AlaskaBách khoa toàn thư mở Wikipedia

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Alaska (phát âm như "A-lát-xka") là tiểu bang kề cận với bờ biển tây của Bắc Mỹ có vào khoảng 640.000 cư dân trên 1.477.261 kilômét vuông đất (570.374 dặm vuông đất). Nó là tiểu bang lớn nhất thuộc về Hoa Kỳ, khoảng 2,3 lần lớn hơn kích thước của Texas và một phần năm diện tích của 48 tiểu bang bên dưới.

Mục lục

[ẩn] 1 Địa lý

o 1.1 Các thành phố quan trọng

2 Lịch sử

3 Liên kết ngoài

[sửa] Địa lý

Bài chi tiết: Địa lý Alaska

Bản đồ Alaska – PDF

Alaska là một trong hai tiểu bang (tiểu bang còn lại là Hawaii) không giáp với bất kỳ tiểu bang nào khác

State of AlaskaThe Last Frontier (Biên giới Cuối cùng), The Land of the Midnight Sun (Vùng Mặt trời Nửa

đêm)

Lá   cờ Alaska Huy   hiệu Alaska

Tiểu   bang Hoa   Kỳ

Ngôn   ngữ chính   thức Tiếng Anh

Thủ   phủ Juneau

Thành   phố lớn   nhất Anchorage

Diện tích • Phần đất • Phần nước • Bề ngang • Bề dài • Vĩ độ • Kinh độ

1.717.854 km² (hạng   1 )1.481.347 km²236.507 km² (13,77%)1.300 km2.380 km54°40′N – 71°50′N130°W – 173°E

Dân   số (2000) • Mật độ

626.932 người (hạng   47 )0,42 người/km² (hạng   50 )

Cao độ • Cao nhất • Trung bình • Thấp nhất

Núi McKinley, 6.194 m3.060 m0 m

Ngày gia nhập 3 tháng 1, 1959 (thứ   49 )

Thống đốc Sarah Palin (Cộng hòa)

Thượng   nghị   sĩ Hoa   Kỳ

Ted Stevens (CH)

Lisa Murkowski (CH)

Múi   giờ HST¹ và AKST (UTC−10/−9)

của Mỹ. Tiểu bang gần Alaska nhất là Washington nhưng cách đến 800 kilômét (500 dặm), qua địa phận Canada. Alaska cũng là tiểu bang duy nhất thuộc lục địa mà để đến được thủ phủ Juneau cần phải dùng đường thủy hoặc đường không, bởi vì không có đường nào nối Juneau với các vùng khác của tiểu bang.

Alaska giáp Yukon và British Columbia (Canada) về phía đông; vịnh Alaska và Thái Bình Dương về phía nam; biển Bering, eo biển Bering, và biển Chukchi về phía tây, và biển Beaufort và Bắc Băng Dương về phía bắc. Alaska là tiểu bang rộng lớn nhất của Hoa Kỳ. Chỉ có 18 quốc gia trên thế giới rộng hơn nó.

Phần lớn diện tích Alaska được băng tuyết phủ quanh năm. Ở đây đặc biệt có trữ lượng dầu mỏ rất lớn. Tuy nhiên, các sinh vật ở Alaska được cho là rất quý hiếm, tồn tại từ thời nguyên thủy đến nay, nên chính phủ hiện không cho mở rộng khai khoáng. Vấn đề mỏ dầu ở những vùng như Khu trú ẩn Động vật hoang dã Quốc gia Bắc Cực (ANWR) được tranh cãi lâu năm và là "bóng đá chính trị" (political football) của các tổng thống từ thời Jimmy Carter. Xem thêm Vụ mỏ dầu ở Khu trú ẩn Bắc Cực.

[sửa] Các thành phố quan trọng

Thành phố đông nhất của Alaska là Anchorage với 260.283 dân, trong đó 225.744 người ở khu vực thành thị. Nó là thành phố thứ ba theo diện tích, nhỏ hơn hai thành phố khác của Alaska. Sitka là thành phố lớn nhất của Hoa Kỳ theo diện tích, đằng sau là Juneau.Dân số đến năm 2000.

Thành phố 100.000 người trở lên

Anchorage (260.283)

Thành phố 10.000–100.000 người

Fairbanks (30.224) Juneau

Địa phương 10.000 người trở xuống

Wasilla Kodiak Ketchikan Ester Sitka Palmer

Cordova

 

Bethel Barrow Kenai Soldotna Unalaska Kotzebue Nome Bắc Cực (North Pole)

Houston

 

Petersburg Homer Dillingham Valdez Seward Delta Junction Glennallen Circle

Unalakleet

[sửa] Lịch sử

Bài chi tiết: Lịch sử Alaska

Gần Little Port Walter ở miền Đông Nam Alaska.

Các cư dân đầu tiên của Alaska là những người châu Á. Họ đã băng qua mảng băng dày trên eo biển Bering gọi là cầu đất liền Bering từ khoảng 10.000 năm TCN. Người Inupiaq, Inuit và Yupik, Aleut, và nhiều loại thổ dân châu Mỹ là những tộc người tiêu biểu nhất. Phần lớn trong số đó đều đã di cư về miền đông và nam.

Những bản viết đầu tiên cho biết rằng người Âu Châu đầu tiên tới Alaska đến từ Nga. Nhà thám hiểm Nga Vitus Bering cũng băng qua biển Bering, nhưng bằng thuyền buồm, và Công ty Nga-Mỹ chủ yếu săn rái cá biển để lấy da lông. Thuộc địa của họ không thành công lắm, do chi phí chuyên chở.

Trong thời kỳ từ năm 1742 tới năm 1867, Đế quốc Nga tuyên bố Alaska là thuộc địa của mình.

Tin tức về Đạo luật Anh Bắc Mỹ năm 1867 lo lắng ở Washington, D.C.. Theo đó, vào ngày 1 tháng 7 năm 1867, Nhà nước Tự trị Canada (Dominion of Canada) sẽ thành lập. "Vương quốc phía Bắc" này có thể đe dọa nền tự do của "Cộng hòa phía nam". (Xem Short History of Canada của McNaughton.) Do đó, Ngoại trưởng Hoa Kỳ William Seward đã đề xuất mua lại thuộc địa miền Tây Bắc Bắc Mỹ của Nga. Thượng Nghị viện Hoa Kỳ thông qua điều này ngay, và Alaska về tay Hoa Kỳ chỉ với giá 7.200.000 đô la Mỹ vào ngày 9 tháng 4 năm 1867. Quốc kỳ Hoa Kỳ nhanh chóng được cắm lên vùng lãnh thổ mới vào ngày 18 tháng 10, trở thành Ngày Alaska (ngày thành lập tiểu bang hay ngày tiểu bang gia nhập Liên bang).

Vịnh AlaskaBách khoa toàn thư mở Wikipedia

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Vịnh Alaska là một vịnh nằm trên Thái Bình Dương, khu vực bờ biển của bang Alaska, kéo dài từ bán đảo Alaska và đảo Kodiak ở phía tây của bán đảo Alexander ở phía đông, ở khu vực vịnh Glacier và Inside Passage.

Toàn bộ bờ biển của vịnh là rừng, núi và các dòng sông băng. Các dòng sông băng lớn nhất của Alaska: Dòng sông băng Malaspina và Dòng sông băng Bering chảy vào đồng bằng ven biển dọc theo Vịnh Alaska.

Bờ biển ở đây rất lồi lõm, with Cook Inlet and Prince William Sound the two largest connected bodies of water, but also including Vịnh Yakutat và Cross Sound. Vịnh Lituya là nơi xảy ra trận sóng thần lớn nhất trong lịch sử và cũng là nơi neo đậu và trú ẩn thường xuyên của tàu thuyền đánh cá.

Xét về khí tượng học thì vịnh Alaska là nơi sinh ra rất nhiều cơn bão. Ngoài việc đổ xuống Nam Alaska rất nhiều tuyết và băng gây ra những vụ lớn nhất trong lịch sử ở phía Nam Vòng Bắc Cực, nhiều cơn bão còn di chuyển về phía nam dọc theo các bờ biển thuộc British Columbia, Washington và Oregon. Rất nhiều cơn mưa theo mùa trên vùng Tây Bắc Thái Bình Dương đến từ Vịnh Alaska.

AlaskaFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, searchThis article is about the U.S. State of Alaska. For other uses, see Alaska (disambiguation).

This article includes a list of references or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it has insufficient inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (February 2009)

State of Alaska

Flag of Alaska SealNickname(s): "The Last Frontier" and "Land of the Midnight Sun"

Motto(s): North to the Future

Map with Alaska highlighted

Official language(s) None[1][2]

Spoken language(s)English 89.7%,Native North American 5.2%,Spanish 2.9%

Demonym AlaskanCapital JuneauLargest city AnchorageArea  Ranked 1 st in the US

 - Total663,268 sq mi(1,717,854 km²)

 - Width 808 miles (1,300 km) - Length 1,479 miles (2,380 km) - % water 13.77 - Latitude 51°20'N to 71°50'N - Longitude 130°W to 172°EPopulation  Ranked 47 th in the US

 - Total686,293 (2008 est.)[3]

626,932 (2000)

 - Density1.03/sq mi  (0.46/km²)Ranked 50 th in the US

 - Median income  US$64,333 (4th)Elevation  

 - Highest pointMount McKinley [4] 20,320 ft  (6,193.7 m)

 - Mean 1900 ft  (580 m)

 - Lowest pointPacific Ocean [4] 0 ft  (0 m)

Admission to Union  January 3, 1959 (49th)Governor Sarah Palin (R)Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell (R)

U.S. SenatorsLisa Murkowski (R)Mark Begich (D)

Congressional Delegation Don Young (R) (list)Time zones   - east of 169° 30' Alaska: UTC-9/DST-8 - west of 169° 30' Aleutian: UTC-10/DST-9Abbreviations AK US-AKWebsite www.alaska.gov

[show]Alaska State Symbols

Alaska ( /ə ˈlæskə / (help·info), Russian: Аляска Alyaska) is the largest state of the United States of America by area; it is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait. As of 2007, Alaska remains the least densely populated state, with a population of 683,478 with approximately 50% residing along the Anchorage metropolitan areas.[5]

The area that became Alaska was purchased from the Russian Empire after Western Union discontinued construction of its first electric telegraph line which ran from California, up the coast of North America, across the Bering Strait, continuing to Moscow and into the European telegraph network. Despite $3 million in U.S. investment for the Russian-American telegraph expedition, work ceased[6] upon the completion of the competing Transatlantic telegraph cable. The U.S. realized the potential of continuing the line to Moscow and sent Secretary of State William H. Seward to negotiate with the Russian Ambassador to fund the remaining phases of the telegraph line. Russia did not see the potential in funding, so Alaska was offered in exchange for the value of the Russian-American telegraph. The Russians feared that if they did not sell Russian North America, it would be taken from them by the westward expansion of the United States and Canada. They tried to play one potential purchaser off against the other to start a bidding war, but this was largely unsuccessful.

The U.S. Senate approved the purchase of Alaska from the Russian Empire on March 30, 1867, for $7.2 million at 2 cents per acre, about 5 cents per hectare. When adjusted for inflation, the total sum paid equates to approximately $111 million in today's dollars. The

land went through several administrative changes before becoming an organized territory on May 11, 1912 and the 49th state of the U.S. on January 3, 1959. The name "Alaska" was already introduced in the Russian colonial time, when it was only used for the peninsula and is derived from the Aleut alaxsxaq, meaning "the mainland", or more literally, "the object towards which the action of the sea is directed."[7] It is also known as Alyeska, the "great land", an Aleut word derived from the same root.

Contents[hide]

1 Geography o 1.1 Climate

2 History 3 Demographics

o 3.1 Race and ancestry o 3.2 Languages o 3.3 Religion

4 Economy o 4.1 Energy o 4.2 Permanent Fund o 4.3 Cost of living o 4.4 Agriculture

5 Transportation o 5.1 Roads o 5.2 Rail o 5.3 Marine transport o 5.4 Air transport o 5.5 Other transport

6 Law and government o 6.1 State government o 6.2 State politics o 6.3 Taxes o 6.4 Federal politics

7 Cities, towns and boroughs 8 Education 9 Public health and public safety 10 Culture

o 10.1 Libraries o 10.2 Music o 10.3 Movies filmed in Alaska

11 State symbols 12 Notables 13 See also 14 References

15 External links

[edit] Geography

Main article: Geography of Alaska

Alaska has more coastline than all the other U.S. states combined.[8] It is the only non-contiguous U.S. state on continental North America; about 500 miles (800 km) of British Columbia (Canada) separate Alaska from Washington state. Alaska is thus an exclave of the United States. It is technically part of the continental U.S., but is often not included in colloquial use; Alaska is not part of the contiguous U.S., often called "the Lower 48".[9] Juneau, Alaska's capital city, though located on the mainland of the North American continent, is inaccessible by land—no roads connect Juneau to the rest of the North American highway system.

The state is bordered by the Yukon Territory and British Columbia, Canada, to the east, the Gulf of Alaska and the Pacific Ocean to the south, the Bering Sea, Bering Strait, and Chukchi Sea to the west and the Arctic Ocean to the north. Alaska's territorial waters touch Russia's territorial waters in the Bering Strait, though the Russian and Alaskan islands are almost 3 miles (4.8 km) apart.

Alaska superimposed over the contiguous United States

Alaska is the largest state in the United States in land area at 570,380 square miles (1,477,277 km2), more than twice as large as Texas, the next largest state. Geologists have identified Alaska as part of Wrangellia, a large region consisting of multiple states and Canadian provinces in the Pacific Northwest which is actively undergoing continent building. It is larger than all but 18 sovereign countries.

Counting territorial waters, Alaska is larger than the combined area of the next three largest states: Texas, California, and Montana.

It is also larger than the combined area of the 23 smallest U.S. States and Districts: Washington, D.C., Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maryland, West Virginia, South Carolina, Maine, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama and North Carolina.

Also, compared with territory outside the United States, Alaska is larger than Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom combined.

Near Little Port Walter in Southeast Alaska

Nushagak River in Southwest Alaska

Mount Sanford in the Wrangell Mountains

Kenai River on the Kenai Peninsula

One scheme for describing the state's geography is by labeling the regions:

South Central Alaska is the southern coastal region and contains most of the state's population. Anchorage and many growing towns, such as Eagle River, Palmer, and Wasilla, lie within this area. Petroleum industrial plants, transportation, tourism, and two military bases form the core of the economy here.

The Alaska Panhandle, also known as Southeast Alaska, is home to many of Alaska's larger towns including the state capital Juneau, tidewater glaciers, the many islands and channels of the Alexander Archipelago and extensive forests. Tourism, fishing, forestry and state government anchor the economy.

Southwest Alaska is largely coastal, bordered by both the Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea. It is sparsely populated, and unconnected to the road system, but very important to the fishing industry. Half of all fish caught in the U.S. come from the Bering Sea, and Bristol Bay has the world's largest sockeye salmon fishery.Southwest Alaska includes Katmai and Kodiak Island and the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. The region comprises western Cook Inlet, Bristol Bay and its watersheds, the Alaska Peninsula and the Aleutian Islands. It is known for wet and stormy weather, tundra landscapes, and large populations of salmon, brown bear, caribou, birds, and marine mammals. Except for the very northernmost part of the Alaska Peninsula, southwestern Alaska is almost completely treeless, due to the almost constant high winds.

The Alaska Interior is home to Fairbanks. The geography is marked by large braided rivers, such as the Yukon River and the Kuskokwim River, as well as Arctic tundra lands and shorelines.

The Alaskan Bush is the remote, less crowded part of the state, encompassing 380 native villages and small towns such as Nome, Bethel, Kotzebue and, most famously, Barrow, the northernmost town in the United States, as well as the northern most town on the contiguous North American continent (cities in Greenland, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut that are farther north are on islands).

