ALABAMA

---

Birmingham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Mobile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Montgomery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

The State in Brief

Nickname: Heart of Dixie; Camellia State

Motto: We dare defend our rights

Flower: Camellia

Bird: Yellowhammer

Area: 50,744 square miles (2000; U.S. rank: 30th)

Elevation: Ranges from sea level to 2,407 feet

Climate: Subtropical and humid; summers are long and hot, winters mild, rainfall abundant

Admitted to Union: December 14, 1819

Capital: Montgomery

Head Official: Governor Bob Riley (R) (until 2006)

Population

1980: 3,894,000

1990: 4,040,587

2000: 4,447,100

2003 estimate: 4,500,752

Percent change, 1990–2000: 10.1%

Percent change, 2000–2003: 1.2%

U.S. rank in 2003: 23rd

Percent of residents born in state: 73.4% (2000)

Density: 87.6 people per square mile (2000)

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 200,331

Racial and Ethnic Characteristics (2000)

White: 3,162,808

Black or African American: 1,155,930

American Indian and Alaska Native: 22,430

Asian: 31,346

Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 1,409

Hispanic or Latino (may be of any race): 75,830

Other: 28,998

Age Characteristics (2000)

Population under 5 years old: 295,992

Population 5 to 19 years old: 960,177

Percent of population 65 years and over: 13.0%

Median age: 35.8 years (2000)

Vital Statistics

Total number of births (2003): 59,356

Total number of deaths (2003): 46,598 (infant deaths, 519)

AIDS cases reported through 2003: 7,607

Economy

Major industries: Paper products, agriculture, chemicals, textiles, lumber, wood, metals, electronics, automobiles, food processing

Unemployment rate: 5.2% (November 2004)

Per capita income: $26,276 (2003; U.S. rank: 42nd)

Median household income: $37,419 (3-year average, 2001-2003)

Percentage of persons below poverty level: 15.1% (3-year average, 2001-2003)

Income tax rate: Ranges from 2.0 to 5.0%

Sales tax rate: 4.0%