Savannah grew slowly until after the departure of
the Spanish from Florida in 1763. By the start of
the Revolution, Georgia had about 35,000 people;
with Savannah's population at approximately 2,500.
During the last part of the colonial period,
Savannah export business increased considerably,
reflecting an increase in farming, lumbering and
Indian trade.

Between 1960 and 1975, Savannah was one of the few
Sunbelt cities to lose population in both the city
and metropolitan area. This was due to the closing
of Hunter Air Force Base in 1966
(later reopened as an army airfield)
and the lack of new industry.
This population trend has reversed,
and between 1980 and 2004,
Savannah's metropolitan area has grown from
little more than 200,000 to 310,000,
a healthy rate for any city in the Sunbelt.