The northeast corner of Alaska is dominated by the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which covers 19,049,236 acres (77,090 km2). Much of the northwest is covered by the larger National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska, which covers around 23,000,000 acres (93,100 km2). The Arctic is Alaska's most remote wilderness. A location in the National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska is 120 miles (190 km) from any town or village, the geographic point most remote from permanent habitation on the US mainland. The Rat Islands region in the Western Aleutians is more than 200 miles (320 km) from the tiny settlements of Attu and Adak, and may be the loneliest place in the United States. In 1971 the U.S. exploded an atomic bomb underground here, on Amchitka Island.

With its myriad islands, Alaska has nearly 34,000 miles (54,720 km) of tidal shoreline. The Aleutian Islands chain extends west from the southern tip of the Alaska Peninsula. Many active volcanoes are found in the Aleutians. Unimak Island, for example, is home to Mount Shishaldin, which is an occasionally smoldering volcano that rises to 10,000 feet (3,000 m) above the North Pacific. It is the most perfect volcanic cone on Earth, even more symmetrical than Japan's Mount Fuji. The chain of volcanoes extends to Mount Spurr, west of Anchorage on the mainland.

One of North America's largest tides occurs in Turnagain Arm, just south of Anchorage — tidal differences can be more than 35 feet (10.7 m). (Many sources say Turnagain has the second-greatest tides in North America, but several areas in Canada have larger tides.)[10]

Alaska has more than 3 million lakes.[11][12] Marshlands and wetland permafrost cover 188,320 square miles (487,747 km2) (mostly in northern, western and southwest flatlands). Frozen water, in the form of glacier ice, covers some 16,000 square miles (41,440 km2) of land and 1,200 square miles (3,110 km2) of tidal zone. The Bering Glacier complex near the southeastern border with Yukon, Canada, covers 2,250 square miles (5,827 km2) alone.

The International Date Line jogs west of 180° to keep the whole state, and thus the entire North American continent, within the same legal day.

Alaska has more acres of public land owned by the federal government than any other state.[13]

According to an October 1998 report by the United States Bureau of Land Management, approximately 65% of Alaska is owned and managed by the U.S. federal government as public lands, including a multitude of national forests, national parks, and national wildlife refuges. Of these, the Bureau of Land Management manages 87 million acres (350,000 km²), or 23.8% of the state. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. It is the World's largest wildlife Refuge, comprising 16 million acres (65,000 km2).

Of the remaining land area, the State of Alaska owns 101 million acres (410,000 km2); another 44 million acres (180,000 km2) are owned by 13 regional and dozens of local Native corporations created under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. Thus, indirectly, the 84,000 Eskimo, Aleut and American Indian inhabitants of Alaska own one-ninth of the state. Various private interests own the remaining land, totaling about 1% of the state.

Map of Alaska - PDF

Alaska is administratively divided into "boroughs", as opposed to "counties" or "parishes." The function is the same, but whereas some states use a three-tiered system of decentralization—state/county/township—most of Alaska uses only two tiers—state/borough. Owing to the low population density, most of the land is located in the Unorganized Borough which, as the name implies, has no intermediate borough government of its own, but is administered directly by the state government. Currently (2000 census) 57.71% of Alaska's area has this status, with 13.05% of the population. For statistical purposes the United States Census Bureau divides this territory into census areas. Anchorage merged the city government with the Greater Anchorage Area Borough in 1971 to form the Municipality of Anchorage, containing the city proper and the bedroom communities of Eagle River, Chugiak, Peters Creek, Girdwood, Bird, and Indian. Fairbanks has a separate borough (the Fairbanks North Star Borough) and municipality (the City of Fairbanks).

Alaska is also home of the Mount McKinley mountain range which is the largest mountain range in the United States.

[edit] Climate

Main article: Climate of Alaska

The climate in Juneau and the southeast panhandle is a mid-latitude oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb) in the southern sections and a subarctic oceanic climate (Köppen Cfc) in the northern parts. On an annual basis, the panhandle is both the wettest and warmest part of Alaska with milder temperatures in the winter and high precipitation throughout the year. Juneau averages over 50 inches (1,270 mm) of precipitation a year, while other areas receive over 275 inches (6,990 mm).[14] This is also the only region in Alaska in which the average daytime high temperature is above freezing during the winter months.

The climate of Anchorage and south central Alaska is mild by Alaskan standards due to the region's proximity to the seacoast. While the area gets less rain than southeast Alaska, it gets more snow, and days tend to be clearer. On average, Anchorage receives 16 inches (406 mm) of precipitation a year, with around 75 inches (1,905 mm) of snow, although there are areas in the south central which receive far more snow. It is a subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc) due to its short, cool summers.

Barrow, Alaska is the northernmost city in the United States

The climate of Western Alaska is determined in large part by the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska. It is a subarctic oceanic climate in the southwest and a continental subarctic climate farther north. The temperature is somewhat moderate considering how far north the area is. This area has a tremendous amount of variety in precipitation. The northern side of the Seward Peninsula is technically a desert with less than 10 inches (250 mm) of precipitation annually, while some locations between Dillingham and Bethel average around 100 inches (2,540 mm) of precipitation.[14]

The climate of the interior of Alaska is best described as extreme and is a good example of a true subarctic climate. Some of the highest and lowest temperatures in Alaska occur around the area near Fairbanks. The summers can have temperatures reaching into the 90s°F (the low to mid 30s °C), while in the winter, the temperature can fall below −60 °F (-52 °C). Precipitation is sparse in the Interior, often less than 10 inches (250 mm) a year, but what precipitation falls in the winter tends to stay the entire winter.

The highest and lowest recorded temperatures in Alaska are both in the Interior. The highest is 100 °F (38 °C) in Fort Yukon (which is just 8 miles (13 km) inside the arctic circle) on June 27, 1915,[15][16] tied with Pahala, Hawaii as the lowest high temperature in the United States.[17][18] The lowest official Alaska temperature is −80 °F (-62 °C) in Prospect Creek on January 23, 1971,[15][16] one degree above the lowest temperature recorded in continental North America (in Snag, Yukon, Canada).[19]

The climate in the extreme north of Alaska is as expected for an area north of the Arctic Circle. It is an Arctic climate (Köppen ET) with long, very cold winters and short, cool summers. Even in July, the average low temperature is barely above freezing in Barrow, at 34 °F (1 °C).[20] Precipitation is light in this part of Alaska, with many places averaging

less than 10 inches (250 mm) per year, mostly in the form of snow which stays on the ground almost the entire year.

[edit] History

Main article: History of Alaska

Miners and prospectors climb the Chilkoot Trail during the Klondike Gold Rush

The first European contact with Alaska occurred in the year 1741, when Vitus Bering led an expedition for the Russian Navy aboard the St. Peter. After his crew returned to Russia bearing sea otter pelts judged to be the finest fur in the world, small associations of fur traders began to sail from the shores of Siberia towards the Aleutian islands. The first permanent European settlement was founded in 1784, and the Russian-American Company carried out an expanded colonization program during the early to mid-1800s. New Archangel on Kodiak Island was Alaska's first capital, but for a century under both Russia and the U.S. Sitka was the capital. The Russians never fully colonized Alaska, and the colony was never very profitable. William H. Seward, the U.S. Secretary of State, negotiated the Alaskan purchase in 1867 for $7.2 million. Alaska was loosely governed by the military for years, and was unofficially a territory of the United States from 1884 on.

In the 1890s, gold rushes in Alaska and the nearby Yukon Territory brought thousands of miners and settlers to Alaska. Alaska was granted official territorial status in 1912. At this time the capital was moved to Juneau.

During World War II, the Aleutian Islands Campaign focused on the three outer Aleutian Islands — Attu, Agattu and Kiska [21] - that were invaded by Japanese troops and occupied between June 1942 and August 1943. Unalaska/Dutch Harbor became a significant base for the U.S. Army Air Corps and Navy submariners.

The U.S. Lend-Lease program involved flying American warplanes through Canada to Fairbanks and thence Nome; Russian pilots took possession of these aircraft, ferrying them to fight the German invasion of Russia. The construction of military bases contributed to the population growth of some Alaskan cities.

Statehood was approved in 1958. Alaska was officially proclaimed a state on January 3, 1959.

In 1964, the massive "Good Friday Earthquake" killed 131 people and destroyed several villages, many by the resultant tsunamis. It was the second most powerful earthquake in the recorded history of the world, with a moment magnitude of 9.2. It was 100 times more powerful than the 1989 San Francisco earthquake. Luckily, the epicenter was in an unpopulated area or thousands more would have been killed.

