Alaska

Geography

Alaska is a big U.S. state in the northwest part of North America. It is one of the two states not connected to the rest of the U.S., the other being Hawaii. Alaska is the largest U.S. state. It is bigger than Texas, California, and Montana all together! But Alaska is also one of the least crowded states, with lots of open space.

History

People have lived in Alaska for thousands of years. Many think it was the place where the first people came to the Americas across the Bering land bridge. In the 1700s, the Russian Empire took control and called it Russian America. In 1867, Russia sold Alaska to the United States for US$7.2 million. Alaska became a state on January 3, 1959.

Economy

Alaska’s economy depends on natural resources like commercial fishing, natural gas, and oil. The state also gets money from tourism and military bases. Alaska has many national forests, national parks, and wildlife refuges. It has a special character, with many Native American people and unique laws.

Etymology

The name Alaska comes from a word in the Aleut language. It means "the mainland." People first used this name when Russia ruled the area. It originally talked about the Alaska Peninsula, which reaches out into the sea.

History

Main articles: Prehistory of Alaska and History of Alaska

Many Indigenous groups lived in Alaska for thousands of years before Europeans arrived. People first crossed into North America via the Bering land bridge. Important discoveries, like the remains of a baby at the Upward Sun River site in the Tanana Valley, tell us about early life there.

Later, the Tlingit people created a society with special ways of passing down property in parts of what is now Southeast Alaska, British Columbia, and the Yukon. Other groups, like the Haida and Tsimshian, also made their homes in the region.

Russian explorers arrived in the 1700s, and by 1784 they had created the first permanent European settlement. In 1867, the United States bought Alaska from Russia in a deal called the Alaska Purchase. At first, Alaska was governed by military leaders, and later it became a territory.

In 1912, Alaska became an organized territory, and its capital moved from Sitka to Juneau. During World War II, parts of the Aleutian Islands were occupied by Japan.

Alaska became a state on January 3, 1959. One of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded struck Alaska on March 27, 1964. This Good Friday earthquake caused widespread damage.

The discovery of oil at Prudhoe Bay in 1968 brought great wealth to Alaska. The money from oil helped fund the state and led to the building of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System. Tourism also grew, bringing visitors to enjoy Alaska’s natural beauty. Today, debates continue about balancing development with protecting Alaska’s wild spaces.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Alaska

Alaska is in the northwest part of North America, close to Asia. It is the northernmost and westernmost state in the United States. The Aleutian Islands reach into the Eastern Hemisphere. Alaska is the only U.S. state that is not connected to the rest of the country; about 500 miles (800 km) of Canada, including British Columbia, separates it from Washington. The capital, Juneau, is on the mainland but cannot be reached by road from the rest of North America. The largest lake is Lake Illiamna.

Alaska borders Canada's Yukon and British Columbia to the east, the Gulf of Alaska and the Pacific Ocean to the south and southwest, the Bering Sea, Bering Strait, and Chukchi Sea to the west, and the Arctic Ocean to the north. Alaska has a longer coastline than all other U.S. states combined. With an area of 663,268 square miles (1,717,856 km²), Alaska is the largest state in the United States.

Alaska has many natural lakes and large areas of wetlands. Glacier ice covers much of the state, including the Bering Glacier, the largest glacier in North America. The state also has many active volcanoes, especially in the Aleutian Islands and along the coast. One of the world's largest tides happens in Turnagain Arm, near Anchorage.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Alaska

The United States Census Bureau said Alaska had 733,391 people in 2020. This was a small increase since 2010. Alaska is the biggest state in the U.S. by size, but it has very few people living there. Only about 1 person lives in each square mile.

Most people in Alaska are white. There are also many American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, and Hispanic or Latin American people. Some people speak languages other than English at home, like Spanish or Indigenous languages. Alaska has twenty official Indigenous languages.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Alaska

See also: Alaska locations by per capita income and List of Alaska companies

Alaska's economy depends a lot on its natural resources, especially oil and gas. The oil industry brings in most of the state's money. Other key parts of the economy include fishing for salmon, cod, pollock, and crab, as well as jobs in government and military bases.

The state also has many small businesses and gets help from federal money, which keeps taxes low. Alaska has plenty of energy resources, like oil, coal, and natural gas. It also has good potential for hydroelectric, wind, and geothermal power. The Alaska Permanent Fund, made from oil money, saves some of this wealth and shares part of its profits with people who live in Alaska. Because Alaska is far from other states, everyday items often cost more there than elsewhere in the U.S.

Culture

See also: List of artists and writers from Alaska

Alaska has many fun yearly events, such as the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race from Anchorage to Nome and the World Ice Art Championships in Fairbanks. Festivals like the Blueberry Festival and Alaska Hummingbird Festival in Ketchikan celebrate the state's natural beauty. The Stikine River hosts the largest gathering of American bald eagles in the world.

The Alaska Native Heritage Center teaches people about the traditions of Alaska's cultural groups. The Alaska Native Arts Foundation helps share Native art with the world. Music in Alaska blends traditional Native sounds with styles brought by immigrants, featuring artists like singer Jewel and flautist Mary Youngblood. The state proud song is "Alaska's Flag", adopted in 1955.

