Alaska

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Alaska

Alaska

Official State website

Capital: Juneau

Largest city: Anchorage

Resource Guide: RL-AK

Alaska is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., it borders the Canadian province of British Columbia and the Yukon territory to the east; it also shares a maritime border with the Russian Federation's Chukotka Autonomous Okrug to the west, just across the Bering Strait. To the north are the Chukchi and Beaufort seas of the Arctic Ocean, while the Pacific Ocean lies to the south and southwest.

Alaska is by far the largest U.S. state by area, comprising more total area than the next three largest states (Texas, California, and Montana) combined. It represents the seventh largest subnational division in the world. It is the third-least populous and the most sparsely populated state, but by far the continent's most populous territory located mostly north of the 60th parallel, with a population of 736,081 as of 2020—more than quadruple the combined populations of Northern Canada and Greenland. Approximately half of Alaska's residents live within the Anchorage metropolitan area. The state capital of Juneau is the second-largest city in the United States by area, comprising more territory than the states of Rhode Island and Delaware. The former capital of Alaska, Sitka, is the largest U.S. city by area.

What is now Alaska has been home to various indigenous peoples for thousands of years; 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. 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 $140 million in 2021), or approximately two cents per acre ($4.74/km2). The area underwent 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.

While it has one of the smallest state economies in the country, Alaska's per capita income is among the highest, owing to a diversified economy dominated by fishing, natural gas, and oil, all of which it has in abundance. United States armed forces bases and tourism are also a significant part of the economy; more than half the state is federally owned public land, including a multitude of national forests, national parks, and wildlife refuges.

The indigenous population of Alaska is proportionally the highest of any U.S. state, at over 15 percent. Close to two dozen native languages are spoken, and Alaskan Natives exercise considerable influence in local and state politics.

Etymology

The name "Alaska" (Russian: Аля́ска, tr. Alyáska) was introduced in the Russian colonial period when it was used to refer to the Alaska Peninsula. It was derived from an Aleut-language idiom, "alaxsxaq", meaning "the mainland" or, more literally, "the object towards which the action of the sea is directed". It is also known as "Alyeska", the "great land", an Aleut word derived from the same root.

History of the Alaska Flag

The Alaska State Flag features a dark blue background with eight gold stars arranged in the shape of the "Big Dipper." The North Star (the eighth star) is larger than the other seven. The "Big Dipper" is a section of the Ursa Major constellation that resembles a ladle. The Alaska State Flag was designed by a 13-year-old named Benny Benson after a contest was held to create the flag in 1927. Benson earned a scholarship and a watch for his winning design. The blue color was chosen to represent the sky, sea, and lakes, as well as Alaska's wildflowers, particularly the forget-me-not flower. The stars symbolize the Ursa Major constellation, which is a symbol of strength, while the North Star signifies that Alaska is the northernmost state in the Union.

Alaska is the largest state in the United States, located in the northwesternmost corner of North America. It shares borders with Canada, the Beaufort Sea, the Arctic Ocean, the Bering Sea, the Chukchi Sea, the Pacific Ocean, and the Gulf of Alaska. It is one of only two states that do not border any other state. The capital of Alaska is Juneau, and the largest city is Anchorage. Despite being the largest state by land mass, Alaska has the smallest population.

The name "Alaska" is derived from the Aleut word "Aleyska," which translates to "Great Land." The state is also referred to as "The Last Frontier" due to the vast areas of land that have not been charted or explored. Additionally, it is sometimes called the "Land of the Midnight Sun" because, for two months during the summer, the sun does not set in the northernmost part of Alaska.

In 1784, the Russians settled in Alaska and occupied the area until 1867, when the United States of America purchased Alaska from the Russians for 7.2 million dollars (equivalent to 120 million dollars today). This amounted to 2 cents per acre and was known as the "Alaska Purchase." Alaska became an incorporated territory on May 11, 1912, and was declared and recognized as the 49th State on January 3, 1959. Alaska is a popular tourist destination due to its rich culture, beautiful scenery, and because it is home to rare wildlife. Alaska is also home to the largest glacier in North America, called the "Bering Glacier."

Wikipedia article: Alaska

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