Winding highways and railroad tracks
Accessible via highway and rail with close proximity to Georgia's ports, the South region moves people and products easily and efficiently.
- Interstate 75 connects the South region to Macon and Atlanta to the north and Florida to the south.
- Both Class 1 railroads, Norfolk Southern and CSX, operate throughout the South region.
- The Cordele Inland Port has created an inland gateway to the Port of Savannah, the second largest port on the East Coast, and the Port of Brunswick.
A solid and steady Southern workforce
While traditionally agricultural, the South region is cultivating a highly skilled workforce in advanced manufacturing and healthcare.
- The South region has a labor force of more than 269,000 with an unemployment rate of 4.2%.
- Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany is the region's top private employer with 3,700 employees.
- Georgia's Center of Innovation for Agribusiness in located in Tifton.
Dedicated to innovation
Various innovation centers across the region are focused on supporting rural Georgia's communities.
- Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College (ABAC) in Tifton will house the state’s Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation, which will focus on outcome-based projects – from health care and infrastructure to education and unemployment – across rural Georgia.
- The STEAM Center at Valdosta State University is a nearly 20,000 square foot facility dedicated to engaging students of all ages across multiple disciplines.
- The Plant Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory (MDL) at the University of Georgia Tifton campus enables researchers to perform advanced testing on plants for bacteria, fungi, viruses or nematodes.
Southern charm and natural beauty
Take all the time you need to explore the wonders of South Georgia.
- Wild Adventures in Valdosta, GA is a Theme Park, Waterpark and Animal Park - all in one.
- Check out a show at Swamp Gravy, the Official Folk Life Play of Georgia. Year after year, Swamp Gravy produces plays that delight audiences of all ages and all backgrounds.
- White Oak Pastures is a six generation, 152-year-old family farm in Bluffton, Georgia that takes pride in farming practices that focus on regenerative land management, humane animal husbandry, and revitalizing our rural community.
- From the secrets of the Woodland Period mound builders, to the industry of the Civilian Conservation Corps, Kolomoki Mounds State Park lures the modern visitor to discover the natural resources within the rural scenery and historic fabric of Southwest Georgia.