The 1968 discovery of oil at Prudhoe Bay and the 1977 completion of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline led to an oil boom. In 1989, the Exxon Valdez hit a reef in the Prince William Sound, spilling over 11 million US gallons of crude oil over 1,100 miles (1,600 km) of coastline. Today, the battle between philosophies of development and conservation is seen in the contentious debate over oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

[edit] Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Alaska

The United States Census Bureau, as of July 1, 2008, estimated Alaska's population at 686,293,[3] which represents an increase of 59,362, or 9.5%, since the last census in 2000.[22] This includes a natural increase since the last census of 60,994 people (that is 86,062 births minus 25,068 deaths) and a decrease due to net migration of 5,469 people out of the state.[22] Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 4,418 people, and migration within the country produced a net loss of 9,887 people.[22] In 2000 Alaska ranked 48th out of 50 states by population.[23] Alaska is the least densely populated state, and one of the most sparsely-populated areas in the world, at 1.0 people per square mile (0.42/km²), with the next state, Wyoming, at 5.1 per square mile (1.97/km²). It is the largest U.S. state by area, and the 6th wealthiest (per capita income).

[edit] Race and ancestry

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 69.3% of single-race Alaska residents were caucasian and 15.6% were Native American or Alaska Native,[24] the largest proportion of any state. Multiracial/Mixed-Race people are the third largest group of people in the state, totaling 6.9% of the population. The largest self-reported ancestry groups in the state are German (16.6%), Alaska Native or American Indian (15.6%), Irish (10.8%), British (9.6%), American (5.7%), and Norwegian (4.2%).

Historical populations

Census Pop.  %±

1950 128,643 —

1960 226,167 75.8%

1970 300,382 32.8%

1980 401,851 33.8%

1990 550,043 36.9%

2000 626,932 14.0%

Est. 2008[3] 686,293 9.5%

The vast sparsely populated regions of northern and western Alaska are primarily inhabited by Alaska Natives, who are also numerous in the southeast. Anchorage, Fairbanks, and other parts of south-central and southeast Alaska have many whites of northern and western European ancestry. The Wrangell-Petersburg area has many residents of Scandinavian ancestry and the Aleutians contain a large Filipino population. Most of the state's black population lives in Anchorage, though Fairbanks also has a sizable black population.

[edit] Languages

St. Michael's Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Sitka, Alaska

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 85.7% of Alaska residents aged 5 and older speak English at home. The next most common languages are Spanish (2.88%), Yupik (2.87%), Filipino (1.54%), and Iñupiaq (1.06%).[25] A total of 5.2% of Alaskans speak one of the state's 22 indigenous languages, known locally as Native American languages, of which most are moribund.

[edit] Religion

Alaska has been identified, along with Pacific Northwest states Washington and Oregon, as being the least religious in the U.S.[26][27] According to statistics collected by the Association of Religion Data Archives, only about 39% of Alaska residents were members of religious congregations. Evangelical Protestants had 78,070 members, Roman Catholics had 54,359, and mainline Protestants had 37,156.[28] After Catholics and Eastern Orthodox, the largest single denominations are The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons/LDS) with 29,460, Southern Baptists with 22,959, and Orthodox with 20,000. The large Eastern Orthodox (with 49 parishes and up to 50,000 followers[29], population is a result of early Russian colonization and missionary work among Alaska Natives.[30] In 1795, the First Russian Orthodox Church was established in Kodiak. Intermarriage with Alaskan Natives helped the Russian immigrants integrate into society. As a result, more and more Russian Orthodox churches[31] gradually became established within Alaska. Alaska also has the largest Quaker population (by percentage) of any state.[32] In 2003 there were 3,000 Jews in Alaska (for whom observance of the mitzvah may pose special problems).[33] Estimates for the number of Alaskan Muslims range from 2,000[34][35] to 5,000.[36] Hindus are also represented through a number of temples and associations and adherents number over one thousand[citation needed]. Alaskan

Hindus often share venues and celebrations with members of other religious communities including Sikhs and Jains.[37][38][39]

[edit] Economy

Alaska State Quarter

The Trans-Alaska Pipeline transports oil, Alaska's most important export, from the North Slope to Valdez. Pertinent are the heat pipes in the column mounts.

Alaska ranks 5th nationally in craft breweries per capita.[40]

The 2005 gross state product was $39.9 billion, 45th in the nation. Its per-capita GSP for 2006 was $43,748, 7th in the nation. The oil and gas industry dominates the Alaskan economy, with more than 80% of the state's revenues derived from petroleum extraction. Alaska's main export product (excluding oil and natural gas) is seafood, primarily salmon, cod, Pollock and crab. Agriculture represents only a fraction of the Alaskan

economy. Agricultural production is primarily for consumption within the state and includes nursery stock, dairy products, vegetables, and livestock. Manufacturing is limited, with most foodstuffs and general goods imported from elsewhere. Employment is primarily in government and industries such as natural resource extraction, shipping, and transportation. Military bases are a significant component of the economy in both Fairbanks and Anchorage. Federal subsidies are also an important part of the economy, allowing the state to keep taxes low. Its industrial outputs are crude petroleum, natural gas, coal, gold, precious metals, zinc and other mining, seafood processing, timber and wood products. There is also a growing service and tourism sector. Tourists have contributed to the economy by supporting local lodging.

[edit] Energy

See also: Natural gas in Alaska

Alaska oil reserves peaked in 1978 and have declined 60% thereafter

Alaska has vast energy resources. Major oil and gas reserves are found in the Alaska North Slope (ANS) and Cook Inlet basins. According to the Energy Information Administration, Alaska ranks second in the nation in crude oil production. Prudhoe Bay on Alaska’s North Slope is the highest yielding oil field in the United States and on North America, typically producing about 400,000 barrels per day (64,000 m³/d). The Trans-Alaska Pipeline can pump up to 2.1 million barrels (330,000 m3) of crude oil per day, more than any other crude oil pipeline in the United States. Additionally, substantial coal deposits are found in Alaska’s bituminous, sub-bituminous, and lignite coal basins. The United States Geological Survey estimates that there are 85.4 trillion cubic feet (2,420 km3) of undiscovered, technically recoverable gas from natural gas hydrates on the Alaskan North Slope.[41] Alaska also offers some of the highest hydroelectric power potential in the country from its numerous rivers. Large swaths of the Alaskan coastline offer wind and geothermal energy potential as well.[42]

Alaska oil production peaked in 1988 and has declined 65% thereafter

Alaska's economy depends heavily on increasingly expensive diesel fuel for heating, transportation, electric power and light. Though wind and hydroelectric power are abundant and underutilized, proposals for state-wide energy systems (e.g. with special low-cost electric interties) were judged uneconomical (at the time of the report, 2001) due to low (<$0.50/Gal) fuel prices, long distances and low population.[43] The cost of a gallon of gas in urban Alaska today is usually $0.30-$0.60 higher than the national average; prices in rural areas are generally significantly higher but vary widely depending on transportation costs, seasonal usage peaks, nearby petroleum development infrastructure and many other factors.

Alaska accounts for 1/5 (20%) of domestically produced United States oil production. Prudhoe Bay (North America's largest oil field) alone accounts for 8% of the United States domestic oil production.

[edit] Permanent Fund

The Alaska Permanent Fund is a legislatively controlled appropriation established in 1976 to manage a surplus in state petroleum revenues from the recently constructed Trans-Alaska Pipeline System. From its initial principal of $734,000, the fund has grown to $40 billion as a result of oil royalties and capital investment programs.[44] Starting in 1982, dividends from the fund's annual growth have been paid out each year to eligible Alaskans, ranging from $331.29 in 1984 to $3,269.00 in 2008 (which included a one-time $1200 "Resource Rebate"). Every year, the state legislature takes out 8 percent from the earnings, puts 3 percent back into the principal for inflation proofing, and the remaining 5 percent is distributed to all qualifying Alaskans. To qualify for the Alaska State Permanent Fund one must have lived in the state for a minimum of 12 months, and maintain constant residency.[45]

[edit] Cost of living

The cost of goods in Alaska has long been higher than in the contiguous 48 states. This has changed for the most part in Anchorage and to a lesser extent in Fairbanks, where the

cost of living has dropped somewhat in the past five years. Federal government employees, particularly United States Postal Service (USPS) workers and active-duty military members, receive a Cost of Living Allowance usually set at 25% of base pay because, while the cost of living has gone down, it is still one of the highest in the country.

