Situated in the Deep South between Georgia and Mississippi, Alabama is the 30th largest state in the United States, possessing a land area of 52,423 square miles. As of 2010, nearly 4.8 million people call Alabama home, and thousands more visit each year for both business and pleasure. The state's topography slopes generally downward from the northeast to the southwest, and its landforms range from heavily wooded, rugged mountains in the northeast to scenic Gulf Coast beaches in the southwest.
The Appalachian Mountains, an immense range extending from Alabama into Canada, run in a roughly diagonal line through the northeastern portion of the state before petering out into foothills near Birmingham. In every state through which they pass, the Appalachians include smaller sub-ranges, such as the Shenandoah Mountains of Virginia or the Poconos of Pennsylvania. In Alabama, the main sub-range of the Appalachians are the flat-topped Talladega Mountains, sometimes known as the Piedmont Upland. The Talladagas run parallel to the main Appalachian chain, lying just to their south; the two are separated by the Coosa River valley. The state's highest point, Cheaha Mountain, rises to 2,407 feet in the heart of the Talladega range.
The Cumberland Plateau sits in the north-central part of Alabama, separated from the Appalachian Mountains by the Tennessee River valley. This flat but elevated physiographic region runs alongside the western edge of the Appalachians from Alabama all the way to West Virginia. It encompasses approximately 15 percent of Alabama's total land area, with elevations reaching up to 1,500 feet.
The Piedmont Plateau separates the Talladega Mountains from the Gulf Coastal Plain. This swath of high, flat land reaches from Alabama northeastward to Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Elevations range from over 1,000 feet in the north to 500 feet in the south in the Piedmont. It covers nearly 10 percent of the state, including the city of Auburn.
Gulf Coastal Plain
The Gulf Coastal Plain runs along the fringes of the Gulf of Mexico from Florida to Mexico. This low-lying area occupying the southern portion of Alabama is characterized by swamps and marshes. The Piedmont and Gulf Coastal Plain are separated by an escarpment known as the fall line. Here, the elevation drops sharply, causing creeks and rivers to form rapids and even small waterfalls. Streams above the fall line consist solely of fresh water, while below the fall line, salt water from the Gulf may mix in.
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