Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
The strategic position of Atlanta led to its near annihilation during the Civil War,
but the city rapidly recovered, rising from its ashes to become a regional financial
center and distribution hub for the southeastern United States. Atlanta's lucky break
came in 1941 when the United States Air Force established a major air base in the
city.
As for many other cities in the South and West, the airbase was soon followed by
the aviation industry (Lockheed in 1951). A census survey in 2006 indicated that
Atlanta is the city with the fastest growing population in the United States. The
metropolitan area exceeded 5 million people in 2005 and grew by more than 0.9
million people between the 2000 census and 2006. Atlanta is a representative
example of the development of the Sunbelt cities.
Economic and population growth rank metropolitan Atlanta among the more
prosperous Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs). Between 1970 and 2000,
metropolitan population grew at an average annual rate of 2.86%, while average
income per capita was 116% of the national average (see Figure 8.1).
26,000
25,000
24,000
23,000
22,000
21,000
20,000
19,000
USA
MSA
Central City
Suburbs
Figure 8.1. Atlanta, Georgia, average per capita income, 1999
The disparities, however, are enormous. One person in ten lives in a
neighborhood where the average income is less than $15,000 per capita, while
another 10% reside in neighborhoods where the average income is above $39,000
per capita, for an inter-decile ratio of 2.6.
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