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is the largest city and the county seat of Floyd County, Georgia, United States. It is the principal city of the
which encompasses all of Floyd County. At the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 34,980, and was the largest city in Northwest Georgia.
Though no Interstate highway passes through Rome, it is the largest city near the center of the triangular area defined by the Interstate highways between Atlanta, Birmingham and Chattanooga, which contributes to its importance as a regional center in several areas, such as medical care and education.
Rome's name is a commemoration of the Italian city of Rome. Rome, Georgia, was built on seven hills with a river running between them, a feature that was an inspiration for the name. This connection is emphasized by a replica of the statue of Romulus and Remus nursing from a mother wolf, a symbol of the original Rome, which was a 1929 gift from Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.
Rome is located at 34°15'36" North, 85°11'6" West (34.259893, -85.185037) in Floyd County. The city is at the confluence of the Etowah River and the Oostanaula River — the two rivers that form the Coosa River. The closest confluence of latitude and longitude is 34°N 85°W, about 20 miles South-Southeast of Rome. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 29.8 square miles (77.3 km²), of which, 29.4 square miles (76.1 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.2 km²) of it is water. The total area is 1.54% water.
The seven hills that inspired the name of Rome are Blossom Hill, Jackson Hill, Lumpkin Hill, Mount Aventine Hill, Myrtle Hill, Shorter Hill (now known as Old Shorter Hill), and Neely Hill (also known as Tower Hill and Clock Tower Hill). Some of the hills have been partially graded since Rome was founded.