Basic Information About Alabama

Alabama is a southeastern U.S. state with a rich history, diverse landscapes, and a cultural identity shaped by both triumph and tragedy. Here's everything you need to know at a glance.

Capital: Montgomery
Nickname: The Yellowhammer State (after the state bird)
Statehood: December 14, 1819 (22nd state)
Population: Approximately 5.1 million
Area: 52,419 square miles (30th largest state)
Motto: "Audemus jura nostra defendere" (We Dare Defend Our Rights)

State Bird: Yellowhammer (Northern Flicker)
State Flower: Camellia
State Tree: Southern Longleaf Pine

Time Zone: Central Time (CT)
Bordering States: Tennessee (north), Georgia (east), Florida (south), Mississippi (west)

Major Cities: Huntsville, Birmingham, Montgomery, Mobile, Tuscaloosa

Key Facts:
Alabama has 53 miles of Gulf Coast shoreline, over 77,000 miles of rivers and streams, and 564,000 acres of water. The state is larger than many people realize and geographically diverse — from the Appalachian foothills in the northeast to the coastal plains along the Gulf of Mexico.

The state played a central role in both the American Civil War (Montgomery served as the first capital of the Confederacy) and the Civil Rights Movement (the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Selma to Montgomery marches, and the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham).

Alabama is also a leader in aerospace — Huntsville's Marshall Space Flight Center developed the Saturn V rocket that carried astronauts to the moon, and the city continues to be a hub for NASA and Department of Defense operations.

The state's economy is diversified across automotive manufacturing (Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, and Mazda all have plants in Alabama), aerospace, healthcare, and agriculture.

Alabama is a state of contrasts, complexities, and genuine Southern hospitality.