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The state was affected by the Super Outbreak and was devastated tremendously by the Super Outbreak. The Super Outbreak produced a record amount of tornadoes in the state. The tally reached The peak season for tornadoes varies from the northern to southern parts of the state. Alabama is one of the few places in the world that has a secondary tornado season in November and December besides the typically severe spring.
The northern part—along the Tennessee River Valley—is most vulnerable. The area of Alabama and Mississippi most affected by tornadoes is sometimes referred to as Dixie Alley , as distinct from the Tornado Alley of the Southern Plains. Although snow is a rare event in much of Alabama, areas of the state north of Montgomery may receive a dusting of snow a few times every winter, with an occasional moderately heavy snowfall every few years.
In the southern Gulf coast, snowfall is less frequent, sometimes going several years without any snowfall. Alabama is home to a diverse array of flora and fauna in habitats that range from the Tennessee Valley , Appalachian Plateau , and Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians of the north to the Piedmont , Canebrake , and Black Belt of the central region to the Gulf Coastal Plain and beaches along the Gulf of Mexico in the south.
The state is usually ranked among the top in nation for its range of overall biodiversity. Alabama is in the subtropical coniferous forest biome and once boasted huge expanses of pine forest, which still form the largest proportion of forests in the state.
It is home to nearly 4, pteridophyte and spermatophyte plant species. Indigenous animal species in the state include 62 mammal species , [] 93 reptile species, [] 73 amphibian species, [] roughly native freshwater fish species, [] and bird species that spend at least part of their year within the state. The United States Census Bureau estimates the population of Alabama was 4,, on July 1, , [] which represents an increase of , or 2. Immigration from outside the U. The center of population of Alabama is located in Chilton County , outside the town of Jemison.
According to the Census , Alabama had a population of 4,, The racial composition of the state was The largest reported ancestry groups in Alabama are: African Based on historic migration and settlement patterns in the southern colonies and states, demographers estimated there are more people in Alabama of Scots-Irish origins than self-reported.
Given the long history of slavery and associated racial segregation, the Native American peoples, who have sometimes been of mixed race, have insisted on having their cultural identification respected. In the past, their self-identification was often overlooked as the state tried to impose a binary breakdown of society into white and black. The state has officially recognized nine American Indian tribes in the state, descended mostly from the Five Civilized Tribes of the American Southeast.
These are the following. The state government has promoted recognition of Native American contributions to the state, including the designation in for Columbus Day to be jointly celebrated as American Indian Heritage Day. Most Alabama residents Alabama English is predominantly Southern , [] and is related to South Midland speech which was taken across the border from Tennessee. In the major Southern speech region, there is the decreasing loss of the final r , for example the "boyd" pronunciation of "bird". In the northern third of the state, there is a South Midland "arm" and "barb" rhyming with "form" and "orb".
Unique words in Alabama English include: redworm earthworm , peckerwood woodpecker , snake doctor and snake feeder dragonfly , tow sack burlap bag , plum peach clingstone , French harp harmonica , and dog irons andirons. Alabama is located in the middle of the Bible Belt , a region of numerous Protestant Christians. As of [update] , the three largest denominational groups in Alabama are the Southern Baptist Convention , The United Methodist Church , and non-denominational Evangelical Protestant.
In Alabama, the Southern Baptist Convention has the highest number of adherents with 1,,; this is followed by the United Methodist Church with , adherents, non-denominational Evangelical Protestant with , adherents, and the Catholic Church with , adherents.
Many Baptist and Methodist congregations became established in the Great Awakening of the early 19th century, when preachers proselytized across the South. The Assemblies of God had almost 60, members, the Churches of Christ had nearly , members. The Presbyterian churches , strongly associated with Scots-Irish immigrants of the 18th century and their descendants, had a combined membership around 75, PCA —28, members in congregations, PC USA —26, members in congregations, [] the Cumberland Presbyterian Church —6, members in 59 congregations, the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America —5, members and fifty congregations plus the EPC and Associate Reformed Presbyterians with members and nine congregations.
Jews have been present in what is now Alabama since , during the colonial era of Mobile, when Sephardic Jews immigrated from London. It was formally recognized by the state legislature on January 25, Jewish denominations in the state include two Orthodox , four Conservative , ten Reform , and one Humanistic synagogue. Muslims have been increasing in Alabama, with 31 mosques built by , many by African-American converts.
There are six Dharma centers and organizations for Theravada Buddhists. This area has attracted an influx of refugees from Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam during the s and thereafter. Dealy, who moved from Chicago to Fairhope.
I am a nice guy who have a disability. Totally free online. Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander. Reconstruction in Alabama ended in , when the Democrats regained control of the legislature and governor's office through an election dominated by fraud and violence. Areas of the state far away from the Gulf are not immune to the effects of the storms, which often dump tremendous amounts of rain as they move inland and weaken.
On May 14, , Alabama passed the Human Life Protection Act , banning abortion at any stage of pregnancy unless there is a "serious health risk", with no exceptions for rape and incest. The law, if enacted, would punish doctors who perform abortions with 10 to 99 years imprisonment and be the most restrictive abortion law in the country.
District Judge Myron Thompson blocked the law from taking effect. The state has invested in aerospace, education, health care, banking, and various heavy industries, including automobile manufacturing, mineral extraction, steel production and fabrication. In contrast to the primarily agricultural economy of the previous century, this was only about one percent of the state's gross domestic product.
