Alabama, which means ‘tribal town’ in the Creek Indian language, offers mountains, lakes, caverns, woodland and beaches. Montgomery was the first capital of the Confederacy, and the First White House of the Confederacy, home to Jefferson Davis, first President of the provisional Government. Alabama played a key role in the American civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s. The Reverend Martin Luther King Jr first preached at the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church in Montgomery, a National Historic Landmark, and sites commemorating the struggle can be found across the State.

Mobile is a major seaport. The city is famed for its diverse architecture resulting from English, French and Spanish rule, notably in the Church Street Historic District. Alabama was hit hard by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 but much of the infrastructure and attractions have been repaired and are open to visitors.