Atlanta  is the capital and the most populous city of the State of Georgia, and the central city of the ninth most populous metropolitan area in the United States.

 

A major city in its own right, Atlanta is considered a poster child for cities worldwide experiencing rapid urban sprawl, economic development, and growth. In the last decade, the Atlanta metropolitan area added over 1,150,000 residents – the fourth-largest gain in absolute numbers of any metropolitan area in the United States. The metro area has been #1 in single-family housing starts for 13 consecutive years. Atlanta is recognized as one of the driving forces of the "New South," and has in recent years, along with Houston, Miami and Dallas, undergone a transition from a city of regional commerce to a city of international influence.

 

Atlanta has a sizable Russian-speaking community. Although exact size is unknown, it is widely believed that the community is between 60,000 to 100,000 people.