Alaska is unlike any other U.S. state. It is enormous, sparsely populated, and filled with mountains, glaciers, forests, tundra, rivers, islands, and long stretches of coastline. It sits at the far northwestern edge of North America, separated from the lower 48 states by Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Juneau is the capital of Alaska, while Anchorage is the largest city and home to the biggest share of the state’s population. Alaska is also known for its Alaska Native cultures, oil fields, fishing industry, national parks, wildlife, and North America’s highest mountain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this guide, you’ll learn the most important facts about Alaska, including its geography, cities, population, history, economy, GDP, natural resources, landmarks, and state symbols.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Data last reviewed:<\/strong> August 2026. Population figures are based on the latest available U.S. Census Bureau estimates, and GDP figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n Alaska is in the far northwest of North America. Canada lies to the east, the Arctic Ocean lies to the north, and the Pacific Ocean and Gulf of Alaska lie to the south. The Bering Sea is to the west and southwest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unlike the other 48 contiguous states, Alaska does not share a border with another U.S. state. To travel overland between Alaska and the lower 48 states, you must pass through Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alaska stretches across a huge part of northwestern North America. Its mainland reaches north into the Arctic, while the Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian Islands extend far west into the North Pacific.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The state’s location also gives it an important place in Arctic research, aviation, fishing, shipping, national defense, and relations across the northern Pacific.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Canada is the only country that shares a land border with Alaska. Alaska borders Canada’s Yukon territory and the province of British Columbia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Russia lies to the west across the Bering Strait. Although Alaska and Russia are close to each other, they do not share a land border.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. The U.S. Census Bureau lists 571,022.38 square miles of land area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Its size is easy to underestimate because many maps place Alaska in a small inset beside the lower 48 states. In reality, Alaska is so large that communities within the state can be separated by hundreds of miles of mountains, rivers, wilderness, or ocean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alaska has some of the most varied geography in the United States. Its landscape includes Arctic tundra, forests, mountain ranges, volcanoes, river valleys, glaciers, fjords, wetlands, islands, and long stretches of coastline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alaska is often divided into several broad regions. Each one has its own climate, landscape, communities, and way of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alaska has several major mountain ranges, including the Alaska Range, Brooks Range, Chugach Mountains, Wrangell Mountains, and Aleutian Range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many of Alaska’s mountains are covered by snow and ice for much of the year. Glaciers have also shaped valleys, fjords, and other landforms across large parts of the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The highest mountain in Alaska is also the highest mountain in North America. It rises 20,310 feet above sea level in the Alaska Range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The mountain is widely known as Denali<\/strong>, an Indigenous name with deep cultural meaning. In 2025, the U.S. federal government restored Mount McKinley<\/strong> as the official federal geographic name. The surrounding protected area is still called Denali National Park and Preserve<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because both names are used today, students may see either Mount McKinley or Denali in books, maps, news reports, and government sources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Glaciers are one of Alaska’s most famous natural features. Large icefields feed glaciers that flow through mountain valleys and sometimes reach lakes, rivers, or the sea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Harding Icefield in Kenai Fjords National Park feeds dozens of glaciers. Other major glacier areas can be found around Glacier Bay, Prince William Sound, and the Juneau Icefield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Yukon River is one of Alaska’s best-known rivers. It crosses much of the Interior before flowing toward the Bering Sea. Other important rivers include the Kuskokwim, Copper, Susitna, Tanana, and Colville.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rivers are especially important in Alaska because some communities have little or no road access. They support fish, transportation, local travel, and subsistence activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alaska has a long and complicated coastline filled with bays, fjords, islands, and peninsulas. The Aleutian Islands form a long chain stretching west from the Alaska Peninsula.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many of the Aleutian Islands are volcanic. Alaska is one of the most volcanically active parts of the United States because it lies along an active plate boundary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alaska does not have one single climate. Conditions vary greatly depending on location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Daylight also changes dramatically during the year. In the far north, the sun may stay above the horizon for weeks in summer and remain below it for a period in winter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alaska is home to vast forests, tundra, wetlands, rivers, mountains, and marine habitats. These environments support large numbers of wild animals and also provide food, jobs, and natural resources for Alaska communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Much of Interior Alaska is covered by boreal forest, also called taiga. Farther north, the landscape changes into treeless Arctic tundra. Southeast Alaska, by contrast, contains wet coastal temperate rainforest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alaska is well known for brown bears, black bears, polar bears, moose, caribou, wolves, Dall sheep, bald eagles, sea otters, seals, walruses, and whales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Its rivers and coastal waters also support salmon and many other fish species that are important to commercial fishing, local food supplies, and Alaska Native traditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Juneau is the capital of Alaska.<\/strong> It is in Southeast Alaska along the Inside Passage and is home to the main offices of the state government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The City and Borough of Juneau had an estimated population of 31,609 on July 1, 2025. Government is a major part of the local economy, along with tourism, transportation, services, and fishing-related activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Juneau has one of the most unusual settings of any U.S. state capital. Mountains, icefields, and waterways surround the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Anchorage is much larger than Juneau, but a state’s largest city is not always its capital. Juneau became an important government center during Alaska’s territorial years and remained the capital when Alaska became a state in 1959.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The easiest way to remember the difference is simple: Juneau is the capital, and Anchorage is the largest city.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n No highway connects Juneau directly with the main North American road system. There are roads within the Juneau area, but travelers usually arrive by plane or ship. Ferry service is available through the Alaska Marine Highway System.