Atlanta situated in north Georgia is the capital of America's south east. An historic city in many ways – it was torched during the Civil War – today Atlanta has a well earned reputation as a modern and forward looking city.

A major player in the world of banking and international commerce, Atlanta is headquarters to 13 Fortune 500 companies and an operating base for more than 1,000 overseas businesses. In addition, more than 50 countries have an official presence in the city through consulates, trade offices, and chambers of commerce.

Atlanta has come a long way from its humble origins as a railroad crossroads town. And that could have been the extent of its significance in 1864 Atlanta lay smouldering after a devastating attack by General Sherman. A switch of state capital from Milledgeville to Atlanta four years later helped the city to rebuild and gain in prominence.

As the 19th Century drew to a close, a headache and hangover tonic created in the back shop of an Atlanta pharmacy became a global sensation. The soft drink giant Coca-Cola was born.