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🇺🇸 ALABAMA — FACTS

🇺🇸 General Facts

• Official name: State of Alabama
• Capital: Montgomery
• Largest city: Huntsville
• Statehood: December 14, 1819
• Order of statehood: 22nd state
• Region: Southeastern United States
• Nickname: The Yellowhammer State
• Other nickname: The Heart of Dixie
• Population: About 5.1 million
• Area: About 135,765 km²
• State abbreviation: AL
• Postal abbreviation: AL
• Time zone: Central Time
• Capital city: Montgomery

🏔️ Geography

• Highest point: Cheaha Mountain — 735 m
• Lowest point: Gulf of Mexico — sea level
• Longest river: Tennessee River
• Largest natural lake: Lake Guntersville
• Major mountain range: Appalachian Mountains
• Coastline: About 85 km along the Gulf of Mexico
• Major rivers: Alabama, Tombigbee, Tennessee, Coosa and Tallapoosa
• Neighboring states: Tennessee, Georgia, Florida and Mississippi
• Southern coast: Gulf of America/Mexico

🏙️ Major Cities

• Huntsville — largest city and major aerospace center
• Birmingham — major industrial and cultural center
• Montgomery — state capital
• Mobile — major Gulf Coast port city
• Tuscaloosa — home of the University of Alabama
• Hoover — major Birmingham suburb
• Auburn — home of Auburn University
• Dothan — major agricultural center

🏛️ State Government

• State capital: Montgomery
• Governor: Kay Ivey
• State legislature: Alabama Legislature
• Senate: Alabama Senate
• House: Alabama House of Representatives
• U.S. Senators: 2
• U.S. House districts: 7

🌟 State Symbols

• State flower: Camellia
• State bird: Yellowhammer
• State tree: Southern Longleaf Pine
• State mammal: Black Bear
• State fish: Largemouth Bass
• State butterfly: Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
• State gemstone: Star Blue Quartz
• State mineral: Hematite
• State nut: Pecan
• State fruit: Blackberry
• State song: “Alabama”
• State motto: “Audemus jura nostra defendere” — “We dare defend our rights”

📜 History

• Indigenous peoples: Alabama was historically home to peoples including the Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw and Cherokee.
• European exploration: Spanish explorers reached the region in the 16th century.
• Territory: Alabama Territory was established in 1817.
• Statehood: December 14, 1819
• Confederate state: Alabama joined the Confederacy in 1861.
• Civil War: Alabama played a significant role in the American Civil War.
• Montgomery: Served as the first capital of the Confederate States of America.
• Civil Rights Movement: Alabama was a major center of the American Civil Rights Movement.
• Important locations: Montgomery, Birmingham and Selma were major sites of civil-rights history.

🚀 Science & Space

• NASA: Huntsville is home to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.
• Rocket development: Huntsville played a major role in developing the rockets used for the Apollo missions.
• Nickname: Huntsville is often called the “Rocket City.”
• Space exploration: The Saturn V rocket was developed in Huntsville.

🌳 Nature & Wildlife

• 🦌 White-tailed deer
• 🐻 Black bears
• 🦊 Red foxes
• 🐊 American alligators
• 🦅 Bald eagles
• 🦃 Wild turkeys
• 🐢 Sea turtles
• 🐍 Numerous native snake species

🏞️ Famous Places

• Gulf Shores — popular Gulf Coast destination
• Cheaha Mountain — highest point in Alabama
• Little River Canyon — major natural attraction
• USS Alabama — historic battleship in Mobile
• U.S. Space & Rocket Center — major space museum in Huntsville
• Montgomery — important site of American civil-rights history
• Selma — famous for the 1965 voting-rights marches
• Birmingham Civil Rights District — major historic civil-rights site

🌎 Interesting Facts

• Alabama was the 22nd state admitted to the United States.
• Alabama is known as the Yellowhammer State.
• The state’s largest city is Huntsville.
• Huntsville became a major center of American space and rocket development.
• The Saturn V rocket was developed in Huntsville.
• Alabama has a coastline along the Gulf of Mexico.
• Alabama was a major center of the American Civil Rights Movement.
• Rosa Parks‘ historic refusal to give up her bus seat took place in Montgomery in 1955.
• The Selma-to-Montgomery marches helped advance voting-rights legislation.
• Alabama is an important producer of poultry, peanuts, cotton and soybeans.

🏈 Sports

• Major college teams: Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers
• Famous rivalry: Alabama vs. Auburn — the Iron Bowl
• College football: One of Alabama’s most prominent sports traditions

💰 Economy & Industry

• Automotive manufacturing
• Aerospace and defense
• Steel production
• Agriculture
• Forestry
• Chemical manufacturing
• Shipbuilding
• Tourism
• Technology

🇺🇸 ALABAMA — THE YELLOWHAMMER STATE, WHERE SOUTHERN HISTORY, SPACE EXPLORATION AND GULF COAST NATURE MEET. 🌟