The number of private farms has declined at a steady rate since the s, as land has been sold to developers, timber companies, and large farming conglomerates. Non-agricultural employment in was , in management occupations; 71, in business and financial operations; 36, in computer-related and mathematical occupation; 44, in architecture and engineering; 12, in life, physical, and social sciences; 32, in community and social services; 12, in legal occupations; , in education, training, and library services; 27, in art, design and media occupations; , in healthcare; 44, in fire fighting, law enforcement, and security; , in food preparation and serving; 76, in building and grounds cleaning and maintenance; 53, in personal care and services; , in sales; , in office and administration support; 20, in farming, fishing, and forestry; , in construction and mining, gas, and oil extraction; , in installation, maintenance, and repair; , in production; and , in transportation and material moving.
According to the U. Alabama's GDP increased 1. The single largest increase came in the area of information.
The state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5. Alabama has no minimum wage and in February passed legislation preventing municipalities from setting one. As of [update] , Alabama has the sixth highest poverty rate among states in the U. The five employers that employed the most employees in Alabama in April were: []. The next twenty largest employers, as of [update] , included: []. Alabama's agricultural outputs include poultry and eggs , cattle, fish, plant nursery items, peanuts , cotton, grains such as corn and sorghum , vegetables, milk, soybeans , and peaches.
Although known as " The Cotton State ", Alabama ranks between eighth and tenth in national cotton production , according to various reports, [] [] with Texas , Georgia and Mississippi comprising the top three. Alabama's industrial outputs include iron and steel products including cast-iron and steel pipe ; paper, lumber , and wood products; mining mostly coal ; plastic products; cars and trucks; and apparel.
Marshall Space Flight Center and the U. Army Materiel Command , headquartered at Redstone Arsenal. A great deal of Alabama's economic growth since the s has been due to the state's expanding automotive manufacturing industry.
International , and Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama , as well as their various suppliers. Since , the automobile industry has generated more than 67, new jobs in the state. Alabama currently ranks 4th in the nation for vehicle exports. Automakers accounted for approximately a third of the industrial expansion in the state in The strongest model sales during this period were the Hyundai Elantra compact car, the Mercedes-Benz GL-Class sport utility vehicle and the Honda Ridgeline sport utility truck.
Steel have facilities in Alabama and employ more than 10, people. The company also operates terminals in Mobile, Melvin, and Moundville. The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company operates a large plant in Gadsden which employs about 1, people. It has been in operation since Construction began in , with plans for it to become operable by [ needs update ] and produce up to 50 aircraft per year by According to Business Insider , Alabama ranked 14th in most popular states to visit in The state is home to various attractions, natural features, parks and events that attract visitors from around the globe, notably the annual Hangout Music Festival , held on the public beaches of Gulf Shores ; the Alabama Shakespeare Festival , one of the ten largest Shakespeare festivals in the world; [] the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail , a collection of championship caliber golf courses distributed across the state; casinos such as Victoryland ; amusement parks such as Alabama Splash Adventure ; the Riverchase Galleria , one of the largest shopping centers in the southeast; Guntersville Lake , voted the best lake in Alabama by Southern Living Magazine readers; [] and the Alabama Museum of Natural History , the oldest museum in the state.
Mobile is known for having the oldest organized Mardi Gras celebration in the United States, beginning in In , Mobile's Mardi Gras parade was the state's top event, producing the most tourists with an attendance of , The top attraction was the U. Of the parks and natural destinations, Alabama's Gulf Coast topped the list with 6,, visitors. Alabama has historically been a popular region for film shoots due to its diverse landscapes and contrast of environments.
SouthTrust Corporation , another large bank headquartered in Birmingham, was acquired by Wachovia in Birmingham also serves as the headquarters for several large investment management companies, including Harbert Management Corporation. Harbert International , which all routinely are included in the Engineering News-Record lists of top design, international construction, and engineering firms. The foundational document for Alabama's government is the Alabama Constitution , which was ratified in At almost amendments and , words, it is by some accounts the world's longest constitution and is roughly forty times the length of the United States Constitution.
There has been a significant movement to rewrite and modernize Alabama's constitution. Most counties do not have home rule. Any policy changes proposed in different areas of the state must be approved by the entire Alabama legislature and, frequently, by state referendum.
One criticism of the current constitution claims that its complexity and length intentionally codify segregation and racism. Alabama's government is divided into three coequal branches. The legislative branch is the Alabama Legislature , a bicameral assembly composed of the Alabama House of Representatives , with members, and the Alabama Senate , with 35 members. The Legislature is responsible for writing, debating, passing, or defeating state legislation. The Republican Party currently holds a majority in both houses of the Legislature.
The Legislature has the power to override a gubernatorial veto by a simple majority most state Legislatures require a two-thirds majority to override a veto. Until , the state elected state senators on a geographic basis by county, with one per county. It had not redistricted congressional districts since passage of its constitution in ; as a result, urbanized areas were grossly underrepresented.
It had not changed legislative districts to reflect the decennial censuses, either. In Reynolds v. Sims , the U. Supreme Court implemented the principle of " one man, one vote ", ruling that congressional districts had to be reapportioned based on censuses as the state already included in its constitution but had not implemented. Further, the court ruled that both houses of bicameral state legislatures had to be apportioned by population, as there was no constitutional basis for states to have geographically based systems. At that time, Alabama and many other states had to change their legislative districting, as many across the country had systems that underrepresented urban areas and districts.
This had caused decades of underinvestment in such areas.
Through the legislative delegations, the Alabama legislature kept control of county governments. The executive branch is responsible for the execution and oversight of laws. It is headed by the governor of Alabama. The current governor is Republican Kay Ivey.