It is located along the Tennessee River , and borders Georgia to the south. With a population of , in , [ 9 ] it is Tennessee's fourth-most populous city and one of the two principal cities of East Tennessee , along with Knoxville. It anchors the Chattanooga metropolitan area , Tennessee's fourth-largest metropolitan statistical area , [ 10 ] as well as a larger three-state area that includes Southeast Tennessee, Northwest Georgia, and Northeast Alabama.
Chattanooga was a crucial city during the American Civil War due to the multiple railroads that converge there. Today, major industry that drives the economy includes automotive, advanced manufacturing, food and beverage production, healthcare, insurance, tourism, and back office and corporate headquarters. It is miles km northwest of Atlanta, Georgia , miles km southwest of Knoxville, Tennessee , miles km southeast of Nashville, Tennessee , miles km east-northeast of Huntsville, Alabama , and miles km northeast of Birmingham, Alabama.
Divided by the Tennessee River , Chattanooga is at the transition between the ridge-and-valley Appalachians and the Cumberland Plateau , both of which are part of the larger Appalachian Mountains. Its official nickname is the "Scenic City", alluding to the surrounding mountains, ridges, and valleys. Unofficial nicknames include "River City", "Chatt", "Nooga", "Chattown", and "Gig City", the latter a reference to its claims that it has the fastest internet service in the Western Hemisphere.
Chattanooga is internationally known from the hit song " Chattanooga Choo Choo " by Glenn Miller and his orchestra. The first inhabitants of the Chattanooga area were Native Americans. Sites dating back to the Upper Paleolithic period c.
The Chickamauga Mound near the mouth of the Chickamauga Creek is the oldest c. It is also believed to be derived from the Creek Indian word Chat-to-to-noog-gee , meaning 'rock rising to a point', which is speculated to be a reference to Lookout Mountain.
