<ARTICLE> 9 <CIK> 0000857855 <NAME> UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS, INC. <MULTIPLIER> 1000 <PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1999 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1999 <PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1999 <CASH> 89,231 <INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS> 0 <FED-FUNDS-SOLD> 23,380 <TRADING-ASSETS> 0 <INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE> 534,503 <INVESTMENTS-CARRYING> 0 <INVESTMENTS-MARKET> 0 <LOANS> 1,400,360 <ALLOWANCE> 17,722 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,131,440 <DEPOSITS> 1,649,392 <SHORT-TERM> 114,645 <LIABILITIES-OTHER> 24,378 <LONG-TERM> 225,755 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 21,000 <PREFERRED> 0 <COMMON> 8,034 <OTHER-SE> 88,236 <TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY> 2,131,440 <INTEREST-LOAN> 119,542 <INTEREST-INVEST> 29,148 <INTEREST-OTHER> 1,050 <INTEREST-TOTAL> 149,740 <INTEREST-DEPOSIT> 62,659 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 81,766 <INTEREST-INCOME-NET> 67,974 <LOAN-LOSSES> 5,104 <SECURITIES-GAINS> 543 <EXPENSE-OTHER> 54,165 <INCOME-PRETAX> 19,541 <INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY> 13,648 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 13,648 <EPS-BASIC> 1.70 <EPS-DILUTED> 1.66 <YIELD-ACTUAL> 3.98 <LOANS-NON> 1370 <LOANS-PAST> 450 <LOANS-TROUBLED> 0 <LOANS-PROBLEM> 0 <ALLOWANCE-OPEN> 12,680 <CHARGE-OFFS> 2,853 <RECOVERIES> 969 <ALLOWANCE-CLOSE> 17,722 <ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC> 17,722 <ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN> 0 <ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED> 17,722