Geography and Climate of Alaska
With more coastline than all other U.S. states combined and the only non-contiguous U.S. state on continental North America, Alaska is a breathtaking beauty, separated from Washington by over 500 miles of Canadian territory. The state is bordered by the Yukon Territory and British Columbia, Canada to the east, the Bering Sea, the Bering Strait and Chukchi Sea to the west, the Gulf of Alaska and Pacific Ocean to the south and Beaufort Sea and the Arctic Ocean to the north. It is easily the largest state in terms of land area, encompassing 570,380 square miles.
Known for a bountiful wilderness, Alaska has over 3.5 million lakes that are 20 acres or larger, along with nearly 34,000 miles of tidal shoreline, 16,000 square miles of land covered by glacier ice and marshlands and permafrost covering 188,320 square miles. The federal government owns and manages over 65 percent of Alaskan national forests, parks and wildlife refuges.
Alaska’s geography and climate is so expansive that it’s to describe each region rather than the whole. The Alaska Panhandle, located in southeast Alaska, is home to bigger towns such as Juneau, as well as tidewater glaciers, islands and channels from the Alexander Archipelago. Most of the Alaskan population resides in south central Alaska, where Anchorage, Wasilla and Palmer are located.
While important to Alaska’s fishing industry, the southwest region is mostly coastal and sparsely populated, with many wildlife refuges and animals occupying the area such as brown bears, caribou and other marine mammals. The Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers flow through the Alaska interior by Fairbanks, while the Alaska Bush is far more remote, with 380 native villages in Nome, Barrow and Bethel. The northeast corner of Alaska consists of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, covering 19,049,236 acres, whereas the Aleutian Islands extend from the southern tip of the Alaskan Peninsula.
The climate in Alaska varies as much as the terrain. Juneau and the southeast panhandle has a mid-latitude oceanic climate. The northern parts have a subarctic oceanic climate. Both the wettest and warmest part of Alaska, this region experiences milder winter temperatures and high precipitation, with about 50 to 275 inches annually.
The subarctic climates of Anchorage and south central Alaska have short, cool summers and average 75 inches of snow per year. However, the temperatures are mild in comparison to the rest of the state because it is closer to the coast. In western Alaska, the subarctic oceanic climate is affected mostly by the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea. Interior Alaska is a true subarctic climate, with extreme weather patterns, such as hot summers and below freezing winters.
History of Alaska
Asiatic groups crossed the Bering Land Bridge to what we now regard as western Alaska near the end of the Upper Paleolithic Period in 12,000 B.C. Native groups were inhabitants of the area during 1741, when the Russian explorer Vitus Bering led an expedition to Alaska. The crew sailed home with sea otter pelts, which led other fur traders to sail to the Aleutian Islands in search of fine fur. The first European settlement was founded in 1784, followed by a colonization program with the Russian-American Company in the 19th century.
Russia was never able to colonize Alaska fully, so the territory sold to the U.S. in 1867 with the help of Secretary of State William H. Seward for $7.2 million. During the 1890s, the Yukon Territory brought an influx of miners in search of gold, which resulted in statewide railroad construction. Commercial fishing grew rapidly, while the Aleuts suffered from the lack of seal and sea otter fur, as both were extensively hunted.
The Japanese invaded three of the outer Aleutian Islands during World War II. From June 1942 to August 1943, they occupied the area. Regaining control became a national issue. The construction o military bases led to the growth of those cities. In 1959, Alaska became a U.S. state.
During the 1960s, the discovery of oil at Prudhoe Bay incited a boom, along with the completion of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. Sadly, in 1989, the Exxon Valdez smashed into a reef at Prince William Sound, leading to an environmental disaster. Between 11 and 35 million gallons of crude oil spilled into the coastline. To this day, there is heated debate over whether to pursue conservation efforts or search for natural resources in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Demographics of Alaska
As of 2006, the population estimation for Alaska is 670,053. Alaska is among the least populated U.S. states, just behind Wyoming, at 1.1 people per square mile.
