Chattanooga, Tennessee

Chattanooga
Nicknames: 
Scenic City (official); Chatt, Chattown, Gig City, Nooga, and River City
Location of Chattanooga in Hamilton County, Tennessee
Chattanooga
Location within Tennessee
Chattanooga
Chattanooga (the United States)
Coordinates: 35°2′44″N 85°16′2″W / 35.04556°N 85.26722°W / 35.04556; -85.26722
CountryUnited States
StateTennessee
CountyHamilton
Incorporated1839
Government
  TypeMayor-council
  MayorTim Kelly (I)
Area
  City
150.08 sq mi (388.70 km2)
  Land142.35 sq mi (368.69 km2)
  Water7.73 sq mi (20.01 km2)
Elevation
676 ft (206 m)
Population
 (2020)
  City
181,099
  Rank136th in the United States
4th in Tennessee
  Density1,272.19/sq mi (491.20/km2)
  Urban
398,569 (US: 105th)
  Urban density1,366.4/sq mi (527.6/km2)
  Metro
562,647 (US: 101st)
DemonymChattanoogan
Time zoneUTC−5 (EST)
  Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP code(s)
37401-37412, 37414-37416, 37419, 37421-37422, 37424, 37450
Area code423
FIPS code47-14000
GNIS feature ID1307240
AirportChattanooga Metropolitan Airport
Public transportationCARTA
WaterwaysTennessee River
Websitechattanooga.gov

Chattanooga (/ˌætəˈnɡə/ CHAT-ə-NOO-gə) is a city in Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. It is located along the Tennessee River and borders Georgia to the south. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, 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, as well as a larger three-state area that includes southeastern Tennessee, northwestern Georgia, and northeastern Alabama.

Chattanooga was a crucial city during the American Civil War due to the multiple railroads that converge there. After the war, the railroads allowed for the city to grow into one of the Southeastern United States' largest heavy industrial hubs. Today, major industry that drives the economy includes automotive, advanced manufacturing, food and beverage production, healthcare, insurance, tourism, and back office and corporate headquarters. Chattanooga remains a transit hub in the present day, served by multiple Interstate highways and railroad lines. It is 118 miles (190 km) northwest of Atlanta, Georgia, 112 miles (180 km) southwest of Knoxville, Tennessee, 134 miles (216 km) southeast of Nashville, Tennessee, 102 miles (164 km) east-northeast of Huntsville, Alabama, and 147 miles (237 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 1941 hit song "Chattanooga Choo Choo" by Glenn Miller and his orchestra. It is home to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) and Chattanooga State Community College.