The introduction of big-box stores in Anchorage, Fairbanks (Wal-Mart in March 2004), and Juneau also did much to lower prices. However, rural Alaska suffers from extremely high prices for food and consumer goods, compared to the rest of the country due to the relatively limited transportation infrastructure. Many rural residents come into these cities and purchase food and goods in bulk from warehouse clubs like Costco and Sam's Club. Some have embraced the free shipping offers[46] of some online retailers to purchase items much more cheaply than they could in their own communities, if they are available at all.

[edit] Agriculture

Due to the northern climate and steep terrain, relatively little farming occurs in Alaska. Most farms are in either the Matanuska Valley, about 40 miles (64 km) northeast of Anchorage, or on the Kenai Peninsula, about 60 miles (97 km) southwest of Anchorage. The short 100-day growing season limits the crops that can be grown, but the long sunny summer days make for productive growing seasons. The primary crops are potatoes, carrots, lettuce, corn, and cabbage. Farmers exhibit produce at the Alaska State Fair. "Alaskan Grown" is used as an agricultural slogan.

Alaska has an abundance of seafood, with the primary fisheries in the Bering Sea and the North Pacific, and seafood is one of the few food items that is often cheaper within the state than outside it. Many Alaskans fish the rivers during Salmon season to gather significant quantities of their household diet while fishing for subsistence, sport, or both.

Hunting for subsistence, primarily caribou, moose, and sheep is still common in the state, particularly in remote Bush communities. An example of a traditional native food is Akutaq, the Eskimo ice cream, which can consist of reindeer fat, seal oil, dried fish meat and local berries.

Most food in Alaska is transported into the state from "outside", and shipping costs make food in the cities relatively expensive. In rural areas, subsistence hunting and gathering is an essential activity because imported food is prohibitively expensive. The cost of importing food to villages begins at $0.07/lb and rises rapidly to $0.50/lb or more. The cost of delivering a 7-pound gallon of milk is about $3.50 in many villages where per capita income can be $20,000 or less. Fuel for snow machines and boats that consume a couple gallons per hour can exceed $8.00.

[edit] Transportation

Main article: Transportation in Alaska

[edit] Roads

Sterling HighwaySee also: List of Alaska Routes

Alaska has few road connections compared to the rest of the U.S. The state's road system covers a relatively small area of the state, linking the central population centers and the Alaska Highway, the principal route out of the state through Canada. The state capital, Juneau, is not accessible by road, only a car ferry, which has spurred several debates over the decades about moving the capital to a city on the road system, or building a road connection from Haines. The western part of Alaska has no road system connecting the communities with the rest of Alaska.

One unique feature of the Alaska Highway system is the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, an active Alaska Railroad tunnel recently upgraded to provide a paved roadway link with the isolated community of Whittier on Prince William Sound to the Seward Highway about 50 miles (80 km) southeast of Anchorage. At 2.5 miles (4.0 km) the tunnel was the longest road tunnel in North America until 2007.[47] The tunnel is the longest combination road and rail tunnel in North America.

[edit] Rail

Alaska Railroad "Glacier Discovery" train

Built around 1915, the Alaska Railroad (ARR) played a key role in the development of Alaska through the 20th century. It links north Pacific shipping through providing critical infrastructure with tracks that run from Seward to Interior Alaska via South Central Alaska, passing through Anchorage, Eklutna, Wasilla, Talkeetna, Denali, and Fairbanks, with spurs to Whittier, Palmer and North Pole. The cities, towns, villages, and region served by ARR tracks are known statewide as "The Railbelt". In recent years, the ever-improving paved highway system began to eclipse the railroad's importance in Alaska's economy.

The railroad, though famed for its summertime tour passenger service, played a vital role in Alaska's development, moving freight into Alaska while transporting natural resources southward (i.e., coal from the Usibelli coal mine near Healy to Seward and gravel from the Matanuska Valley to Anchorage.)

The Alaska Railroad was one of the last railroads in North America to use cabooses in regular service and still uses them on some gravel trains. It continues to offer one of the last flag stop routes in the country. A stretch of about 60 miles (100 km) of track along an area north of Talkeetna remains inaccessible by road; the railroad provides the only transportation to rural homes and cabins in the area; until construction of the Parks Highway in the 1970s, the railroad provided the only land access to most of the region along its entire route.

In northern Southeast Alaska, the White Pass and Yukon Railroad also partly runs through the State from Skagway northwards into Canada (British Columbia and Yukon Territory), crossing the border at White Pass Summit. This line is now mainly used by tourists, often arriving by cruise liner at Skagway. It featured in the 1983 BBC television series Great Little Railways.

[edit] Marine transport

Most cities, towns and villages in the state do not have road or highway access; the only modes of access involve travel by air, river, or the sea.

Alaska's well-developed state-owned ferry system (known as the Alaska Marine Highway) serves the cities of Southeast, the Gulf Coast and the Alaska Peninsula. The system also operates a ferry service from Bellingham, Washington and Prince Rupert, British Columbia in Canada via the Inside Passage to Skagway. The Inter-Island Ferry Authority also serves as an important marine link for many communities in the Prince of Wales Island region of Southeast and works in concert with the Alaska Marine Highway.

In recent years, large cruise ships began creating a summertime tourism market, mainly connecting the Pacific Northwest to Southeast Alaska and, to a lesser degree, towns along the north gulf coast. Several times each summer, the population of Ketchikan sharply rises for a few hours when two ships dock to debark more than a thousand passengers each while four other ships lie at anchor nearby, waiting their turn at the dock.

[edit] Air transport

Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-700

Cities not served by road or sea can be reached only by air or by hiking/dogsled, accounting for Alaska's extremely well-developed bush air services—an Alaskan novelty. Anchorage itself, and to a lesser extent Fairbanks, are serviced by many major airlines. Air travel is the cheapest and most efficient form of transportation in and out of the state. Anchorage recently completed extensive remodeling and construction at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport to help accommodate the upsurge in tourism (in 2000–2001, the latest year for which data is available, 2.4 million total arrivals to Alaska were counted, 1.7 million via air travel; 1.4 million were visitors).[48][49]

Regular flights to most villages and towns within the state that are commercially viable are challenging to provide, so they are heavily subsidized by the federal government through the Essential Air Service program. Alaska Airlines is the only major airline offering in-state travel with jet service (sometimes in combination cargo and passenger Boeing 737-400s) from Anchorage and Fairbanks to regional hubs like Bethel, Nome, Kotzebue, Dillingham, Kodiak, and other larger communities as well as to major Southeast and Alaska Peninsula communities. The bulk of remaining commercial flight offerings come from small regional commuter airlines such as Era Aviation, PenAir, and Frontier Flying Service. The smallest towns and villages must rely on scheduled or chartered bush flying services using general aviation aircraft such as the Cessna Caravan, the most popular aircraft in use in the state. Much of this service can be attributed to the Alaska bypass mail program which subsidizes bulk mail delivery to Alaskan rural communities. The program requires 70% of that subsidy to go to carriers who offer passenger service to the communities. Perhaps the most quintessentially Alaskan plane is the bush seaplane. The world's busiest seaplane base is Lake Hood, located next to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, where flights bound for remote villages without an airstrip carry passengers, cargo, and many items from stores and warehouse clubs. Alaska has the highest number of pilots per capita of any U.S. state: out of the estimated 663,661 residents, 8,550 are pilots, or about one in 78.[50]

[edit] Other transport

Another Alaskan transportation method is the dogsled. In modern times (that is, any time after the mid-late 1920s), dog mushing is more of a sport than a true means of transportation. Various races are held around the state, but the best known is the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, a 1150-mile (1850 km) trail from Anchorage to Nome (although the mileage varies from year to year, the official distance is set at 1049 miles). The race commemorates the famous 1925 serum run to Nome in which mushers and dogs like Togo and Balto took much-needed medicine to the diphtheria-stricken community of Nome when all other means of transportation had failed. Mushers from all over the world come to Anchorage each March to compete for cash, prizes, and prestige. The "Serum Run" is another sled dog race that more accurately follows the route of the famous 1925 relay, leaving from the community of Nenana (southwest of Fairbanks) to Nome.[51]

In areas not served by road or rail, primary transportation in summer is by all-terrain vehicle and in winter by snowmobile or "snow machine," as it is commonly referred to in Alaska.

