- Take a second to imagine you're flying high above the state of Georgia.

Below you, the land changes dramatically.

From forested mountains to winding rivers, then falling waters in swampy wetlands, all the way to the barrier islands along the coast.

That's a lot of different landscapes for one state.

These physical features don't just make Georgia beautiful.

They've also shaped Georgia's history, its cities, and even its economy.

So let's explore some of the most important physical features of Georgia and examine why they matter.

(upbeat music) Up first, we have the Appalachian Mountains in North Georgia.

These mountains are a part of a massive range that stretches from Alabama all the way to Canada.

They are some of the oldest mountains on Earth, even older than the first trees.

Millions of years ago, they were once towering peaks, but over time, wind and water wore them down through a process called erosion.

Today, these scenic mountains attract tourists who come to hike, camp, and explore the region.

One of the most popular destinations for visitors is Georgia's highest peak, Brasstown Bald.

It rises more than 4,700 feet above sea level.

The elevation of the Appalachian Mountains actually helps influence Georgia's climate.

Warm, moist air from the Gulf Coast rises when it hits the mountains, which creates heavy rainfall in the spring and summer, and sometimes snow in the winter.

As that rain and snow make their way down the mountains, they help form many of Georgia's streams, creeks, and rivers, including the Chattahoochee and Savannah Rivers.

The Chattahoochee River begins in the Appalachian Mountains and winds all the way to the Gulf Coast, forming part of Georgia's western border with Alabama.

For centuries, Indigenous people relied on the Chattahoochee for drinking water, food, and transportation.

Later, White settlers used it to move goods, especially between the Gulf and the city of Columbus.

Today, the Chattahoochee is still a lifeline for Georgia.

Millions of people depend on it for drinking water, it supports industry, provides recreation like fishing and rafting, and even helps generate hydroelectric power.

Now, let's move over to the Savannah River.

This river starts in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in Hart County and flows all the way to the Atlantic Ocean, forming part of Georgia's eastern border with South Carolina.

Like the Chattahoochee, the Savannah River has been important to people for thousands of years.

Indigenous people first lived along its banks.

And in the 1500s, Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto was the first European known to cross the Savannah River.

Later, James Oglethorpe, the founder of the colony of Georgia, chose a spot along the river to build the colony's first city, Savannah.

Today, the Savannah River remains incredibly important to the state.

It provides drinking water, supports recreation, and connects to the port of Savannah where massive cargo ships carry goods between Georgia and the rest of the world.

The river also helps support communities, irrigate farms, and cool nuclear power plants.

Both the Chattahoochee and Savannah Rivers show just how important Georgia's waterways have been throughout history and how they continue to shape life in the state today.

(upbeat music) As rivers like the Chattahoochee and Savannah flow south across Georgia, they eventually reach a dramatic change in the landscape known as the fall line.

The fall line is a wide zone that separates Georgia's two largest regions, the hilly Piedmont and the flat coastal plain.

In fact, it used to be Georgia's coastline millions of years ago.

As rivers flow from the higher Piedmont down to the lower coastal plain, the land suddenly drops in elevation.

This creates rapids and waterfalls, giving the fall line its name.

In the past, these waterfalls made rivers difficult to travel upstream by boat.

Because boats couldn't go any further upstream once they hit the fall line, goods had to be unloaded at these points.

Over time, trading posts grew into towns and towns grew into cities.

But the rushing water also created a powerful source of energy.

Early settlers built mills along the fall line to use the moving water for power.

This is known as hydropower.

Today, several major Georgia cities sit along the fall line, including Columbus, Macon, and Augusta.

Now, let's travel to southeastern Georgia to explore one of the most unique ecosystems in North America, the Okefenokee Swamp.

Covering about 700 square miles, the Okefenokee is the largest blackwater wetland ecosystem in North America.

Indigenous people named this area Okefenokee, meaning Land of the Trembling Earth.

The name refers to thick layers of peat, or partially decayed plants that build up over time, that create soft ground that can shake or tremble when you walk on it.

With its rich supply of fresh water, plants, and animals, the Okefenokee has supported people living in and around it for thousands of years.

While the swamp is largely protected from development, that wasn't always the case.

In the early 1900s, much of the swamp was logged for timber.

Developers even tried to drain the Okefenokee to turn it into farmland.

But in 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt protected most of the area by creating the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.

Today, the swamp is home to an abundance of plants and animals, including endangered species.

Scientists study the swamp because some of its amphibians act as bioindicators, meaning they can help scientists understand the health of the environment.

Each year, thousands of visitors explore the swamp, helping support the local economy while learning about this important natural habitat.

And finally, let's head to Georgia's coast to see the state's barrier islands.

These are a chain of sandy islands located just off the coast.

Georgia has more than a dozen barrier islands, including Tybee Island, St.

Simons Island, Jekyll Island, and Cumberland Island.

Barrier islands play a huge role in protecting the mainland.

They act like natural shields, absorbing the force of hurricanes and ocean waves before they reach Georgia's shoreline.

People have lived on Georgia's barrier islands for thousands of years.

Indigenous communities lived there first.

In the 1500s, Spanish missionaries established missions on some of the islands.

Later, plantations were built on parts of the coast where crops like rice and indigo were grown.

Today, several islands are popular vacation spots known for their beaches, wildlife, and outdoor activities.

Some islands are protected parks or wildlife refuges, which help preserve Georgia's coastal ecosystems.

Georgia may be one state, but its landscape tells many different stories.

Mountains, rivers, swamps, and barrier islands have all helped shape where people live, how cities formed, and how the state's economy grew.

So the next time you travel across Georgia, remember, you're not just crossing a state, you're traveling through some of the most important natural features in the entire Southeast.

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