ALAlabama Map
Alabama on the US map
Alabama sits in the South region of the United States — specifically the deep south subregion as defined by the US Census Bureau. With an area ranking of #30 of 50, Alabama is mid-sized for the United States. The map above highlights Alabama in gold and color-codes the 49 other states by region.
Whether you're a student studying US geography, a traveler planning a road trip, a teacher building a lesson plan, or simply curious, the goal of this page is to give you a complete picture of where Alabama is and what surrounds it. Click any other state on the map above to navigate to its dedicated page.
Capital and largest city
The capital of Alabama is Montgomery. The largest city by population, however, is Huntsville — not Montgomery. This pattern (capital ≠ largest city) holds for about 33 of the 50 US states, including most of the famous mismatches like California (Sacramento, not LA), Florida (Tallahassee, not Miami), and New York (Albany, not NYC).
The historical reason for these mismatches dates to the late 18th and 19th centuries. When state founders chose capitals, they often deliberately picked smaller, more centrally located towns to avoid concentrating political and commercial power in the same place. They worried that a capital in a major port or commercial city would be too vulnerable to mob influence (a real concern at the time) and would skew political decisions toward commercial interests.
Borders and neighbors
Alabama shares land borders with 4 other US states: Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi. Each link goes to that state's dedicated page where you can see its own map, history, and facts.
Geographic features at a glance
- Total area rank: #30 of 50
- Population: 1 to 5 million
- Coastline: gulf
- Mountain ranges: appalachians
- Time zone: Central
- Region: South — deep south subregion
- Appalachian range: yes
Major highways and transportation
Alabama is connected to the rest of the country by the federal Interstate Highway System (planned by President Eisenhower in the 1950s). Major airports serve Huntsville and Montgomery, with regional connections to the rest of the state. Amtrak rail service connects parts of Alabama to the national passenger rail network, though geographic isolation and population density vary.
Alabama notable firsts
- Alabama has a unique place among the 50 states — discoverable across its geography, history, and culture
🌟 Alabama trivia
- The Saturn V rocket that took Apollo 11 to the Moon was designed in Huntsville, nicknamed "Rocket City".
- The civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery in 1965 directly led to the Voting Rights Act later that year.
- It's the only US state with both Mardi Gras tradition (Mobile started it before New Orleans) and peanut farms producing 50%+ of US output.
- Helen Keller, born in Tuscumbia, learned to speak after she was deaf-blind — her first signed word was "water".
Alabama vs similar states
How does Alabama compare with 3 other states in the same region and size category?
| State | Capital | Pop | Area rank | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Montgomery | 1 to 5 million | #30 | 1819 |
| Arkansas | Little Rock | 1 to 5 million | #29 | 1836 |
| Florida | Tallahassee | over 10 million | #22 | 1845 |
| Georgia | Atlanta | over 10 million | #24 | 1788 |
Bordering states (4)
Alabama shares borders with 4 other US states, listed alphabetically below. Each link goes to the dedicated state page.
Practice US geography daily — free
Statedoku is a 3×3 daily geography puzzle. Alabama appears as an answer or constraint clue on most days that match its region, borders, time zone, or quirks. Five minutes a day.
Play today's puzzle →Similar states to Alabama
If this page interested you, you may also want to explore states with similar geography, history, or culture. These states share Alabama's region (South) and similar size category: