Birmingham, Alabama is known as the Magic City for how quickly it developed from a small settlement to a booming city.  It is also known as the Pittsburgh of the South since it parallels Pittsburgh in how important the steel industry has been to its economy.

Large steel companies maintain a presence in Birmingham today, such as U.S. Steel, McWane, and Nucor.  The University of Alabama's Birmingham campus also enriches the economy with its focus on bio-technology and medical research.  The UAB Hospital is a major employer in the area.