[edit] Law and government

Main article: Government of Alaska

[edit] State government

Like all other U.S. states, Alaska is governed as a republic, with three branches of government: an executive branch consisting of the Governor of Alaska and the other independently elected constitutional officers; a legislative branch consisting of the Alaska House of Representatives and Alaska Senate; and a judicial branch consisting of the Alaska Supreme Court and lower courts.

The State of Alaska employs approximately 15,000 employees statewide.[52]

The Alaska Legislature consists of a 40-member House of Representatives and a 20-member Senate. Senators serve four year terms and House members two. The Governor of Alaska serves four-year terms. The lieutenant governor runs separately from the governor in the primaries, but during the general election, the nominee for governor and nominee for lieutenant governor run together on the same ticket.

Alaska's court system has four levels: the Alaska Supreme Court, the court of appeals, the superior courts and the district courts.[53] The superior and district courts are trial courts. Superior courts are courts of general jurisdiction, while district courts only hear certain types of cases, including misdemeanor criminal cases and civil cases valued up to $100,000.[53] The Supreme Court and the Court Of Appeals are appellate courts. The Court Of Appeals is required to hear appeals from certain lower-court decisions, including those regarding criminal prosecutions, juvenile delinquency, and habeas corpus.[53] The Supreme Court hears civil appeals and may in its discretion hear criminal appeals.[53]

[edit] State politics

Alaska has been characterized as a Republican-leaning state with strong libertarian tendencies.[54] Local political communities have often worked on issues related to land use development, fishing, tourism, and individual rights. Alaska Natives, while organized in and around their communities, have been active within the Native corporations. These have been given ownership over large tracts of land, which require stewardship.

Alaska is the only state in which possession of one ounce or less of marijuana is completely legal under state law, though the federal law remains in force.[55]

The state has possessed an independence movement favoring secession from the United States, with the Alaska Independence Party labeled as one of "the most significant state-level third parties operating in the 20th century".[56]

Most Alaskan governors have been conservatives, generally Republicans, but some have not always been elected under the official Republican banner. For example, Republican Governor Wally Hickel was elected to the office for a second term in 1990 after leaving the Republican ship and briefly joining the Alaskan Independence Party ticket just long enough to be reelected. He subsequently officially rejoined the Republican fold in 1994.

Further information: Political party strength in Alaska

[edit] Taxes

To finance state government operations, Alaska depends primarily on petroleum revenues and federal subsidies. This allows it to have the lowest individual tax burden in the United States,[57] and be one of only five states with no state sales tax, one of seven states that do not levy an individual income tax, and one of two states that has neither. The Department of Revenue Tax Division[58] reports regularly on the state's revenue sources. The Department also issues an annual overview of its operations, including new state laws that directly affect the tax division.

While Alaska has no state sales tax, 89 municipalities collect a local sales tax, from 1% to 7.5%, typically 3% to 5%. Other local taxes levied include raw fish taxes, hotel, motel, and B&B 'bed' taxes, severance taxes, liquor and tobacco taxes, gaming (pull tabs) taxes, tire taxes and fuel transfer taxes. A percentage of revenue collected from certain state taxes and license fees (such as petroleum, aviation motor fuel, telephone cooperative) is shared with municipalities in Alaska.

Fairbanks has one of the highest property taxes in the state as no sales or income taxes are assessed in the Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB). A sales tax for the FNSB has been voted on many times, but has yet to be approved, leading law makers to increase taxes dramatically on other goods such as liquor and tobacco.

In 2008 the Tax Foundation ranked Alaska as having the 4th most "business friendly" tax policy. Superior states were Wyoming, Nevada, and South Dakota.

[edit] Federal politics

In presidential elections, the state's electoral college votes have been won by the Republican nominee in every election since statehood, except for 1964. No state has voted for a Democratic presidential candidate fewer times. Alaska supported Democratic nominee Lyndon B. Johnson in the landslide year of 1964, although the 1960 and 1968 elections were close. Republican John McCain defeated Democrat Barack Obama in Alaska, 59.49% to 37.83%. McCain's running mate was Sarah Palin, the state's governor and the first Alaskan on a major party ticket. The Alaska Bush, the city of Juneau and midtown and downtown Anchorage have been strongholds of the Democratic party. Matanuska-Susitna Borough and South Anchorage typically have the strongest Republican showing. As of 2004, well over half of all registered voters have chosen "Non-Partisan" or "Undeclared" as their affiliation,[59] despite recent attempts to close primaries.

Because of its population relative to other U.S. states, Alaska has only one member in the U.S. House of Representatives. This seat is currently being held by Republican Don Young, who was re-elected to his 19th consecutive term in 2008.

On November 19, 2008, Ted Stevens was defeated by Mark Begich, who was declared the winner of the election by virtue of having an insurmountable lead during the counting process. This loss also meant that the Senate Republican caucus could avoid the spectacle of having to throw out Stevens, its longest-serving member, following his conviction on seven felony corruption charges.

Republican Frank Murkowski held the state's other senatorial position. After being elected governor in 2002, he resigned from the Senate and appointed his daughter, State Representative Lisa Murkowski as his successor. In response to a subsequent ballot initiative, the state legislature attempted to amend the law to limit the length of gubernatorial appointments. She won a full six-year term in 2004. In 2006 Frank Murkowski was defeated in the Republican primary by Sarah Palin, who in 2008 became the Republican nominee for Vice President of the United States.

[edit] Cities, towns and boroughs

Presidential elections results

Year Republican Democratic

2008 59.49% 192,631 37.83% 122,485

2004 61.07% 190,889 35.52% 111,025

2000 58.62% 167,398 27.67% 79,004

1996 50.80% 122,746 33.27% 80,380

1992 39.46% 102,000 30.29% 78,294

1988 59.59% 119,251 36.27% 72,584

1984 66.65% 138,377 29.87% 62,007

1980 54.35% 86,112 26.41% 41,842

1976 57.90% 71,555 35.65% 44,058

1972 58.13% 55,349 34.62% 32,967

1968 45.28% 37,600 42.65% 35,411

1964 34.09% 22,930 65.91% 44,329

1960 50.94% 30,953 49.06% 29,809

Anchorage, Alaska's largest city

Fairbanks

Alaska's capital city, JuneauSee also: List of cities in Alaska by population and Alaska locations by per capita income

Alaska is not divided into counties, as most of the other U.S. states, but it is divided into boroughs. Many of the more densely populated parts of the state are part of Alaska's sixteen boroughs, which function somewhat similarly to counties in other states. However, unlike county-equivalents in the other 49 states, the boroughs do not cover the entire land area of the state. The area not part of any borough is referred to as the Unorganized Borough. The Unorganized Borough has no government of its own, but the U.S. Census Bureau in cooperation with the state divided the Unorganized Borough into 11 census areas solely for the purposes of statistical analysis and presentation. A recording district is a mechanism for administration of the public record in Alaska. The state is divided into 34 recording districts which are centrally administered under a State Recorder. All recording districts use the same acceptance criteria, fee schedule, etc., for accepting documents into the public record.

The state's most populous city is Anchorage, home to 278,700 people in 2006, 225,744 of whom live in the urbanized area. The richest location in Alaska by per capita income is Halibut Cove ($89,895). Sitka, Juneau, and Anchorage are the three largest cities in the U.S. by area.

Cities of 100,000 or more people Anchorage

Towns of 10,000-100,000 people College Fairbanks

Juneau (State Capital) Towns of 1,000-10,000 people

Ketchikan Sitka Wasilla Kenai Kodiak Palmer Bethel

Barrow

 

Unalaska Valdez Soldotna Homer Nome Petersburg Wrangell Kotzebue

Seward

 

Dillingham Cordova Haines North Pole Hooper Bay Craig Houston

Metlakatla

Smaller towns Alaska has many smaller towns, especially in the Alaska Bush, the portion of the state that is inaccessible by road.

