Alabama: State Flag, Bird and Facts
The state bird of Alabama is the yellowhammer, also called the northern flicker, and the state flower is the camellia.
- Capital
- Montgomery
- Nickname
- Heart of Dixie; The Yellowhammer State
- State bird
- Yellowhammer (northern flicker)
- State flower
- Camellia
- State tree
- Longleaf pine
- Admitted
- December 14, 1819
- Population
- 5,024,279 (2020 census)
- Motto
- Audemus iura nostra defendere
- Region
- South
- Area
- 135,765 km² (52,419 sq mi)
- Highest point
- Cheaha Mountain (2,405 ft)
- Borders
- Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee
About Alabama
Alabama sits in the Deep South, bordered by Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi and Florida, with a short stretch of shoreline on the Gulf of Mexico. The north rises into the hilly Tennessee Valley, while the south opens onto Mobile Bay. Montgomery serves as the capital, but Huntsville is the biggest city, and Greater Birmingham drives the economy. Mobile is the oldest city, started by French colonists in 1702.
Control of the land passed from Spain to France to Britain before statehood arrived in December 1819. The flag is easy to picture: a crimson diagonal cross, called a saltire, stretched over a plain white field. Representative John W. A. Sanford Jr. drew it up, and lawmakers adopted it in 1895. College football runs deep in local life, and the official nicknames include the Yellowhammer State and Heart of Dixie.
Did you know?
- Alabama's nickname, the Yellowhammer State, comes straight from its state bird.
- Cheaha Mountain is the high point of Alabama, reaching 2,405 feet.
- The longleaf pine was picked as the official state tree of Alabama.
Questions about Alabama
What is the capital of Alabama?
Montgomery is the capital. Huntsville is the largest city by both population and area.
When did Alabama become a state?
Alabama was admitted to the Union on December 14, 1819.
Sources
- Wikidata Q173, checked October 8, 2026
- Wikipedia: Alabama, checked October 8, 2026
- Wikipedia: Flag of Alabama, checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.