Alabama is the 30th state in the USA and is located in the southeast on the Gulf of Mexico.
According to Acronymmonster, Alabama is the 30th US state and is located in the southeastern United States. The state is one of the southern states of the USA. Around five million people live in an area of 135,765 km². The largest city is Birmingham, the capital is Montgomery.
Alabama – location and geographic features
Alabama is bordered by the state of Tennessee to the north and Florida to the south. The geographical conditions are accordingly diverse. While the stony Appalachian Mountains characterize nature in the north of the state, the south and west are characterized by sandy coastal plains on the Gulf of Mexico. The coastal regions of Alabama are also in a hurricane area. Most recently, in 2005, Hurricane Katrina, which claimed 1,836 lives, caused great damage.
A state with an eventful history
Alabama is one of the former slave-owning states. For a long time, the state was ruled by a white upper class who promoted the enslavement of Africans. In the course of the American Civil War from 1861 to 1865, Alabama fought alongside the southern states against the American northern states, which wanted to abolish slavery under their president Abraham Lincoln. In 1865, the northern states finally won the Civil War. Despite the end of slavery after the Civil War, racial segregation and discrimination against Afro-Americans were part of everyday life in Alabama well into the 1970s.
Before colonization by the Europeans, especially by Spanish, French and English invaders, Indian tribes lived in what is now Alabama. Four tribes in particular were of particular importance: the Cherokee, the Muskogee, the Chickasaw and the Choctaw. The Spanish brought smallpox to the continent in the 16th century, which caused mass extinction among Native Americans, including Alabama.
Land and people of Alabama today
Alabama is one of the poorest states in the USA. The majority of the population today was born in the United States (16.7%), followed by Irish (9.1%), English (7.6%), and German-born (6.7%). Alabama is home to 70.4% whites, 26.3% African American, 2.3% Hispanic or Latino, 1.0% Asians and 0.4% Indians. Traditionally, people vote republican. The Christian faith continues to play an important role for many residents of the state to this day. The state is home to numerous state universities, and Alabama also has important nature reserves.
Largest Counties in Alabama by Area
According to Countryaah, the biggest counties in Alabama are listed as below:
| Ranking | County | Area |
| 1 | Baldwin County | 4,118 km2 |
| 2 | Tuscaloosa County | 3,423 km2 |
| 3 | Clarke County | 3,208 km2 |
| 4 | Mobile County | 3,184 km2 |
| 5 | Jefferson County | 2,878 km2 |
| 6 | Washington County | 2,798 km2 |
| 7 | Jackson County | 2,792 km2 |
| 8 | Covington County | 2,669 km2 |
| 9 | Monroe County | 2,656 km2 |
| 10 | Dallas County | 2,535 km2 |
| 11 | Marengo County | 2,530 km2 |
| 12 | Escambia County | 2,448 km2 |
| 13 | Choctaw County | 2,366 km2 |
| 14 | Sumter County | 2,341 km2 |
| 15 | Wilcox County | 2,301 km2 |
| 16 | Barbour County | 2,292 km2 |
| 17 | Pickens County | 2,283 km2 |
| 18 | Conecuh County | 2,202 km2 |
| 19 | Madison County | 2,076 km2 |
| 20 | Walker County | 2,049 km2 |
| 21 | Shelby County | 2,033 km2 |
| 22 | Montgomery County | 2,031 km2 |
| 23 | DeKalb County | 2,013 km2 |
| 24 | Butler County | 2,012 km2 |
| 25 | Marion County | 1,923 km2 |
| 26 | Talladega County | 1,908 km2 |
| 27 | Cullman County | 1,903 km2 |
| 28 | Perry County | 1,864 km2 |
| 29 | Tallapoosa County | 1,856 km2 |
| 30 | Lowndes County | 1,854 km2 |
| 31 | Chilton County | 1,794 km2 |
| 32 | Lawrence County | 1,789 km2 |
| 33 | Coffee County | 1,759 km2 |
| 34 | Pike County | 1,741 km2 |
| 35 | Lauderdale County | 1,729 km2 |
