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Alabama

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Alabama
State flag of Alabama State seal of Alabama
(Flag of Alabama) (Seal of Alabama)
State nickname: Camellia State, The Heart of Dixie¹, Yellowhammer State
Map of the U.S. with Alabama highlighted
Other U.S. States
Capital Montgomery
Largest city Birmingham
Governor Robert Riley
Official languages

English

Area (rank) 135,765 kmē (30th)
 - Land 131,426 kmē
 - Water (%) 4,338 kmē (3.20%)
Population as of 2000 Census
 - Population (rank) 4,447,100 (23rd)
 - Density (rank) 33.84 /km² (26th)
Admittance into Union
 - Date (order) December 14, 1819 (22nd)
Time zoneCentral: UTC-6/DST-5
Latitude30°13'N to 35°N
Longitude84°51'W to 88°28'W
Width : Length 306 km : 531 km
Elevation
 - Highest 734 meters
 - Mean 152 meters
 - Lowest 0 meters
ISO 3166-2US-AL
.
State motto:We Dare Defend Our Rights
State bird:Yellowhammer
State capital:Montgomery
State flower:Camellia
State song:"Alabama"
State tree:Southern Pine
State spirit:Conecuh Ridge Fine Alabama Whiskey

Alabama is a state located in the southern United States; the population of Alabama is 4,447,100 as of 2000.

The USS Alabama and CSS Alabama were named in honor of this state.

Contents

History

Main article: History of Alabama

Among Native American people once living in present Alabama were Alabama (Alibamu), Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, Koasati, and Mobile.

Alabama was once a region claimed by the Spaniards as part of Florida. The English also claimed it as part of the province of Carolina. Nevertheless, when the French took over Louisiana they also took over the territory including Alabama. Later when the United States acquired the Louisiana Purchase and the Mississippi Territory, there was much controversy as to whether or not Alabama was included. Nevertheless, Alabama became the 22nd state in 1819.

The state of Alabama seceded from the Union and became a Confederate state on January 11, 1861. While not many battles were fought in the state, it contributed about 120,000 soldiers to the Civil War. After the war a provisional government was set up in 1865 and Alabama was readmitted to the Union in June 1868.

Law and government

Main article: Law and Government of Alabama

The current governor of the state is Bob Riley and the two U.S. senators are Jefferson B. Sessions III and Richard C. Shelby (all three from the Republican Party). The current Alabama Constitution was adopted in 1901.

Geography

Map of Alabama
Map of Alabama

Alabama is the 30th largest state in the United States with 135,765 km2 (52,419 mi2) of total area. 3.2% of that is water, making Alabama 23rd in the amount of surface water. About three-fifths of the land area is a gentle plain with a general incline towards the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. Alabama generally ranges in elevation from sea level at Mobile Bay, to a little more than 1800 feet or 550 meters near the Georgia state line. The highest point is Mount Cheaha

Economy

The 1999 total gross state product was $115 billion placing Alabama 25th in the nation. The Per Capita Income for the state was $23,471 in 2000. Alabama's agricultural outputs are poultry and eggs, cattle, nursery stock, peanuts, cotton, vegetables, milk, and soybeans. Its industrial outputs are paper, lumber and wood products, mining, rubber and plastic products, transportation equipment and apparel.

Demographics

Alabama had a total population of 4 447 100, 3,199,953 or 72.7 % being White origin (including White Hispanic) Black or African American being 1,168,998 or 26.6 % a small Asian population of 39,458 or 0.9 % American Indian and Alaska Native at 44,449 or 1.0 % Native Hawaiian and Other Islander 3,169 or 0.1 % and some other race 38,201 or 0.9 %

Important cities and towns

Main article: List of cities in Alabama


Colleges and Universities (incomplete)


Culture and interests

Notes

¹ The phrase The Heart of Dixie is required by state law to be included on all state license plates.

Regions of Alabama Flag of Alabama
Mobile Bay
Largest Cities
Alabaster | Albertville | Alexander City | Anniston | Athens | Auburn | Bessemer | Birmingham | Daphne | Decatur | Dothan | Enterprise | Florence | Gadsden | Homewood | Hoover | Huntsville | Mobile | Montgomery | Tuscaloosa
Counties
Autauga | Baldwin | Barbour | Bibb | Blount | Bullock | Butler | Calhoun | Chambers | Cherokee | Chilton | Choctaw | Clarke | Clay | Cleburne | Coffee | Colbert | Conecuh | Coosa | Covington | Crenshaw | Cullman | Dale | Dallas | DeKalb | Elmore | Escambia |

Etowah | Fayette | Franklin | Geneva | Greene | Hale | Henry | Houston | Jackson | Jefferson | Lamar | Lauderdale | Lawrence | Lee | Limestone | Lowndes | Macon | Madison | Marengo | Marion | Marshall | Mobile | Monroe | Montgomery | Morgan | Perry | Pickens | Pike | Randolph | Russell | Shelby | St. Clair | Sumter | Talladega | Tallapoosa | Tuscaloosa | Walker | Washington | Wilcox | Winston



Political divisions of the United States Flag of the United States
States Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri | Montana | Nebraska | Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | New York | North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming
Federal district District of Columbia
Insular areas American Samoa | Baker Island | Guam | Howland Island | Jarvis Island | Johnston Atoll | Kingman Reef | Midway Atoll | Navassa Island | Northern Mariana Islands | Palmyra Atoll | Puerto Rico | Virgin Islands | Wake Island
 


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