Alabama is known for peanuts, cotton and agriculture industry, southern hospitality, the beautiful gulf coast beaches, its role in the Civil Rights Movement, and college football, especially the intra-state rivalry between University of Alabama and Auburn University.
Geography & Demographics
| State Abbreviation |
AL |
| State Capital |
Montgomery |
| State Size |
Total (Land + Water): 52,419 sq miles; Land Only: 50,744 sq miles |
| Number of Counties |
67 |
| Time Zone |
Central Time Zone |
| Bordering States |
Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee |
| Highest Point | Cheaha Mountain, 2,413 feet |
| Tallest Building | RSA Battle House Tower in Mobile, 745 feet |
| Largest Stadium | Bryant Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, capacity 101,821 |
| National Parks | None |
| State Population (2020) | 5,024,279 |
| State Population Density | 99.0 people / square mile |
| Area Codes |
205, 251, 256, 334, 659, 938 |
| Top 5 Cities (2020 population) |
Birmingham (206,950)
Huntsville (202,964)
Montgomery (196,268)
Mobile (187,746)
Tuscaloosa (102,819)
|
Government & Legislature
State Symbols
| State Amphibian |
Red hills salamander |
| State Bird |
Yellowhammer |
| State Crustacean |
Brown shrimp |
| State Flower |
Camellia |
| State Fossil |
Basilosaurus cetoides |
| State Fresh Water Fish |
Largemouth bass |
| State Fruit |
Blackberry |
| State Game Bird |
Wild turkey |
| State Gemstone |
Star blue quartz |
| State Horse |
Rocking horse |
| State Insect |
Monarch butterfly |
| State Mammal |
Black bear |
| State Mineral |
Hematite (red iron ore) |
| State Motto |
Audemus jura nostra defendere (We dare defend our rights) |
| State Nickname |
Yellowhammer State |
| State Nut |
Pecan |
| State Quilt |
Pine burr quilt |
| State Reptile |
Alabama red-bellied turtle |
| State Rock |
Marble |
| State Salt Water Fish |
(Fighting) tarpon |
| State Shell |
Scaphella junonia johnstoneae |
| State Soil |
Bama soil series |
| State Spirit |
Conecuh ridge Alabama fine whiskey |
| State Tree |
Longleaf pine |
| State Tree Fruit |
Peach |
| State Wildflower |
Oak-leaf hydrangea |
Sports Teams
Popular Tourist Attractions
- Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo: Zoo in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
- Alabama Advensutre Amusement Park & Splash Adventure Water Park: Amusement park in Bessemer, Alabama.
- Barber Motorsports Park: Multi-purpose racing facility in Leeds, Alabama.
- Birmingham Civil Rights Institute: Museum in Birmingham, Alabama.
- Birmingham Museum of Art: Art museum in Birmingham, Alabama.
- Birmingham Zoo: Zoo in Birmingham, Alabama.
- Cheaha State Park: State park in eastern Alabama.
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab: Marine education and research center in Dauphin Island, Alabama.
- Fort Morgan: A historic fort in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
- Huntsville Botanical Garden: Botanical garden in Huntsville, Alabama.
- Gulf State Park: Park in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
- McWane Science Center: Hands-on museum in Birmingham, Alabama.
- Monte Sano State Park: State park near Huntsville, Alabama.
- Sloss Furnaces: National Historic Landmark in Birmingham, Alabama.
- Talladega Superspeedway: Motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama.
- USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park: Historic battleship in Mobile, Alabama.
- Waterville USA: Amusement park in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
Festivals and Events
Top festivals and events in Alabama. They are listed in approximate order of when they take place during the year.
Popular Iconic Alabama Foods
Alabama is famous for the following foods:
- Boiled Peanuts
- Pecan Pie
- Banana Pudding
- Fried Green Tomatoes
- Fried Catfish
- Grits
- Shrimp
- Fried Chicken
- Peach Cobbler
- Gooey Butter Cake
- Lane Cake
- Conecuh Sausage
Famous People Born In Alabama
Nobel Prize Winners
Pro Football Hall Of Fame Members
- Bart Starr (Quarterback. Inducted in 1977)
- Buck Buchanan (Defensive Tackle. Inducted in 1990)
- Ozzie Newsome (Tight End. Inducted in 1999)
- John Stallworth (Wide Receiver. Inducted in 2002)
- Andre Tippett (Linebacker. Inducted in 2008)
- Walter Jones (Offensive Tackle. Inducted in 2014)
- Ken Stabler (Quarterback. Inducted in 2016)
- Robert Brazile (Linebacker. Inducted in 2018)
- Terrell Owens (Wide Receiver. Inducted in 2018)
- DeMarcus Ware (Linebacker. Inducted in 2023)
Baseball Hall Of Fame Players
- Heinie Manush (Left Fielder. Inducted in 1964)
- Satchel Paige (Pitcher. Inducted in 1971)
- Early Wynn (Pitcher. Inducted in 1972)
- Monte Irvin (Left Fielder. Inducted in 1973)
- Joe Sewell (Shortstop. Inducted in 1977)
- Willie Mays (Center Fielder. Inducted in 1979)
- Hank Aaron (Right Fielder. Inducted in 1982)
- Willie McCovey (First Baseman. Inducted in 1986)
- Billy Williams (Left Fielder. Inducted in 1987)
- Don Sutton (Pitcher. Inducted in 1998)
- Ozzie Smith (Shortstop. Inducted in 2002)
- Mule Suttles (First Baseman. Inducted in 2006)
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall Of Fame Players
- William Gates (Forward. Inducted in 1989)
- Charles Barkley (Forward. Inducted in 2006)
- Ben Wallace (Center. Inducted in 2021)
Famous Actors And Actresses
- Louise Fletcher
- Octavia Spencer
- Channing Tatum
Famous Singers
- Nat King Cole
- Lionel Richie
- Candi Staton
Alabama Fun Facts
- Birmingham is home to Vulcan, the world's largest cast iron statue. It is made of 100,000 pounds of iron and is 56 feet tall.
- Alabama is the only state with a State Quilt: Pine Burr Quilt.
- The Unclaimed Baggage Center is located in Scottsboro. The inventory of this store are the lost luggages from airlines.
- The Saturn boosters, which were the rockets to put humans on the moon, were built in NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. Huntsville is known as "The Rocket City." Some call it the "Rocket Capital of the World."
- On February 16, 1968, the first 911 call in the United States was made in Haleyville, Alabama.
- In Magnolia Springs, Alabama, mail is delivered by boat. This is the only city in the United States with all-water mail routes.
- Alabama is the only state to have an alcoholic beverage as its official drink.
- In 1703, Mobile became the first city in the American Continent to celebrate Mardi Gras, 15 years before New Orleans did so.
- In 1886, the world's first Electric Trolley System was introduced in Montgomery.
- In 1836 Alabama became the first state in the United States to declare Christmas a legal holiday.
This page was last updated on October 10, 2024.
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