Given the rich Aleutian history, there are 22 indigenous languages in Alaska. The state has the largest proportion of Native Americans or Alaska Natives, at 15 percent of the population. Mixed races comprise up to seven percent. Alaska Natives reside in the northern and western regions, while other cities have a high concentration of Filipinos and people of Scandinavian ancestry.
Like its neighbors in the Pacific Northwest, Alaska is one of the least religious states in the country, with close to 40 percent affiliated with a religious organization. Due to Russian colonization, there is a sizeable population of the Eastern Orthodox faith, with the first Russian Orthodox Church built in 1794 in Kodiak. There is also a notable Quaker population.
Economy of Alaska
In 2005, the gross state product was $39.9 billion, with a per capita income of $60,079. With its plentiful natural resources, Alaska is a large producer the oil and gas industry, ranking second in the nation. Over 80 percent of the state revenues come from extracting petroleum. Employment is mainly in the industries of government and natural resources.
Seafood is Alaska’s largest export, selling mainly salmon, crab and cod. Since there is little manufacturing or agriculture, Alaska relies on a number of imported foods and goods, thereby increasing the cost of living.
In Anchorage and Fairbanks, military bases contribute to the economy, while industrial outputs include natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, zinc and other metals. Tourism is also a big part of Alaska’s economy. The abundant wildlife and unspoiled natural environment are a national treasure.
Alaska Law and Government
Republican Sarah Palin is the youngest Governor of Alaska, while Senator Ted Stevens is the longest serving Republican in the Senate. Alaska has only one congressional representative, Don Young, who is also a Republican. Juneau is the state capital.
While Alaska is a Republican state, it also has very strong Libertarian and Independent party leanings. Fewer Democratic presidential candidates have won Alaska electoral votes than any other state. However, over half of registered voters are nonpartisan.
Alaska is lenient in terms of marijuana legislation. There is also a growing independence movement to secede from the U.S.
Alaska Transportation
Compared with the rest of the U.S., Alaska has few roads, with some in larger cities. The Alaska Highway is a link to each city and extends to Canada. Juneau is inaccessible by land, while the western part of Alaska has no road system connected to the rest of the state.
The Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel links Seward Highway, just south of Anchorage, to Whittier. The Alaska Railroad has summertime passenger services and moves inland resources for export.
Surprisingly, air travel is the cheapest way to get around and out of Alaska. The Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport serves Alaska Airlines, the only major airline that offers jet service within the state. Bush flying services, including the Bush seaplane, carries travelers and cargo to remote villages.
The Alaska Marine Highway is a highly developed ferry system. It serves the southeast region and Alaska Peninsula, as well as Bellingham, Washington to Skagway.
Major Cities and Towns of Alaska
Due to its low population, Alaska divides into boroughs instead of counties. Fairbanks, Juneau and Eagle River are large towns, while smaller towns have populations with less than 10,000 people. Even smaller towns exist in the Alaska Bush, which is inaccessible by road.
Anchorage is the most populated city, estimated at 260,283 people at the turn of the century. The city is home to the Sitka Summer Music Festival, as well as the Fur Rendezvous Festival, which features an international ice carving competition. The Alaska Center for the Performing Arts hosts cultural events. The Alaska Native Heritage Center and various parks, gardens and ski resorts provide a great deal of entertainment.
Alaska Educational System
The University of Alaska system incorporates three universities in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau, with several satellite campuses throughout the state. Although small compared to other state schools, all three universities offer impressive geology, biology and earth sciences programs, given the school’s unique locations in the middle of vast wildlife.
Learn more at the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development.
Alaska Sports Teams and Recreational Activities
The dogsled, which was used to carry travelers from the interior to gold mining communities, is now more a sport and less a means of transportation. It attracts mushers worldwide to compete in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, which runs 1150 miles from Anchorage to Nome.
Despite the lack of sports teams, there are plenty of recreational activities to take part in, from camping in the wilderness and hiking or biking up rugged terrain to fishing in one of Alaska’s numerous rivers. Skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, ice fishing, ice hockey and ice-skating are all popular options.
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