From the tip of Mount Cheaha to the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, Alabama is a state of many contrasts. Life here has a laid-back quality to it, as folks in the state learn to appreciate the finer things. With caring people and serene natural beauty, Alabama has much to offer those who come to live in the Heart of Dixie.
The state has many bustling metropolitan areas such as Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile and Montgomery to compliment the quaint smaller towns typical of the South. Agriculture remains an important part of Alabama's economy, as does traditional industry such as coal and iron. Recent history has seeen a boom of technology across the state, and many of our cities are heavily involved in fields such as biotechnolgy, medicine and aeronautics.
Featuring the state's most rugged terrain and lowest population density, the Mountain Region is a relaxing place of thick leafy forests and small country towns. The area produces much of the state's agricultural products, is home to a blooming high-tech industry surrounding Huntsville and is the best place in the state any number of outdoor activities.
The central portion of the state is Alabama's urban core, home not only to big-city Birmingham but also to Gadsden, Tuscaloosa, Anniston and a number of other large metropolitan areas. The Metropolitan Region today is a fusion of the Old South and the New South, an area full of promise and growth.
Home to the state capitol of Montgomery, the River Heritage is an area of incredible economic, social and natural diversity. This expanse of rivers and forested low country is known for its devotion to social causes, strong appreciation of the arts and keen sense of history.
The smallest of Alabama's four regions, the Gulf Coast is the only part of the state with a border on the Gulf of Mexico. The area's history is inexorably tied to the Gulf itself, from the first Spanish explorers and French colonizers; to the naval battles of the War of 1812 and the Civil War; to the region's status as a shipping, fishing and leisure destination today. Southwestern Alabama has a distinctly coastal identity unlike any other part of the state.
