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Alabama is located in the Southern region of the United States and ranks as the 30th largest state in
total area by covering 52,423 square miles (135,775 square kilometers or 13,577,495 hectares). Land
areas of Alabama cover 50,750 square miles (131,442 square kilometers or 13,144,190 hectares), whereas
1,673 square miles (4,333 square kilometers or 433,305 hectares) of Alabama are covered by water.
Alabama is bordered to the north by Tennessee, to the east by Georgia, to the west by Mississippi, and
to the south by Florida and the Gulf of Mexico.
Alabama's geography is distinguished by coastal plains along the Gulf of Mexico, low elevation hills,
and broken terrain and uplands to the north The Yellowhammer State's geography can be categorized
into five major land areas: the East Gulf Coastal Plain, comprising much of the southern part of the
state and varying from swampland to pine forests; the Black Belt Prairie, remarkable for its black,
rolling hills; the Piedmont Upland of east-central Alabama, with low hills and ridges, sandy valleys,
and the state's highest point; the Appalachian Ridge and Valley, with sandstone ridges and limestone
valleys; the Cumberland Plateau, distinguished by rolling lands sloping southwest to meet the East Gulf
Coastal Plain; and the Highland Rim of northwestern Alabama, residing in the Tennessee River Valley.
The Yellowhammer State's highest point is Cheaha Mountain, at 2,407 feet (0.73 kilometers) above sea level. Major Alabama
Rivers include the Tombigbee, Tennessee, Alabama, and Chattahoochee Rivers. Major lakes include
Guntersville Lake, Wilson Lake, Martin Lake, West Point Lake, and Lewis Smith Lake.
The climate of the Yellowhammer State is divided into three zones: the subtropical lower coastal
plain, the cooler northern plateau, and the Black Belt and upper coastal plain, the most moderate of
the three. Summers can be hot and oppressive, with average July highs of around 90 degrees F (32.2
degrees C) and with high humidity. Winters are mild, with an average January low of 34 degrees F (1.1
degrees C). Alabama receives a substantial average of 55 inches (140 centimeters) of rain annually,
whereas its average annual snowfall is 1 inch (2.54 centimeters). Alabama does experience
thunderstorms, and is at risk for tropical storms and occasionally hurricanes.
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