The state of Alabama is located in the southeastern part of the USA and is one of the typical southern states. Alabama was admitted to the Union in 1819 as the 22nd state. During the American Civil War, she left it and became part of the Confederacy; after the war it was adopted again in 1868. The formerly highly agricultural character of the state was gradually replaced by industry after the Second World War. Alabama has a population of less than five million and its capital is Montgomery.

The history of Alabama is relatively rich – the territory of today’s state was gradually ruled by Spaniards, French and British. It definitely became part of the USA in 1819, when it was also accepted as the new state of the Union. The fertile land gave rise to many cotton plantations in the 19th century, as well as slavery, which was very common, especially in the southern states. In 1861, Alabama withdrew from the Union to fight in a civil war within the Confederacy. After the war, it became a member of the Union again, slavery was abolished, but Alabama’s racial problems continued for a long time – until the 1960s, segregation laws were in place in Alabama.

• Alabama Zip Codes: Offers a complete list of all postal codes in Alabama by city and county.

Alabama borders four states – Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida. In the north, the state partially covers the Appalachian Mountains, but the highest point is only 735 meters above sea level. Towards the south, the altitude gradually decreases to the Gulf Coast, to which Alabama has access. The weather in Alabama is humid subtropical with very warm summers and mild winters. The average maximum daily temperatures remain above 30 degrees Celsius from late spring to early autumn. Due to its location, Alabama is a frequent target of strong storms or even hurricanes during the summer.

Historically, Alabama has been primarily an agricultural state; thanks to the fertile soil, cotton was very successful here. Since the end of World War II, Alabama’s economy has diversified significantly and the share of agriculture in the country’s total product is already negligible. State investment and the construction of several large US military bases were of great importance for the transition from agriculture. The main employers today are industrial companies, the army and state institutions. Tens of thousands of jobs are also provided by tourism; 20 million tourists come to Alabama every year.

The capital has been Montgomery since 1846 – a city of about 2,000 in central Alabama. However, the largest city is the northern Birmingham, which, together with the surrounding cities, forms an agglomeration of more than a million. Mobile, located on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, is a beautiful historic city.

The capital of Alabama

The capital of Alabama is the city of Montgomery, located in the central part of the state. Montgomery was founded in 1819 and became the capital of Alabama in 1846. In addition to government offices, the city is home to a large US Air Force base and several universities.

In 1818, the city of New Philadelphia was founded on the site of today’s Montgomery. Another mansion called East Alabama Town was established in the immediate vicinity. Originally rival towns, an agreement was reached, and after their merger, the town of Montgomery was formed in 1819. The new city developed rapidly, mainly due to the cotton trade, and in 1846 it even became the capital of Alabama when it took over from Tuscaloosa.

Montgomery has also played a significant role in history nationwide. During the American Civil War, it was the capital of the Confederacy for several months; later the capital was moved to Richmond. Montgomery also earned nationwide attention in the 1960s, when it became the center of the struggle for human rights. Rosa Parks was detained here in 1955 for failing to take her place on a white bus, which led to an action called the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which led to an end to racial segregation in the city’s transportation system. Martin Luther King, a well-known African-American rights activist, also worked in the city.

Montgomery is located in central Alabama and is crossed by the Alabama River. There is a humid subtropical climate with short, mild winters and hot summers with high humidity. The average highest summer temperatures rise above 33 degrees and in connection with humidity, summer weather is often difficult to tolerate.

The flag of the state of Alabama was adopted in 1895.

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