Atlanta, Georgia, is a proud city in the southeastern United States. It is well known for being the vibrant trading heart of the south and has ties to the civil rights movement, which challenged white oppression of black people in the 1960s. It is awash with color – thousands of peach trees blossom and fruit in the city every year. Atlanta is a truly fascinating city. Here are some things you might not know about the southern metropolis.  

It Has The World’s Busiest Airport

For many years, Atlanta has had the busiest airport in the entire world in terms of passenger arrivals and departures. If you are traveling to the airport, you’ll want to book a parking space well in advance with a company like Parkon.com. 

Hartfield – Jackson International Airport is busy for a number of reasons. As a major business center, Atlanta attracts visitors from all over the world looking to attend conferences or meetings. The vast majority of these people pass through Hartfield – Jackson. 

An even larger contribution to the immense business of Atlanta’s international airport is the presence of one of the world’s largest airlines: Delta. Delta Airlines is headquartered at Hartfield Jackson. The aviation giant routes almost all its transatlantic and domestic flights through Atlanta. This means that a huge quantity of the human traffic within the airport is composed of people on Delta flight layoffs, switching aircraft in order to continue their journey across America and beyond.  

It Is A Business Hub

There are 16 Fortune 500 companies based in Atlanta, bringing in billions of dollars in revenue and hiring large swathes of the population. Huge corporations like Coca-Cola are headquartered in the city. The local government is also keen to promote Atlanta as a conferencing hub – and it has been successful in doing just that. Millions of businesspeople fly into Atlanta every year to attend national conferences and special business events.  

It Sprung From The Railroads

Atlanta’s history has always been linked to transportation. It was founded in 1837 as the end of the Western and Atlantic Railroad Line. This new railroad line was pivotal in opening up the southern United States up for the exchange of goods. Of all the towns founded as the result of 19th Century railroad expansion, Atlanta is the most significant. 

It Was The Home Of Martin Luther King

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr was one of the most important Americans to ever live. He fought tirelessly for the end to racial segregation in American institutions and helped organize huge nonviolent civil disobedience campaigns with the aim of influencing the political will of the country. In the wake of his assassination, the civil rights act was finally passed. King was born and raised in Atlanta. He continued to return to the city during his fight for equality. He found much resistance amongst the white establishment of the time, including from Georgia governor Earnest Vandiver. King helped organize and support the Atlanta Student Movement, which fought to desegregate busses and canteens from 1960 onwards.