EXHIBIT 5.1




                                 April 23, 1999



The Coca-Cola Company
One Coca-Cola Plaza
Atlanta, Georgia 30313

Re:      The Coca-Cola Company -- Registration Statement on
         Form S-8 relating to 120,000,000 shares of Common Stock

Gentlemen:

         I am General Counsel of The Coca-Cola Company, a Delaware corporation
(the "Company"), and have acted as counsel for the Company in connection with
the preparation of a Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration
Statement") filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the
Securities Act of 1933 relating to the registration of 120,000,000 shares of the
Company's Common Stock, par value $.25 per share (the "Shares"), that may be
issued pursuant to The Coca-Cola Company 1999 Stock Option Plan (the "Plan").

         In connection with this opinion, I have examined and relied upon such
records, documents, certificates and other instruments as in my judgment are
necessary or appropriate to form the basis for the opinions hereinafter set
forth. In all such examinations, I have assumed the genuineness of signatures on
original documents and the conformity to such original documents of all copies
submitted to me as certified, conformed or photographic copies, and as to
certificates of public officials, I have assumed the same to have been properly
given and to be accurate. As to matters of fact material to this opinion, I have
relied upon statements and representations of representatives of the Company and
of public officials.

         The opinions expressed herein are limited in all respects to the
federal laws of the United States of America and the laws of the State of
Delaware and the State of Georgia, and no opinion is expressed with respect to
the laws of any other jurisdiction or any effect which such laws may have on the
opinions expressed herein. This opinion is limited to the matters stated herein,
and no opinion is implied or may be inferred beyond the matters expressly stated
herein.






The Coca-Cola Company
April 23, 1999
Page 2


         Based upon and subject to the foregoing, I am of the opinion that:

                  (i)      the Shares are duly authorized; and

                  (ii) upon the issuance of the Shares as provided in the Plan,
         the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

         I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an Exhibit to the
Registration Statement and to the reference to my name under the caption
"Interest of Named Experts and Counsel" in the Registration Statement.

                                                     Very truly yours,

                                                     /s/ Joseph R. Gladden, Jr.

                                                     Joseph R. Gladden, Jr.