| 36 | Coosa County | 1,686 km2 |
| 37 | Greene County | 1,676 km2 |
| 38 | Blount County | 1,670 km2 |
| 39 | Hale County | 1,668 km2 |
| 40 | Russell County | 1,661 km2 |
| 41 | Franklin County | 1,642 km2 |
| 42 | St. Clair County | 1,637 km2 |
| 43 | Fayette County | 1,626 km2 |
| 44 | Bullock County | 1,613 km2 |
| 45 | Bibb County | 1,612 km2 |
| 46 | Elmore County | 1,602 km2 |
| 47 | Winston County | 1,588 km2 |
| 48 | Crenshaw County | 1,577 km2 |
| 49 | Macon County | 1,577 km2 |
| 50 | Lee County | 1,574 km2 |
| 51 | Calhoun County | 1,569 km2 |
| 52 | Lamar County | 1,567 km2 |
| 53 | Clay County | 1,564 km2 |
| 54 | Chambers County | 1,545 km2 |
| 55 | Autauga County | 1,540 km2 |
| 56 | Colbert County | 1,535 km2 |
| 57 | Randolph County | 1,504 km2 |
| 58 | Houston County | 1,502 km2 |
| 59 | Morgan County | 1,500 km2 |
| 60 | Geneva County | 1,488 km2 |
| 61 | Marshall County | 1,466 km2 |
| 62 | Henry County | 1,455 km2 |
| 63 | Dale County | 1,453 km2 |
| 64 | Cleburne County | 1,451 km2 |
| 65 | Limestone County | 1,450 km2 |
| 66 | Cherokee County | 1,434 km2 |
| 67 | Etowah County | 1,386 km2 |
Alabama Landmarks
RSA Battle House Tower
The “RSA Battle House Tower” in Mobile is actually an ordinary office tower and quite unspectacular. But the skyscraper, which was completed in 2007, is the tallest building in the state of Alabama at 227 m and is therefore well worth a visit.
Russel Cave National Monument
The “Russel Cave National Monument” is located in the wooded Appalachian Mountains near Bridgeport and near the border with Tennessee. It is considered the third largest cave in the state because of its length of more than 11 km. Based on archaeological finds, it is believed that people lived in this cave around 9,000 years ago. In the cave, which is crossed by a river, you even have the chance to see snakes, bats and fish from time to time.
St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church
The St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church is a historic church in Anniston. It was added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage and the National Register of Historic Places. The church was built in 1888 and it is above all the Norman influences that make the “St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church” so impressive.
Union Station
The former train station from 1898 is located in Montgomery. Even if it is no longer in operation, it is definitely worth seeing because of its romantic architectural style. The historic building is now home to the Montgomery Tourist Office.
US Space & Rocket Center
The US Space & Rocket Center, NASA’s official visitor center, is located in the rocket city of Huntsville. The huge space museum consists of the “Space Museum”, the “Shuttle Park” and the “Rocket Park”. In the “Marshall Space Flight Center” you can watch astronauts being trained during a bus tour. A visit to the “Spacedome Theater” is also recommended, where interesting 3D films about space travel are regularly shown. There are also more than 1,500 exhibits on rocket technology and space travel.
USS Alabama
The “USS Alabama” is a former naval warship that served in the Pacific and Atlantic during World War II. Today, the astonishingly large ship is primarily a popular film set and a well-attended museum. The museum ship also includes an aircraft pavilion and the US boat Drum.
Vulcan Park
“Vulcan Park” is located in Birmingham and covers an area of more than 4 hectares. Here visitors can learn everything about the history and industrial change of Birmingham. The park was named after the “Vulcan Statue”. It is located in the middle of the park and with a height of 17 m it is the world’s largest cast iron statue. The cast iron statue sits on top of a tower that can be accessed by a lift and offers unique views of Birmingham.
