Alabama’s oldest city is Mobile, which was founded by French colonists (Alabama Creoles) in 1702 as the capital of French Louisiana.

Some scholars suggest the word may come from the Choctaw alba (meaning ‘plants’ or ‘weeds’) and amo (meaning ‘to cut’, ‘to trim’, or ‘to gather’), potentially meaning ‘clearers of the thicket’ or ‘herb gatherers’.

Hurricane Ivan caused over $18 billion in damage in Alabama, making it one of the most destructive storms to hit the state in modern history.

Hurricane Ivan, a category 3 storm upon landfall, struck Alabama in 2004, causing over $18 billion in damage. It was one of the most destructive storms in the state’s modern history.

Cahaba in Dallas County was Alabama’s first permanent state capital from 1820 to 1825.

St. Stephens, now abandoned, served as the territorial capital from 1817 to 1819.

Alabama ranks ninth in the number of deaths from lightning and tenth in the number of deaths from lightning strikes per capita.

As early as 1702, the French called the tribe the Alibamon, and French maps identified the river as Rivière des Alibamons.

The largest city in Alabama by population and area is Huntsville.

Politically, as part of the Deep South, Alabama is predominantly a conservative state and is known for its Southern culture.