[edit] Education

The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development administers many school districts in Alaska. In addition, the state operates several boarding schools, including Mt. Edgecumbe High School in Sitka, Nenana Student Living Center in Nenana, and Galena High School in Galena.[60]

There are more than a dozen colleges and universities in Alaska. Accredited universities in Alaska include the University of Alaska Anchorage, University of Alaska Fairbanks, University of Alaska Southeast, and Alaska Pacific University.[61] 43% of the population attends or attended college.[citation needed]

Alaska has had a problem with a "brain drain". Many of its young people, including most of the highest academic achievers, leave the state after high school graduation and do not return. The University of Alaska has attempted to combat this by offering partial four-year scholarships to the top 10% of Alaska high school graduates, via the Alaska Scholars Program.[62]

[edit] Public health and public safety

Alaska residents have long had a problem with alcohol use and abuse.[citation needed] Many rural communities in Alaska have outlawed its import. This problem directly relates to Alaska's high rate of Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) as well as contributing to the high

rate of suicides and teenage pregnancies.[citation needed] Suicide rates for rural residents are higher than urban. [63]

Domestic abuse and other violent crimes are also at high levels in the state; this is in part linked to alcohol abuse.

[edit] Culture

See also List of artists and writers from Alaska

Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page. (April 2007)

Some of Alaska's popular annual events are the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race that starts in Anchorage and ends in Nome, World Ice Art Championships in Fairbanks, the Alaska Hummingbird Festival in Ketchikan, the Sitka Whale Fest, and the Stikine River Garnet Fest in Wrangell. The Stikine River features the largest springtime concentration of American Bald Eagles in the world.

The Alaska Native Heritage Center celebrates the rich heritage of Alaska's 11 cultural groups. Their purpose is to enhance self-esteem among Native people and to encourage cross-cultural exchanges among all people. The Alaska Native Arts Foundation promotes and markets Native art from all regions and cultures in the State, both on the internet; at its gallery in Anchorage, 500 West Sixth Avenue, and at the Alaska House New York, 109 Mercer Street in SoHo.[64]

Alaska Natives -- Inuit, Inupiaq or Yupik drummers and dancers -- give informal performances in the lobby of the Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage on weekday evenings.

[edit] Libraries

The four main libraries in the state are the Alaska State Library in Juneau, the Elmer E. Rasmuson Library in Fairbanks, the Z. J. Loussac Library in Anchorage, and the UAA/APU Consortium Library, also in Anchorage. Alaska is one of three states (the others are Delaware and Rhode Island) that does not have a Carnegie library.

[edit] Music

Main article: Music of Alaska

Influences on music in Alaska include the traditional music of Alaska Natives as well as folk music brought by later immigrants from Russia and Europe. Prominent musicians from Alaska include singer Jewel, traditional Aleut flautist Mary Youngblood, folk singer-songwriter Libby Roderick, metal/post hardcore band 36 Crazyfists and the group Pamyua.

There are many established music festivals in Alaska, including the Alaska Folk Festival, the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival the Anchorage Folk Festival, the Athabascan Old-Time Fiddling Festival, the Sitka Jazz Festival, and the Sitka Summer Music Festival. The most prominent symphony in Alaska is the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra, though the Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra and Juneau Symphony are also notable. The Anchorage Opera is currently the state's only professional opera company, though there are several volunteer and semi-professional organizations in the state as well.

The official state song of Alaska is "Alaska's Flag", which was adopted in 1955; it celebrates the flag of Alaska.

[edit] Movies filmed in Alaska

This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (October 2008)

Alaska's first independent picture all made on place was in the silent years. The Chechahcos, was released in 1924 by the Alaska Moving Picture Corp. It was the only film the company made.

One of the most prominent movies filmed in Alaska is MGM's Academy Award winning classic Eskimo/Mala The Magnificent starring Alaska's own Ray Mala. In 1932 an expedition set out from MGM's studios in Hollywood to Alaska to film what was then billed as "The Biggest Picture Ever Made." Upon arriving in Alaska, they set up "Camp Hollywood" in Northwest Alaska, where they lived during the duration of the filming. Louis B. Mayer spared no expense in making sure they had everything they needed during their stay -- he even sent the famous chef from the Hotel Roosevelt on Hollywood Blvd (the site of the first Oscars) with them to Alaska to cook for them. When Eskimo premiered at the famed Astor Theatre in Times Square, New York, the studio received the largest amount of feedback in the history of the studio up to that time. Eskimo was critically acclaimed and released worldwide; as a result Inupiat Eskimo actor Ray Mala became an international movie star. Eskimo is significant for the following: winning the very first Oscar for Best Film Editing at the Academy Awards, for forever preserving Inupiat culture on film, and for being the first motion picture to be filmed in an all native language (Inupiat).

The psychological thriller Insomnia, starring Al Pacino and Robin Williams was extensively shot in Canada, but was set in Alaska. The 2007 horror feature 30 Days of Night is set in Barrow, Alaska but was filmed in New Zealand. Most films and television shows set in Alaska are not filmed there; for example, Northern Exposure, set in the fictional town of Cicely, Alaska, was actually filmed in Roslyn, Washington.

The 1983 Disney movie Never Cry Wolf was at least partially shot in Alaska. The 1991 film "White Fang", starring Ethan Hawke, was filmed in and around Haines, Alaska. The 1999 John Sayles film Limbo, starring David Strathairn, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio

and Kris Kristofferson, was filmed in Juneau. Sean Penn filmed large portions of the film Into the Wild on location in Alaska.

[edit] State symbols

State Motto: North to the Future Nicknames: "The Last Frontier" or "Land of the Midnight Sun" or "Seward's

Icebox" State bird: Willow Ptarmigan, adopted by the Territorial Legislature in 1955. It is

a small (15-17 inches) Arctic grouse that lives among willows and on open tundra and muskeg. Plumage is brown in summer, changing to white in winter. The Willow Ptarmigan is common in much of Alaska.

State fish: King Salmon, adopted 1962. State flower: wild/native Forget-Me-Not, adopted by the Territorial Legislature in

1917.[65] It is a perennial that is found throughout Alaska, from Hyder to the Arctic Coast, and west to the Aleutians.

State fossil: Woolly Mammoth, adopted 1986. State gem: Jade, adopted 1968. State insect: Four-spot skimmer dragonfly, adopted 1995. State land mammal: Moose, adopted 1998. State marine mammal: Bowhead Whale, adopted 1983. State mineral: Gold, adopted 1968. State song: "Alaska's Flag" State sport: Dog Mushing, adopted 1972. State tree: Sitka Spruce, adopted 1962. State soil: Estelle, adopted unknown.

[edit] Notables

Marty Beckerman , author[66] Irene Bedard , actress Tom Bodett , author and voice actor Carlos Boozer , professional basketball player Mario Chalmers , professional basketball player Susan Butcher , noted dog musher, four-time Iditarod winner Matt Carle , professional ice hockey player Chad Carpenter ,[67] cartoonist and creator of the comic strip Tundra, which is self-

syndicated to over 200 newspapers within the United States[68] and, since 2007, has been syndicated internationally by King Features Syndicate.[69]

Daryn Colledge , professional football player for the Green Bay Packers Ty Conklin , professional ice hockey player Brandon Dubinsky , professional ice hockey player Erik Ellington , professional skateboarder Scott Gomez , professional ice hockey player Mike Gravel , former U.S. Senator

Ernest Gruening , former U.S. Senator, journalist Jewel , singer/songwriter Sydney Laurence , noted landscape painter Elizabeth Peratrovich , civil rights activist Ray Mala , actor Holly Madison , model and television personality Sarah Palin , 2008 Republican Vice Presidential nominee, governor of Alaska Libby Riddles , noted dog musher, first woman to win Iditarod Don Simpson , noted film producer Soapy Smith , con artist and gangster Nate Thompson , professional ice hockey player Dave Williams , professional baseball player Hannah White , contestant on America's Next Top Model, Cycle 11.

