Atkinson County, Georgia

Atkinson County is a county located in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 8,375. The county seat is Pearson. The county was formed in 1917 from parts of Coffee and Clinch Counties. It is named for William Yates Atkinson, Democratic governor of Georgia from 1894 to 1898. In 2003 it had the highest illiteracy rate of any U.S. county at 36%.GeographyAccording to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and (1.5%) is water.The vast majority of Atkinson County is located in the Satilla River sub-basin of the St. Marys-Satilla River basin. The entire narrow western border area, in a line parallel to the western border and running through Willacoochee, is located in the Alapaha River sub-basin of the Suwannee River basin. A small southeastern corner of the county is located in the Upper Suwannee River sub-basin of the same Suwannee River basin.