Coastal Georgia: Savannah, the Golden Isles, and the Atlantic Seaboard

Coastal Georgia encompasses approximately 100 miles of Atlantic shoreline stretching from the Savannah River at the South Carolina border to the St. Marys River at the Florida border. Despite its relatively compact coastline compared to neighboring states, this region is disproportionately significant to Georgia's economy, history, and identity. The coast is home to the Port of Savannah -- the third-busiest container port in the United States and the single largest economic asset on the Georgia coast -- as well as the historic city of Savannah, the exclusive Golden Isles resort communities, Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base, and one of the most ecologically important salt marsh systems on the Atlantic seaboard.

The coastal region encompasses six counties -- Chatham, Bryan, Liberty, McIntosh, Glynn, and Camden -- with a combined population of approximately 650,000. The region's character is shaped by its geography: a low-lying coastal plain intersected by tidal rivers and creeks, bordered by barrier islands, and backed by vast expanses of Spartina alterniflora salt marsh. Georgia's coast contains approximately one-third of the remaining salt marsh on the U.S. Atlantic coast, making it an ecological resource of national significance.

Savannah and Chatham County

Savannah, the oldest city in Georgia and the seat of Chatham County, was founded by James Oglethorpe on February 12, 1733, making it one of the oldest planned cities in the United States. Oglethorpe's original city plan, based on a system of public squares surrounded by residential and commercial lots, remains largely intact in the Savannah Historic District, which encompasses approximately 2.5 square miles and is one of the largest National Historic Landmark Districts in the United States. The district's 22 surviving squares (of an original 24), shaded by live oaks draped in Spanish moss, have made Savannah one of the most visited and photographed cities in the American South.

Chatham County has a population of approximately 300,000, with the City of Savannah accounting for roughly 150,000 within its city limits. The county's economy is driven by four primary pillars: the Port of Savannah, tourism, military installations, and the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). For a detailed profile, see Chatham County.

The Port of Savannah

The Port of Savannah, operated by the Georgia Ports Authority, is the defining economic institution of Coastal Georgia and one of the most important trade gateways in the Western Hemisphere. The Garden City Terminal, located on the Savannah River approximately 18 miles upstream from the Atlantic Ocean, is the single largest single-terminal container facility in North America. The port handles more than 5.8 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) annually, making it the third-busiest container port in the United States behind only the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

The port's growth trajectory has been extraordinary. TEU volume has more than doubled over the past decade, driven by several factors: the expansion of the Panama Canal (which allows larger vessels to reach East Coast ports from Asia), Georgia's strategic geographic position for reaching inland consumer markets via highway and rail, and sustained investment in port infrastructure. The Savannah Harbor Expansion Project, a joint federal-state undertaking completed in 2022, deepened the shipping channel from 42 to 47 feet, enabling the port to accommodate the larger New Panamax container vessels that are increasingly standard in global trade.

The port's economic impact extends far beyond the waterfront. An estimated 500,000 jobs across Georgia are connected to port activity, and the port generates tens of billions of dollars in annual economic activity. A massive logistics and distribution center ecosystem has developed along the I-16 and I-95 corridors near the port, with companies including Target, IKEA, Walmart, Amazon, Wayfair, and numerous others operating distribution centers in the Savannah region to receive imported goods and distribute them throughout the eastern United States.

Tourism and Culture

Savannah's tourism industry generates hundreds of millions of dollars in annual visitor spending, driven by the city's unrivaled collection of antebellum and Victorian architecture, its renowned culinary scene, SCAD's cultural programming and galleries, and the city's reputation for Southern hospitality and charm. The publication of John Berendt's "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" in 1994 brought international attention to Savannah, and the city has maintained its position as one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Southeast.

The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) has been a transformative force in the city's cultural and economic landscape. Founded in 1978, SCAD has grown into one of the largest art and design universities in the United States, with an enrollment exceeding 15,000 students across campuses in Savannah, Atlanta, and international locations. SCAD's restoration of dozens of historic buildings in Savannah has contributed significantly to the preservation of the city's architectural heritage, and its cultural programming -- including the SCAD Museum of Art, the annual Savannah Film Festival, and numerous galleries and exhibition spaces -- has elevated Savannah's cultural profile.

