Birmingham, Alabama, metropolitan area

The Birmingham-Hoover-Cullman, AL CSA (combined statistical area) sometimes known as Greater Birmingham, is made up of 8 counties in Central Alabama.

According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 1,052,238 inhabitants. The 2009 Census estimate puts the Birmingham-Hoover-Cullman CSA at 1,212,848. The statistical area consists of the Birmingham–Hoover Metropolitan Area (metropolitan statistical area) and the Cullman, AL μSA (micropolitan statistical area). It is the 48th largest population sub-region in the United States, and the largest population region in Alabama constituting roughly 1/4 of the state's population. Nearby counties Tuscaloosa, Etowah, Talladega, and Calhoun, though not officially a part of Greater Birmingham, contribute significantly to the region's economy.

Counties

 * Bibb
 * Blount
 * Chilton
 * Cullman
 * Jefferson
 * St. Clair
 * Shelby
 * Walker

Primary Cities

 * Birmingham
 * Hoover
 * Cullman

Suburbs with more than 10,000 inhabitants

 * Alabaster
 * Bessemer
 * Center Point
 * Fairfield
 * Forestdale
 * Gardendale
 * Homewood
 * Helena
 * Hueytown
 * Jasper
 * Leeds
 * Mountain Brook
 * Pelham
 * Pell City
 * Trussville
 * Vestavia Hills

Commerce
The economy of Greater Birmingham is the most diversified of any metropolitan area in Alabama. Many of the region's major employers are located in Birmingham and Jefferson County. The economy of Birmingham ranges from service industries such as banking and finance to health-related technological research and heavy industry. The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is Alabama's largest employer as well as the area's largest, with some 20,000 employees. The area is world headquarters for Regions Financial, one of the nation's top 10 banks, and Books-A-Million, the third largest book retailer in the United States.

Major employers in the Greater Birmingham area

 * Alabama Power
 * AT&T (formerly BellSouth)
 * Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Alabama
 * Compass Bancshares
 * Drummond Company
 * EBSCO Industries
 * Energen
 * HealthSouth
 * Hibbett Sports, Inc.
 * Liberty National Life Insurance Co. (part of Torchmark)
 * McWane, Inc.
 * Regions Financial Corporation (merged with AmSouth)
 * Royal Cup Coffee, Inc.
 * Southern Research Institute
 * Sloss Industries
 * Torchmark
 * University of Alabama at Birmingham
 * Vulcan Materials Company
 * Wells Fargo (formerly SouthTrust and then Wachovia)

Transportation
According to a recent study, Greater Birmingham has more roadways than most other US metropolitan areas. It is located at the convergence of four interstate highways: Interstate 20, Interstate 59, Interstate 65, and Interstate 459, which creates a southern belt around Birmingham. Several U.S. highways run through the area: U.S. Highway 31 and U.S. Highway 280, which converges into the Elton B. Stephens Expressway (Red Mountain Expressway) anlong with U.S. Highway 78, and U.S. Highway 11. Interstate 22, also known as Corridor X, is currently under construction and set to be complete by 2012 with all but the last two miles connecting it to Interstate 65 which is already open. There are also plans on board to complete the beltway around Birmingham, the Northern Beltline, which has been set to be completed by 2025. This route has been designated Interstate 422. The Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport is the primary airport for the region's air travellers.

Mass Transit
Birmingham is served by the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority through the Metro Area Express (MAX) bus system. However, BJCTA has been direly underfunded partly because Alabama's constitution limits the ability of local governments to tax citizens.

Birmingham's mass transit system, such as it is, exemplifies the reluctance of the citizens of Alabama to support an areawide public mass transit system. A 1956 amendment to the state's constitution requires that all gas taxes be used for highway construction rather than public transit. As a result, the sprawling city, which once boasted the second-largest streetcar system in the United States, now ranks among the leading cities for automobile use (and routinely fails to meet air quality standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency.)

The US Congress, with the urging of Senator Richard C. Shelby granted $87 million to help fund a regional multi-faceted mass transit system. The county and state have let many deadlines for 20% matching funds pass, and little visible progress is being made toward adequate transit services.

Shopping
Greater Birmingham is home to the largest and most affluent shopping centers and malls in Alabama. Many of the retailers have their exclusive Alabama location in the area. Birmingham is the only city in Alabama that has 2 Macy's stores, a Saks Fifth Avenue and no Dillard's stores.

Major shopping centers

 * Riverchase Galleria was when built the largest mixed use project in the Southeastern United States, and also Alabama's. It is the Greater Birmingham area's largest shopping center. Riverchase Galleria, locally called "The Galleria", has the world's longest skylight with 200 specialty shops and restaurants with major anchors include JCPenney, Belk [former Parisian], Belk Home Store [former McRae's upper level], Macy's, and Sears. The Galleria is located in Hoover.
 * The Summit is the largest open-air lifestyle center in the U.S. and is owned by Bayer Properties. The upscale shopping center is home to Alabama's only Saks Fifth Avenue, the only one between Atlanta and New Orleans. Other anchors include a Belk flagship store, Gap, and a 16-screen movie theater.
 * Colonial Brookwood Village originally called Brookwood Village this 2-level mall was one of the first shopping centers built outside of the Birmingham proper.  This shopping center has recently been renovated so that it would have a main-street appeal to its facade.  Its anchors include Belk and Macy's and some 70+ shops and restaurants.
 * Patton Creek is a 600,000 square foot (56,000 m²) open-air shopping center home to Dick's Sporting Goods, DSW and includes a 15-screen Rave movie theater. It is located in Hoover behind the Riverchase Galleria.
 * Century Plaza was a 2-level shopping center home to 100 stores and restaurants located in the Eastwood area of Birmingham with no anchor store for the mall as JC Penney, Rich's, Belk, and Sear's left the mall. The mall was closed completely on May 31, 2009.
 * Wildwood Centre is part of a 400 acre mixed-use project that includes two retail shopping centers, restaurants, office and hotels. The retail portion of the complex provides an excess of 1000000 sqft of shopping.

Other notable shopping areas

 * Pinnacle at Tutwiler Farms-Hoover
 * Colonial Promenade Alabaster
 * Colonial Promenade Fultondale
 * Eastwood Village

Politics
The Greater Birmingham-Hoover-Cullman has been a rather Republician supportive region. The last time a sizeable amount of counties was won by another party was by Jimmy Carter in 1976. In the 2008 election every county except Jefferson County voted for John McCain over Barack Obama and even Jefferson County was won by only 5 percentage points. Every other county supported McCain over 70 Percent. Birmingham itself, however, tends to vote strongly Democratic. Every mayor elected since 1975 has been a Democrat.