<ARTICLE> 9 <CIK> 0000857855 <NAME> UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS, INC. <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1999 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1999 <PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1999 <CASH> 78,762 <INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS> 0 <FED-FUNDS-SOLD> 19,480 <TRADING-ASSETS> 0 <INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE> 469,867 <INVESTMENTS-CARRYING> 0 <INVESTMENTS-MARKET> 0 <LOANS> 1,166,496 <ALLOWANCE> 15,212 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 1,808,714 <DEPOSITS> 1,348,411 <SHORT-TERM> 119,435 <LIABILITIES-OTHER> 9,461 <LONG-TERM> 222,527 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 21,000 <PREFERRED> 0 <COMMON> 7,397 <OTHER-SE> 0 <TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY> 1,808,714 <INTEREST-LOAN> 51,885 <INTEREST-INVEST> 12,599 <INTEREST-OTHER> 576 <INTEREST-TOTAL> 65,060 <INTEREST-DEPOSIT> 26,435 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 34,847 <INTEREST-INCOME-NET> 30,213 <LOAN-LOSSES> 1,798 <SECURITIES-GAINS> 8 <EXPENSE-OTHER> 23,624 <INCOME-PRETAX> 9,547 <INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 6,378 <EPS-BASIC> 0.44 <EPS-DILUTED> 0.44 <YIELD-ACTUAL> 4.12 <LOANS-NON> 1,865 <LOANS-PAST> 458 <LOANS-TROUBLED> 0 <LOANS-PROBLEM> 4,804 <ALLOWANCE-OPEN> 11,929 <CHARGE-OFFS> 552 <RECOVERIES> 215 <ALLOWANCE-CLOSE> 15,212 <ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC> 15,212 <ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN> 0 <ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED> 0