Military Presence

The Savannah area hosts significant military installations including Hunter Army Airfield within the City of Savannah and Fort Stewart in neighboring Liberty County. Together, these installations form the largest military complex on the East Coast east of the Mississippi River and serve as the home station of the 3rd Infantry Division, one of the U.S. Army's premier combat divisions. The military presence contributes billions of dollars annually to the regional economy and supports a substantial population of military families, veterans, and defense-related businesses.

Brunswick and the Golden Isles

Brunswick, the seat of Glynn County, serves as the mainland commercial center for the Golden Isles of Georgia -- St. Simons Island, Jekyll Island, Sea Island, and Little St. Simons Island. The city itself has a population of approximately 17,000, while Glynn County's total population is approximately 85,000. Brunswick's economy includes the Port of Brunswick (which handles primarily roll-on/roll-off cargo, particularly automobiles), the pulp and paper industry (Evergreen Packaging operates a major mill), and services supporting the Golden Isles tourism economy.

St. Simons Island is the most accessible and most populated of the Golden Isles, connected to the mainland by a causeway. The island is a popular residential and vacation destination with historic sites including Fort Frederica National Monument, the St. Simons Lighthouse, and Christ Church (dating to 1820). The island's year-round population of approximately 15,000 swells significantly during tourist seasons.

Jekyll Island is a state-owned barrier island managed by the Jekyll Island Authority, a state agency. In the Gilded Age, Jekyll Island served as the private retreat of some of America's wealthiest families -- the Rockefellers, Morgans, Vanderbilts, Pulitzers, and others -- who formed the Jekyll Island Club. Today, the island operates as a public resort destination with beaches, a water park, a golf course, a convention center, and the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. A state law limits development to no more than 35 percent of the island's land area, preserving its natural character.

Sea Island is an exclusive private resort community accessible only by invitation or reservation. The Cloister at Sea Island, a luxury resort, has hosted international summits including the 2004 G8 Summit and is consistently ranked among the finest resort properties in the world. Sea Island's Lodge at Sea Island Golf Club hosts the annual RSM Classic PGA Tour event.

Southern Coast: Camden County and Kings Bay

Camden County, at the southern end of Georgia's coast along the Florida border, has a population of approximately 55,000 and is defined economically by Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base. Kings Bay is the Atlantic home port of the U.S. Navy's Ohio-class fleet ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs), which carry the Trident II submarine-launched ballistic missile -- the sea-based component of the nation's nuclear deterrent. The base is one of the most strategically significant military installations in the United States and employs thousands of military and civilian personnel. The city of St. Marys, the county seat and gateway to Cumberland Island National Seashore, provides ferry access to one of the largest and most pristine undeveloped barrier islands on the East Coast.

Natural Environment and Conservation

Georgia's coast is one of the most ecologically significant coastal environments on the Atlantic seaboard. The region contains approximately 378,000 acres of salt marsh -- roughly one-third of all remaining salt marsh on the U.S. Atlantic coast -- which serves as critical nursery habitat for commercially important fish and shellfish species, filters water, absorbs storm surge, and sequesters carbon. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources' Coastal Resources Division regulates development and resource use in the coastal zone under the Georgia Coastal Marshlands Protection Act and the Shore Protection Act.

Cumberland Island National Seashore, managed by the National Park Service, preserves 36,415 acres of maritime forest, undeveloped beaches, salt marsh, and historic structures on the largest and southernmost barrier island on the Georgia coast. The Wassaw, Blackbeard, and Wolf Island National Wildlife Refuges protect additional barrier island habitat. The Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary, located 17.5 nautical miles offshore from Sapelo Island, protects one of the largest near-shore live-bottom reef systems in the southeastern United States. For tree and landscaping services throughout the coastal region, see Georgia Tree Authority and Georgia Lawn Care Authority.