Metro Atlanta in the context of "DeKalb County, Georgia"

Atlanta is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the county seat of Fulton County and extends into neighboring DeKalb County. With a population of 498,715 at the 2020 census and an estimated 520,070 in 2024, Atlanta is the eighth-most populous city in the Southeast and the 36th-most populous city in the United States. Atlanta is classified as a Beta+ global city. The Atlanta metropolitan area has an estimated population of over 6.4 million and is the eighth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Situated among the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains at an elevation of just over 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level, Atlanta features a unique topography that includes rolling hills, lush greenery, and the densest urban tree coverage of any major city in the United States.

Atlanta was originally founded as the terminus of a major state-sponsored railroad, but soon became the convergence point for several railroad lines, spurring its rapid growth. The largest of these was the Western and Atlantic Railroad, from which the name "Atlanta" is derived, reflecting the city's growing reputation as a major transportation hub. During the American Civil War, the city served a strategically important role for the Confederacy until it was captured in 1864. Atlanta was almost entirely burned to the ground during General William T. Sherman's March to the Sea. However, it rebounded dramatically in the post-war period and quickly became a national industrial center and the unofficial capital of the "New South". After World War II, Atlanta emerged as a manufacturing and technology hub. During the 1950s and 1960s, it became a major organizing center of the American civil rights movement, with Martin Luther King Jr., Ralph Abernathy, and many other locals serving as prominent leaders. In the modern era, Atlanta has remained a major transportation center, with Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport becoming the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic in 1998. It has maintained this position every year since, except in 2020, with an estimated 93.7 million passengers in 2022.

The world's busiest airports by passenger traffic are measured by total passengers provided by the Airports Council International, defined as passengers enplaned plus passengers deplaned plus direct-transit passengers. The world's busiest airport is Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia, which has been the world's busiest airport every year since 1998 with the exception of 2020, when its passenger traffic dipped for a year due to travel restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Atlanta regained the top position in 2021, and has held it since. Alternatively, London has the world's busiest city airport system by passenger count.

As of 2024, the United States has the most airports in the top 50 list, with 15 (16 in 2023), following by China having 12 (10 in 2023), while India and Spain have two. In terms of regions, North America has 17 airports in the top 50 (18 in 2023), followed by East Asia with 14 (12 in 2023), Europe with 8 (same as in 2023), Southeast Asia with 5 (6 in 2023), West Asia with three (same as 2023), South Asia with two (same as 2023), and South America with one (same as 2023).

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (IATA: ATL, ICAO: KATL, FAA LID: ATL) is the primary international airport serving Atlanta and its surrounding metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Georgia. Located 10 mi (16 km; 8.7 nmi) south of the Downtown Atlanta district, it is named after former Atlanta mayors William B. Hartsfield and Maynard Jackson.

Since 1998, Hartsfield–Jackson has been the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic, with the exception of 2020, when its passenger traffic dipped for that year due to travel restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2024, Hartsfield–Jackson served 108.1 million passengers, the most of any airport in the world. It is also the world's busiest airport by aircraft movements.

Winder (/ˈwaɪndər/, WYNE-dər) is a city and the county seat of Barrow County, Georgia, United States. It is located east of Atlanta and is part of Metro Atlanta. The population was 18,338 at the 2020 census.

Gwinnett County (/ɡwɪˈnɛt/ gwih-NET) is located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. It forms part of Metro Atlanta, being located about 9 miles (14 km) northeast of Atlanta city limits. In 2020, the population was 957,062, making it the second-most populous county in Georgia (after Fulton County). Its county seat is Lawrenceville. The county is named for Button Gwinnett, one of the signatories of the Declaration of Independence.

Gwinnett County is the most ethnically diverse county in Georgia, with significant populations of Black, Hispanic, and Asian residents. As of the 2020 Census, no ethnicity constitutes more than a third of its population.