Alabama

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 Jeff Sessions and Richard C. Shelby (all three from the Republican Party).

See also: List of Alabama Governors

Geography

Main article: Geography 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 ranges in elevation from sea-level to a little more than 1800 ft near the Georgia line.

See also: List of Alabama counties

Economy

The 1999 total gross state product was $115 billion placing Alabama 25^th 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.

The Heart of Dixie

State Bird: Yellowhammer

State Capital: Montgomery

State Flower: Camellia

State Song: "Alabama"

State Tree: Southern Pine
State Spirit: Conecuh Ridge Fine Alabama Whiskey

Demographics

Important Cities and Towns

Main article: List of cities in Alabama

Population > 100,000 (urbanized area)

Population > 10,000 (urbanized area)

Education

Colleges and Universities

Air University
Alabama A&M University
Alabama State University
Athens State University
Auburn University
Auburn University at Montgomery
Birmingham-Southern College
Concordia College-Selma
Faulkner University
Huntingdon College
Jacksonville State University
Judson College
Miles College
Oakwood College
Samford University
Southeastern Bible College
Southern Christian University

Spring Hill College
Stillman College
Talladega College
Troy State University
- Troy State University at Dothan
- Troy State University at Montgomery
Tuskegee University
United States Sports Academy
University of Alabama System
- University of Alabama
- University of Alabama at Birmingham
- University of Alabama in Huntsville
University of Mobile
University of Montevallo
University of North Alabama
University of South Alabama
University of West Alabama

Professional Sports Teams

Minor League baseball teams
- Birmingham Barons
- Birmingham Steeldogs
- Huntsville Stars
- Mobile BayBears
- Montgomery Biscuits

External links

The Official Website of the State of Alabama

Political divisions 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 \| Northern Mariana Islands \| Palmyra Atoll \| Puerto Rico \| U.S. Virgin Islands \| Wake Island

The Heart of Dixie
State Bird:	Yellowhammer
State Capital:	Montgomery
State Flower:	Camellia
State Song:	"Alabama"
State Tree:	Southern Pine
State Spirit:	Conecuh Ridge Fine Alabama Whiskey

Largest Cities
Regions of Alabama
Mobile Bay
Alabaster \| Albertville \| Alexander \| 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