In an unusual contrast with prevailing economic trends, manufacturing has been a major source of new jobs in Alabama. The Yellowhammer State has quietly become one of the leading centers of automotive manufacturing in North America. Billions of foreign investment dollars have helped to create many Alabama jobs not only in manufacturing, but also in technology and agriculture. Technology has played a prominent role in the revitalization of the state capital. Military computer systems, large-scale infrastructure development, and a Hyundai assembly plant have all added to the creation of Montgomery, Alabama jobs. The steel industry has traditionally been the primary source of jobs in Birmingham, Alabama, the largest city in the state. Banking, construction, engineering, healthcare and telecommunications are some of Birmingham’s most important industries. One of the largest deepwater ports in the U.S. is a leading creator of jobs in Mobile, Alabama. In fact, the transportation industry is an important employer for the entire state, thanks to Alabama’s optimal location: one-half of the U.S. population lives within a 500-mile radius and over two-thirds within 750 miles.