Flag of Alabama



 Introduction
 Geography
 People
 Government
 Economy
Map of Alabama


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   Introduction    Alabama Top of Page
Background:
 Alabama became a state in 1819; the economy of the central "black belt" had large rich slave plantations that grew cotton. Elsewhere poor whites were subsistence farmers. Alabama seceded and joined the Confederate States of America, 1861-65. It suffered greatly in the American Civil War; all the slaves were freed by 1865. After a period of Reconstruction it emerged as a poor rural state, still tied to cotton, with high racial tensions between the ruling whites and the recently emancipated African Americans; many of the latter migrated north after 1917. Politically the state was one-party Democratic, and produced a number of national leaders. World War II brought prosperity. Cotton faded in importance as the state developed a manufacturing and service base. After 1980 the state became a Republican stronghold in presidential elections, and leans Republican in statewide elections, while the Democratic Party still dominates local and legislative offices.
   Geography    Alabama Top of Page
Location:
 Gulf Coast, southern States.
Geographic coordinates:
 30°13'N to 35°N
84°51'W to 88°28'W
Area:
 total: 52,423 sq mi
land: 50,750 sq mi
water: 1,673 sq mi
coastline: 53 miles
shoreline: 607 miles
Bordering States:
 Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee
Elevation extremes:
 lowest point: Gulf of Mexico 0 ft
highest point: Mount Cheaha 2,408 ft
Geography:
 Alabama is the 30th largest state in the United States with 52,423 square miles (135,775 km2) of total area. 3.19% of that is water, making Alabama 23rd in the amount of surface water, also giving it the second largest inland waterway system in the United States. About three-fifths of the land area is a gentle plain with a general decline towards the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The North Alabama region is mostly mountainous, with the Tennessee River cutting a large valley creating numerous creeks, streams, rivers, mountains, and lakes. The lowest point east of the Mississippi River lies in Dekalb County along a creek cutting tower ridges, and creating Buck's Pocket State Park. Another natural wonder is "Land Bridge", the longest natural bridge span east of the Mississippi River.
   People    Alabama Top of Page
Population:
 4,557,808 (2005)
Largest City:
 Birmingham: 242,820 (2000)
Age structure:
 0-5 years old: 6.5%
<18 years old: 24.2%
65 years and over: 13.2%
Male: 48.5% Female: 51.5%
Population growth rate:
 2.5% (2000-2005)
Population density:
 87.6 per sq mi
Race(2000 Census):
 White: 71.1%
Black: 26.0%
Asian: 0.7%
Native American: 0.5%
Religions:
 Christian: 92%
Other: 1%
Non-Religious: 7%
   Government    Alabama Top of Page
Capital:
 Montgomery
Statehood:
 December 14, 1819 (22nd State)
Local and County Government:
 Alabama has 67 counties. Each county has its own elected legislative branch, usually called the Board of Commissioners, which usually also has executive authority in the county. Due to the restraints placed in the Alabama Constitution, all but 7 counties (Jefferson, Lee, Mobile, Madison, Montgomery, Shelby, and Tuscaloosa) in the state have little to no home rule. Instead, most counties in the state must lobby the Local Legislation Committee of the state legislature to get simple local policies such as waste disposal to land use zoning.
State Tree:
 Longleaf Pine
State Bird:
 Yellowhammer
State Flower:
 Camelia
   Economy    Alabama Top of Page
Economy - overview:
 The 2003 total gross state product was $132 billion. The per capita income for the state was $26,505 in 2003. Alabama's agricultural outputs include poultry and eggs, cattle, plant nursery items, peanuts, cotton, grains such as corn and sorghum, vegetables, milk, soybeans, and peaches. Although known as "The Cotton State", Alabama ranks in the top ten in national cotton production.
Alabama's quarter depicting famous resident Helen Keller along with the longleaf pine branch and Magnolia blossoms from the 50 State Quarters program. Alabama's industrial outputs include iron and steel products (including cast-iron and steel pipe); paper, lumber, and wood products; mining (mostly coal); plastic products; cars and trucks; and apparel. Also, Alabama produces aerospace and electronic products, mostly in the Huntsville area, which is home of the NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center and the US Army Missile Command, headquartered at Redstone Arsenal.
Also, the city of Mobile is a busy seaport on the Gulf of Mexico, and with inland waterway access to the Midwest via the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway.
Alabama levies a 2, 4 or 5 percent personal income tax, depending upon the amount earned and filing status. The state's sales general tax rate is 4 percent. The collection rate could be substantially higher, depending upon additional city and county sales taxes. The corporate income tax rate is currently 6.5%.
1 - Topo images come courtesy of Ray Sterner's Color Landform Atlas and JHUAPL , are their copyrighted property, and used with permission.