Alaska stands as America’s largest and northernmost state, spanning 663,268 square miles of diverse terrain from Arctic tundra to temperate rainforests. This vast territory, purchased from Russia in 1867 for $7.2 million, houses 733,406 people as of 2023[1].
Geographic Majesty
The state commands a unique position as both the westernmost and easternmost U.S. territory, thanks to the Aleutian Islands crossing the 180th meridian. Its boundaries touch the Pacific Ocean, Arctic Ocean, and share maritime borders with Russia across the Bering Strait[1].
Historical Evolution
Native Heritage and Russian Influence
Indigenous peoples thrived here for millennia before European contact. The Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian peoples developed sophisticated societies in the southeast, while other groups adapted to the harsh Arctic conditions[1]. Russian colonization began in the 18th century, establishing Russian America and leaving lasting cultural imprints visible in Orthodox churches and place names[1].
American Territory to Statehood
The territory transformed dramatically after its 1867 purchase. Gold rushes of the 1890s brought thousands of settlers, leading to official territorial status in 1912. Alaska achieved statehood on January 3, 1959, becoming the 49th state[1].
Natural Resources and Economy
The discovery of oil at Prudhoe Bay in 1968 revolutionized Alaska’s economy. The Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, completed in 1977, enabled large-scale oil production that funds substantial state budgets[1]. Beyond oil, commercial fishing and tourism form crucial economic pillars, with over 1.4 million annual visitors[1].
Environmental Challenges
The Great Earthquake
The 1964 Good Friday earthquake, measuring 9.2 magnitude, reshaped Alaska’s landscape and communities. This catastrophic event killed 133 people and prompted major changes in disaster preparedness[1].
Modern Demographics
Today’s Alaska reflects remarkable diversity:
- 59.4% White
- 15.2% Alaska Native and American Indian
- 12.2% Multiracial
- 6.0% Asian[1]
The state preserves 20 indigenous languages with official status, though many face extinction risks. Despite its massive size, Alaska maintains one of the lowest population densities in the world at 1.2 inhabitants per square mile[1].
Citations:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska
Alaska (/əˈlæskə/ ə-LASS-kə) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the northernmost, westernmost, and easternmost (the Aleutian Islands cross the 180th meridian into the eastern hemisphere) state in the United States. It borders the Canadian territory of Yukon and the province of British Columbia to the east. It shares a western maritime border, in the Bering Strait, with Russia's Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. The Chukchi and Beaufort Seas of the Arctic Ocean lie to the north, and the Pacific Ocean lies to the south. Technically, it is a semi-exclave of the U.S., and is the largest exclave in the world.
Alaska | |
|---|---|
| State of Alaska | |
| Nickname: The Last Frontier | |
| Motto: North to the Future | |
| Anthem: Alaska's Flag | |
_(%2Bgrid)_(W3).svg) Map of the United States with Alaska highlighted | |
| Country | United States |
| Before statehood | Territory of Alaska |
| Admitted to the Union | January 3, 1959 (49th) |
| Capital | Juneau |
| Largest city | Anchorage |
| Largest metro and urban areas | Anchorage |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Mike Dunleavy (R) |
| • Lieutenant governor | Nancy Dahlstrom (R) |
| Legislature | Alaska State Legislature |
| • Upper house | State Senate |
| • Lower house | House of Representatives |
| Judiciary | Alaska Supreme Court |
| U.S. senators | |
| U.S. House delegation | Mary Peltola (D) (list) |
| Area | |
• Total | 665,384 sq mi (1,723,337 km2) |
| • Land | 586,412 square miles sq mi (1,518,800 km2) |
| • Water | 91,316 sq mi (236,507 km2) 13.77% |
| • Rank | 1st |
| Dimensions | |
| • Length | 1,420 mi (2,285 km) |
| • Width | 2,261 mi (3,639 km) |
| Elevation | 1,900 ft (580 m) |
| Highest elevation (Denali) | 20,310 ft (6,190.5 m) |
| Lowest elevation | 0 ft (0 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 733,391 |
| • Rank | 48th |
| • Density | 1.10/sq mi (0.42/km2) |
| • Rank | 50th |
| • Median household income | $77,800 |
| • Income rank | 12th |
| Demonym | Alaskan |
| Language | |
| • Official languages | Ahtna, Alutiiq, Dena'ina, Cup'ig, Deg Xinag, English, Eyak, Gwich'in, Haida, Hän, Holikachuk, Inupiaq, Koyukon, Lower Tanana, Middle Tanana, St. Lawrence Island Yupik, Tanacross, Tlingit, Tsimshian, Unangax̂, Upper Kuskokwim, Upper Tanana, Yup'ik, Wetał |
| • Spoken language |
|
| Time zones | |
| east of 169°30' | UTC−09:00 (AKST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−08:00 (AKDT) |
| west of 169°30' | UTC−10:00 (HST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−09:00 (HDT) |
| USPS abbreviation | AK |
| ISO 3166 code | US-AK |
| Latitude | 51°20'N to 71°50'N |
| Longitude | 130°W to 172°E |
| Website | alaska |
| List of state symbols | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Living insignia | |
| Bird | Willow ptarmigan |
| Dog breed | Alaskan Malamute |
| Fish | King salmon |
| Flower | Forget-me-not |
| Insect | Four-spot skimmer dragonfly |
| Mammal |
|
| Tree | Sitka Spruce |
| Inanimate insignia | |
| Fossil | Woolly Mammoth |
| Gemstone | Jade |
| Mineral | Gold |
| Sport | Dog mushing |
| State route marker | |
 | |
| State quarter | |
 Released in 2008 | |
Alaska is the largest U.S. state by area, comprising more total area than the following three largest states of Texas, California, and Montana combined, and is the seventh-largest subnational division in the world. It is the third-least populous and most sparsely populated U.S. state, but is, with a population of 736,081 as of 2020, the continent's most populous territory located mostly north of the 60th parallel, with more than quadruple the combined populations of Northern Canada and Greenland. The state contains the four largest cities in the United States by area, including the state capital of Juneau. The state's most populous city is Anchorage, and approximately half of Alaska's residents live within its metropolitan area.
Indigenous people have lived in Alaska for thousands of years, and it is widely believed that the region served as the entry point for the initial settlement of North America by way of the Bering land bridge. The Russian Empire was the first to actively colonize the area beginning in the 18th century, eventually establishing Russian America, which spanned most of the current state and promoted and maintained a native Alaskan Creole population. The expense and logistical difficulty of maintaining this distant possession prompted its sale to the U.S. in 1867 for US$7.2 million (equivalent to $157 million in 2023). The area went through several administrative changes before becoming organized as a territory on May 11, 1912. It was admitted as the 49th state of the U.S. on January 3, 1959.
Abundant natural resources have enabled Alaska— with one of the smallest state economies—to have one of the highest per capita incomes, with commercial fishing, and the extraction of natural gas and oil, dominating Alaska's economy. U.S. Armed Forces bases and tourism also contribute to the economy; more than half of the state is federally-owned land containing national forests, national parks, and wildlife refuges. It is among the most irreligious states, one of the first to legalize recreational marijuana, and is known for its libertarian-leaning political culture, generally supporting the Republican Party in national elections. The Indigenous population of Alaska is proportionally the second highest of any U.S. state, at over 15 percent, after only Hawaii.