Music

Main article: Music of Alaska

Alaska's music comes from many places, including the traditions of Alaska Natives and the folk styles of immigrants from Russia and Europe. Famous musicians from Alaska include Jewel, Mary Youngblood, and Libby Roderick. The state has many music festivals, like the Alaska Folk Festival and the Sitka Summer Music Festival. The Anchorage Symphony Orchestra is the most well-known orchestra, with others like the Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra and Juneau Symphony.

Film and television

See also: List of films set in Alaska

Some movies, such as Never Cry Wolf and White Fang, were filmed in Alaska. Many reality TV shows also take place in the state.

Sports

See also: Alaska Sports Hall of Fame

Alaska has many places where people can play and watch sports. In Anchorage, you can visit venues like Alyeska Resort, Chugach State Park, Mulcahy Stadium, Sullivan Arena, and the Alaska Airlines Center. Anchorage is home to teams such as the Anchorage Wolverines, Anchorage Bucs, Anchorage Glacier Pilots, Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves men's ice hockey, Rage City Rollergirls, Arctic Rush, Cook Inlet SC, and Pioneer United FC. Popular events include the Great Alaska Shootout, an NCAA basketball tournament, the Sadler's Ultra Challenge wheelchair race, the Tour of Anchorage ski race, and the World Eskimo Indian Olympics.

Fairbanks also has sports venues and teams, such as the Carlson Center, Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks, Alaska Nanooks men's ice hockey, Fairbanks Ice Dogs, Fairbanks Rollergirls, and Fairbanks SC. Events there include the Sadler's Ultra Challenge, Sonot Kkaazoot, and the World Eskimo Indian Olympics. Other parts of Alaska host teams like MatSu United FC, Denali Destroyer Dolls, Kenai River Brown Bears, Mat-Su Miners, and Peninsula Oilers. Events include the Alaska Mountain Wilderness Classic, Arctic Winter Games, Mount Marathon Race, and the World Extreme Skiing Championship.

Alaska is also famous for dog mushing races, including the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, Iron Dog, Junior Iditarod, Kuskokwim 300, Tustumena 200, and Yukon Quest.

Public health and safety

The Alaska State Troopers are the police force for the whole state of Alaska. They began in 1941. Before that, different federal agencies handled law enforcement. Now, the Troopers help keep roads safe and enforce laws about hunting and fishing. They travel in many kinds of vehicles to reach all parts of Alaska.

Some parts of rural Alaska are "dry." This means people cannot bring alcoholic drinks there. Alaska has some health challenges, like not everyone having health insurance. There are hospitals in big cities such as Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau. For more information, see the List of hospitals in Alaska.

Education

The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development looks after many school districts across the state. This includes a special boarding school named Mt. Edgecumbe High School in Sitka. Alaska has more than a dozen colleges and universities in Alaska, such as the University of Alaska Anchorage, University of Alaska Fairbanks, and University of Alaska Southeast.

Alaska has trouble keeping young people in the state after they finish high school. To help, the University of Alaska gives special money to top students through the Alaska Scholars Program. Some small rural schools have closed because they did not have enough students.

Transportation

Main article: Transportation in Alaska

Alaska has fewer roads than most parts of the U.S. The main road connects central areas and leads to the Alaska Highway, which goes through Canada. The capital, Juneau, cannot be reached by road and requires ferry or flight travel. The western part of Alaska also lacks roads connecting its communities.

The state has about 1,082 miles of interstate highways, though many are not built to standard interstate quality. One special feature is the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, which is both a road and rail tunnel linking Whittier to the Seward Highway. For areas without roads, such as coastal regions in southwest Alaska, travel is often by air taxi, scheduled flights, or ferry services.

The Alaska Railroad, built around 1915, connects Seward through Anchorage to Interior Alaska. It remains important for moving freight and offering summer passenger tours. Another historic railroad, the White Pass and Yukon Route, runs from Skagway into Canada and is popular with tourists.

Many Alaskan communities can only be reached by sea, air, river, or dogsled. The state has a well-developed ferry system, including the Alaska Marine Highway, which serves coastal towns. Cruise ships also bring many visitors to places like Ketchikan in the summer.

Air travel is essential in Alaska, especially for villages without road, sea, or river access. Anchorage has a major international airport, and many smaller airlines and bush pilots provide flights to remote areas. The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is a famous annual event remembering a historic dogsled journey.

Communication

Alaska’s internet and data services come from two big companies: GCI and Alaska Communications. GCI has a network called the Alaska United Fiber Optic system. In 2011, Alaska Communications said it had fast connections linking Alaska to the rest of the United States and inside Alaska. There were also plans for a very expensive project to link Alaska with Asia, with help from the government.

Law and government

Main article: Government of Alaska

Like all U.S. states, Alaska has a government with three parts. There is a leader called the governor. There is a group of people who make laws, called the Alaska House of Representatives and the Alaska Senate. And there are courts to make sure the laws are fair, led by the Alaska Supreme Court.

The group that makes laws has 40 members in the House of Representatives and 20 senators. Governors are chosen to lead for four years. Senators also serve four years, and House members serve two years. The courts in Alaska include the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, Superior Courts, and district courts.