalton  Economy:  Dalton has a large textile and carpet industry.  Fertile Farmlands: grain, cattle, and apples  Plum Nelly folk art center (tourism)  Soil: shale, limestone and clay  Other: Major battle ground for the Civil War and a major transportation route between Georgia and Tennessee.

Ridge and Valley Region

The Blue Ridge Region  Located in the northeastern part of Georgia  It is 100 miles wide  Geography : Location of Georgia’s largest mountains including Brasstown Bald, Georgia’s highest point (5,000ft high). Also the source of Georgia’s rivers.  Soil: sandy loam, clay  Cities: Dahlonega, site of America’s first Gold Rush.  Economy: mining was once the primary industry, but today it is tourism.  Amicalola Falls  Tallulah Gorge  Helen  Includes the southernmost point of the Appalachian Trail  Receives the states most precipitation with 80 inches of rain annually.  Well suited for forests, vegetable farming, and apples.

The Blue Ridge Region

The Piedmont Region  Located in the middle of the state  Georgia’s most populous region with more than half of the state’s population  Includes: Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus and Stone Mountain  Soil: sandy loam, red clay  Economy: Industry, manufacturing and agriculture (mostly poultry). With large amounts of granite, mining has also been important.  Chattahoochee River –begins in the north and forms the western border of the state  Fall line- natural boundary separating the Piedmont and Coastal Plain region. Marks a drop in elevation and prevented early settlers from easily traveling over the steep falls, but provided a source for power.

The Piedmont Region

The Coastal Plain Region  Largest region in Georgia taking up 3/5 of the state  Divided into two areas: Inner and Outer Coastal  Economy:  agricultural heartland of the state with peaches, peanuts, cotton, and Vidalia Onions (rich soil, swampy to coast)  Naval stores and paper and pulp products  Tourism  Shipping and seafood (deepwater ports)  Cities: Savannah, Georgia’s oldest city, Albany, Macon  Okefenokee Swamp- covers half a million acres. Primitive wetland and home to hundreds of species of animals.  Barrier Islands- protect beaches from wind, sand and water erosion. 2/3 remains wilderness sanctuaries.  Fall Line: runs through Columbus, Macon and Augusta.  Savannah River: begins in South Carolina and creates the eastern border of Georgia. 314 miles long and spreads into three lakes: Thurmond, Russell, and Hartwell

What’s a Naval Store? 

Lesson Two (SS8G1b) – Describe the five geographic regions of Georgia; include the Blue Ridge Mountains, Valley and Ridge, Appalachian Plateau, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain. What do you remember about… Georgia ’ s physiographic regions??? 1. Contains GA ’ s highest peak, Brasstown Bald A. Piedmont 2. Contains most of GA ’ s peanut and cotton farms B. Valley & Ridge 3. The smallest physiographic regionC. Coastal Plain 4. Has GA ’ s highest amount of annual rainfall D. Blue Ridge 5. The most populated of GA ’ s regions. E. Appalachian Plateau 6.Contains mountain ridges with valleys between 7.Contains GA ’ s only source of a fossil fuel (coal) 8.The location of GA ’ s capital and largest city 9. The largest of GA ’ s regions, in terms of land area SS8G1 – The student will describe Georgia with regard to physical features and location. D. C. A. E. B. A. D. E.

Georgia’s Seven Wonders

1. Okefenokee Swamp  Coastal Plains

2. Tallulah Gorge  Blue Ridge. Three miles long and 1,200 feet deep

3. Radium Springs  Coastal Plains. Sapphire blue water in a crystalline.

4. Warm Springs  Piedmont. Mineral springs that maintain a temperature of 88.

5. Stone Mountain  Piedmont. Solid granite. Largest raised sculpture in the world.

6. Providence Canyon  Blue Ridge. Little Grand Canyon. 1,108 acre park containing sixteen canyons

7. Amicalola Falls  Blue Ridge. 729 foot cascade of water.