[edit] See also

Alaska portal

List of Alaska-related topics Enclave and exclave Alyeska

[edit] References

1. http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/jwcrawford/langleg.htm 2. http://users.rcn.com/crawj/kritz.htm 3. ^ a b c "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States,

Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008". United States Census Bureau. http://www.census.gov/popest/states/tables/NST-EST2008-01.csv. Retrieved on 2009-02-06.

4. ^ a b "Elevations and Distances in the United States". U.S Geological Survey. April 29, 2005. http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html#Highest. Retrieved on 2006-11-03.

5. http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=04000US02&-ds_name=PEP_2007_EST&-mt_name=PEP_2007_EST_G2007_T001

6. Pedersen. "Alaska Science Forum". http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF0/068.html. Retrieved on 2007-08-12.

7. Ransom, J. Ellis. 1940. Derivation of the Word ‘Alaska’. American Anthropologist n.s., 42: pp. 550-551

8. Benson, Carl (1998-09-02). "Alaska's Size in Perspective". Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks. http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF14/1404.html. Retrieved on 2007-11-19.

9. The other three exclaves of the United States are the Northwest Angle of Minnesota, Point Roberts, Washington and Alburgh, Vermont.

10. Porco, Peter (June 23, 2003). "Long said to be second to Fundy, city tides aren't even close". Anchorage Daily News: A1.

11. "Alaska Hydrology Survey" (HTML). Division of Mining, Land, and Water; Alaska Department of Natural Resources. http://www.dnr.state.ak.us/mlw/water/hydro/.

12. Alaska Facts 13. Western States Data Public Land Acreage 14. ^ a b Mean Annual Precipitation in Alaska-Yukon. Oregon Climate Service at

Oregon State University. Last accessed October 23, 2006. 15. ^ a b "NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards Information   — Alaska Weather

Interesting Facts and Records" (PDF). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. http://www.arh.noaa.gov/docs/AKWXfacts.pdf. Retrieved on 2007-01-03.

16. ^ a b "State Extremes". Western Regional Climate Center, Desert Research Institute. http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/htmlfiles/state.extremes.html. Retrieved on 2007-01-03.

17. "SD Weather History and Trivia for May: May 1". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. http://www.crh.noaa.gov/fsd/?n=fsdtrivia05. Retrieved on 2007-01-03.

18. "FAQ ALASKA   — Frequently Asked Questions About Alaska: Weather" . Statewide Library Electronic Doorway, University of Alaska Fairbanks. 2005-01-17. http://sled.alaska.edu/akfaq/aksuper.html#wea. Retrieved on 2007-01-03.

19. Ned Rozell (2003-01-23). "The Coldest Place in North America". Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF16/1630.html. Retrieved on 2007-01-03.

20. History for Barrow, Alaska. Monthly Summary for July 2006. Weather Underground. Last accessed October 23, 2006.

21. these three Aleutian outer islands are about 460 miles (740 km) away from continental USSR, 920 miles (1,480 km) from continental Alaska (U.S.), 950 miles (1,530 km) from Japan.

22. ^ a b c U. S. Census Bureau (2008-12-15). "Cumulative Estimates of the Components of Population Change for the United States, Regions and States: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008 (NST-EST2008-04)" (CSV). http://www.census.gov/popest/states/tables/NST-EST2008-04.csv. Retrieved on 2009-01-16.

23. http://www.census.gov/population/cen2000/phc-t2/tab01.txt 24. Alaska Profile of General Demographic Characteristics, American Fact Finder,

U.S. Census Bureau. 25. Data Center Results 26. Adherents.com 27. "Believe it or not, Alaska's one of nation's least religious states" Anchorage

Daily News, 2008 July 13.

28. "Religious Affiliations 2000". Alaska State Membership Report. Association of Religion Data Archives. http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/reports/state/02_2000.asp. Retrieved on 2008-03-31.

29. Religious legacy lives on in Alaska , BBC News 30. Welcome to SLED   :: FAQ Alaska 31. http://vilda.alaska.edu/u?/cdmg11,4904 An early Russian Orthodox Church 32. http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/maps/map.asp?state=101&variable=201

Association of Religion Data Archive 33. http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/tables/08s0076.xls 76 - Christian

Church Adherents, 2000, and Jewish Population, 2004 - States [Excel 27k] 34. First Muslim cemetery opens in Alaska 35. Engaging Muslim: Religion, Culture, Politics 36. Alaskan Muslims Avoid Conflict 37. Shri Ganesha Mandir of Alaska 38. [1] 39. Holi & Baisakhi celebrated by Alaskan Hindus and Sikhs 40. Craft Brewing Industry Statistics 41. Gas Hydrates on Alaska's North Slope. 42. "EIA State Energy Profiles: Alaska". 2008-06-12.

http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sid=AK. Retrieved on 2008-06-24.

43. Screening Report for Alaska Rural Energy Plan, April, 2001 44. Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation 45. State of Alaska Permanent Fund Division 46. See [2] for examples of companies offering free shipping to Alaska 47. completion of the 3.5 mile (5.6 km) Interstate 93 tunnel as part of the "Big Dig"

project in Boston, Massachusetts. 48. State of Alaska Office of Economic Development. Alaska Visitor Arrivals and

Profile-Summer 2001. November, 2002; retrieved September 11, 2006. 49. State of Alaska Office of Economic Development. Alaska Visitor Arrivals and

Profile-Fall/Winter 2001. November, 2002; retrieved September 11, 2006. 50. Federal Aviation Administration. 2005 U.S. Civil Airman Statistics 51. Norman Vaughan Serum Run 52. http://dop.state.ak.us/employeeOrientation/introduction 53. ^ a b c d About the Alaska Court System 54. National Journal Alaska State Profile [3] 55. Volz, Matt (2006-07-11). ""Judge rules against Alaska marijuana law"". The

Seattle Times. Frank A. Blethen. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003118645_webpot10.html. Retrieved on 2008-05-22.

56. Doughtery, J. (2001, February 25). Alaska party stumps for independence. World Net Daily. Retrieved from http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=21840

57. CNN Money (2005). How tax friendly is your state? Retrieved from http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/taxesbystate2005/index.html

58. Department of Revenue Tax Division 59. http://www.gov.state.ak.us/ltgov/elections/regbypty.htm 60. Alaska ICE 61. These are the only three universities in the state ranked by US News and World

Report.[4] 62. http://www.alaska.edu/scholars/faq.xml#scholars_award 63. http://www.hss.state.ak.us/suicideprevention/statistics_pages_sspc/

AKsuiciderate_rural_urban_90-00.htm 64. www.alaskanativearts.org 65. Alaska Conservation Foundation - State Symbols 66. [5] 67. Alaska State Legislature's House Majority (August 27, 2008). Tundra Creator

Honored as Alaska's Cartoon Laureate. Press release. http://www.housemajority.org/item.php?id=item20080827-618. Retrieved on 2008-09-01.

68. Gardner, Alan (May 24, 2008). "Chad Carpenter wins Newspaper Panel Award". The Daily Cartoonist. http://dailycartoonist.com/index.php/2008/05/24/chad-carpenter-wins-newspaper-panel-award/. Retrieved on 2008-09-01.

69. Richardson, Jeff (February 8, 2008). "‘Tundra’ cartoonist finds success in unexpected places". Fairbanks Daily News Miner. http://www.newsminer.com/news/2008/feb/08/tundra-cartoonist-finds-success-unexpected-places/. Retrieved on 2008-09-01.

[edit] External links

Find more about Alaska on Wikipedia's sister projects:

Definitions from Wiktionary

Textbooks from Wikibooks

Quotations from Wikiquote

Source texts from Wikisource

Images and media from CommonsNews stories from Wikinews

Learning resources from WikiversityState Government

State of Alaska website Alaska State Databases - Annotated list of searchable databases produced by

Alaska state agencies and compiled by the Government Documents Roundtable of the American Library Association.

Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Recorder's Office

U.S. Government Energy & Environmental Data for Alaska USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Alaska US Census Bureau Alaska State Facts Documents on Alaskan Statehood at the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential

Library

Other Alaska Community Database System Alaska's Digital Archives Alaska , project area of the American Land Conservancy Alaska Inter-Tribal Council Alaska at the Open Directory Project

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