Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center represents the interests of ten member counties, six of which nestle on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. They are Chatham, Bryan, Liberty, McIntosh, Glynn and Camden counties. In general, coastal Georgia boasts of historic attractions, famed barrier islands, outdoor recreational opportunities and relaxation. The inland counties of Long, Bulloch, Effingham and Screven counties complement and balance this seaside setting. Featuring a more rural, agricultural flavor, these counties serve as a reminder of yesteryear’s agricultural emphasis when long-staple cotton fields and tidewater rice plantations dominated the coastal region.

The region borders South Carolina on the northern boundary and the lure of Florida to the south beyond the winding St. Marys River. Three other primary river basins are the Ogeechee, Altamaha and Satilla, offering waterborne ecotourism activities.  A diversity of economic opportunities, two major ports and two sprawling military installations call coastal Georgia “home.” In addition, the largest Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in the world trains students at Glynco, located north of Brunswick.

Today, two world-class ports located on the Savannah River, at Savannah and in the “City by the Sea” at Brunswick provide employment for the region. Administered by the Georgia Ports Authority, these deep-water port facilities ship raw materials and finished products, and import/export automobiles. The Port of Brunswick remains the primary agri-bulk port in the South Atlantic while Savannah offers the “largest single terminal container facility of its kind” with two modern facilities at Garden City and Ocean Terminals

Heralded as the “second fastest growing region in the state”, coastal Georgia’s growth rate is second only to Atlanta. The current population of about 600,000 people is spread across the 5,110 square mile region. Within this area there are four urban centers including the Savannah/Chatham County, Statesboro/Bulloch County, and Brunswick/Glynn County. The later area includes the barrier islands of St. Simons Island, Sea Island and Jekyll Island collectively known as the “golden isles”.. Central to the region is Hinesville-Liberty County, the home of Fort Stewart and the 3rd Infantry Division—Rock of the Marne. Located on the Florida border near historic St. Marys, Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay is the east coast homeport for the Ohio-based fleet of ballistic-missile submarines, and an Atlantic fleet supporting Trident II missiles.

While Interstate 95 crosses the region from north to south, in the northern part of the region, Interstate 16 bisects this corridor from east to west. In addition, the South Georgia Parkway/Corridor Z (U.S. 82/520) connects the coast with Interstate 75 and the heartland of southwest Georgia. An old roadway, the Coastal Highway (US 17) meanders in a north/south direction from Savannah and Chatham County to Kingsland and Camden County, or from South Carolina to Florida.

Although the primary water supply for the region is groundwater from the Floridian aquifer system, the Savannah River provides water for industry and supplements as a potable domestic water supply for the Savannah. In general, the southeast region can be affected by hurricanes from the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico. While parts of the region are at or near sea level, the topography rises to approximately 200 feet in rural Bulloch County.

Across the United States, over 50% of the population lives along the coast in an area comprising only 18% of the nation’s total land area. Projections anticipate coastal populations to increase by 15%—to 127 million people—by 2010, and the situation in Georgia is very similar. Abundant in freshwater wetlands and swamps, the coastal region is remarkable for the sinuous sweep of the spreading salt sea marshes. Georgia’s coastal area offers a relatively undeveloped coastline, barrier islands, beaches, river corridors, maritime forests and uplands.