Georgia , state in the SE United States, the last of the Thirteen Colonies to be founded. It is bordered by Florida (S), Alabama (W), Tennessee and North Carolina (N), and South Carolina and the Atlantic Ocean (E). Although the trade and service sectors supply the majority of jobs in Georgia, manufacturing and agriculture remain important to the state's economy. In addition, federal facilities, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, near Atlanta; Fort Benning, near Columbus; and the Kings Bay naval base, contribute to the economy. Cotton, once Georgia's most valuable crop, has declined in importance; in the 1990s it was rivaled by peanuts, tobacco, and corn. Georgia is easily the nation's largest producer of peanuts. Tobacco is the principal crop in the central and southern sections of the state, peanuts in the southwest. Livestock and poultry raising account for the largest share of farm income; broilers, eggs, and cattle are major products. The Creek and Cherokee inhabited the Georgia area when Hernando De Soto and his expedition passed through the region c.1540. The Spanish later established missions and garrisons on the Sea Islands. In 1663, Charles II of England made a grant of land that included Georgia to the eight proprietors of Carolina. However, Spain claimed the whole eastern half of the present United States and protested the grant. The English ignored the protest, and the English-Spanish contest for the territory between Charleston (S.C.) and St. Augustine (Fla.) continued intermittently for almost a century. England became interested in settling Georgia as a buffer colony to protect South Carolina from Spanish invasion from the south.

The state is known as the peach state. Agricultural, industry and tourism make an important contribution to the economy. Atlanta has enormous growth in real estate, service, and communications industries. More than half of the population lives in the Atlanta metro area. Whether you desire to live in the mountain areas, on the coast, or the metropolitan area, Georgia apartments are available.

Georgia is one of the oldest and most interesting states in America. The northern part of the state is in the Blue Ridge Mountains and the southern part of the state has the coastal plains. The housing market and apartment rentals in Georgia abound in a wide price range. Several United States military installations are located in Georgia. Fort Benning in Columbus is the largest infantry camp in the world.

A wide variety of recreational opportunities can be found at the state parks in Georgia. Georgia is a paradise for anglers providing excellent fishing and boating opportunities. Many opportunities abound in apartment rentals and housing in Georgia.

The University of Georgia was founded in 1785 as the first state-chartered and supported university. The Wesleyan College in Macon was founded in 1836 and was the first college in the world chartered to grant degrees to women. At any of the educational institutes in Georgia students can find apartments to rent.