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most Alaskans live in a relatively small number of cities and population centers. The figures below are U.S. Census Bureau estimates for July 1, 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Anchorage is easily Alaska’s largest city. With an estimated population of 287,155 in 2025, it is home to a large share of the state’s residents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The city is a major center for air travel, freight, health care, shopping, government, tourism, and business. Its airport and transportation links are especially important in a state where many communities are difficult to reach by road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fairbanks is the main city of Interior Alaska. It is important for education, transportation, tourism, government, military activity, and services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The University of Alaska Fairbanks is also well known for research on the Arctic, climate, geophysics, permafrost, and northern environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The U.S. Census Bureau estimated Alaska’s population at 737,270 on July 1, 2025<\/strong>. Alaska had 733,391 residents in the 2020 Census and 710,231 in the 2010 Census.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alaska is huge, but relatively few people live there. In the 2020 Census, the state had only about 1.3 people per square mile of land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are several reasons. Much of Alaska has a cold or difficult climate, many areas are mountainous or remote, and some communities cannot be reached by road. Building roads, utilities, schools, and other services across such large distances can also be expensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a result, people are concentrated around Anchorage, the Matanuska-Susitna area, Fairbanks, Juneau, and a number of smaller regional communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alaska Native peoples have lived in the region for thousands of years. Their history is not a small part of Alaska’s story; it is where Alaska’s human history begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alaska Native peoples are not one single cultural group. Alaska is home to many distinct peoples, including I\u00f1upiat, Yup’ik and Cup’ik peoples, Unangax\u0302, Alutiiq\/Sugpiaq peoples, Alaska Athabascan peoples, Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Alaska Native Language Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks recognizes at least 20 Native languages in Alaska. These languages belong to several different language families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Today, many communities, schools, elders, teachers, and language programs are working to preserve and teach Alaska Native languages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For generations, Alaska Native communities have relied on close knowledge of the land, rivers, sea, weather, animals, and seasons. Fishing, hunting, gathering, trade, and travel remain important parts of life in many communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These traditions are not only part of the past. They continue to shape food, family life, culture, and community ties across Alaska today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Long before Europeans arrived, Indigenous peoples lived throughout Alaska in communities suited to very different environments. Some depended heavily on the sea, while others lived along rivers, in forests, on islands, or across Arctic tundra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They developed trade networks, languages, technologies, art, social systems, and detailed knowledge of the natural world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Russian explorers and traders began expanding into Alaska during the 18th century. Sea otter fur was especially valuable, and the fur trade became a major reason for Russian activity in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Russian settlements were established in some areas, but Russian influence was never equally strong across all of Alaska. The period brought trade and cultural exchange, but it also brought disease, violence, exploitation, and serious disruption to Alaska Native communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The United States purchased Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million<\/strong> in 1867. U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward negotiated the deal with Russian representative Eduard de Stoeckl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The agreement was reached on March 30, 1867, and the formal transfer took place on October 18 of the same year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some Americans mocked the purchase at the time. Later gold discoveries, fisheries, minerals, oil, and Alaska’s strategic location made the territory far more important than many early critics expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gold discoveries in Alaska and nearby Yukon brought large numbers of prospectors north in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Towns such as Skagway and Nome became closely linked with the gold-rush period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mining also encouraged new settlements, businesses, trails, ports, and transportation routes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alaska became very important during World War II because of its location in the North Pacific.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Japanese forces occupied the islands of Attu and Kiska in 1942. The fighting that followed became the only major World War II ground campaign fought on incorporated U.S. territory in North America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The war also led to more military bases, roads, airfields, and other construction in Alaska.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alaska became the 49th U.S. state on January 3, 1959.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Statehood gave Alaskans full representation as a state in Congress and established the modern state government under the Alaska Constitution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Large oil discoveries on Alaska’s North Slope changed the state’s economy. Prudhoe Bay became one of the best-known oil-producing areas in the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Trans-Alaska Pipeline System was built to carry crude oil from the North Slope south to Valdez, where it could be loaded onto ships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oil revenue later played an important role in the creation and growth of the Alaska Permanent Fund.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alaska’s economy is closely tied to its geography and natural resources. Oil is important, but it is only one part of the state’s economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Other major parts of the economy include government, transportation, fishing, seafood processing, mining, tourism, health care, construction, retail, and military activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oil and gas have played a major role in Alaska since large-scale production began on the North Slope. Petroleum supports jobs, businesses, transportation, and state revenue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Trans-Alaska Pipeline remains one of the clearest symbols of Alaska’s oil industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fishing is another major part of Alaska’s economy. Salmon, pollock, crab, halibut, cod, and other species support commercial fleets, seafood plants, ports, and coastal communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fishing also matters outside the commercial industry. Many Alaska families depend on subsistence or personal-use fishing for food and tradition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mining has been part of Alaska’s economy for more than a century. Gold played a major role during the state’s early development, and modern mines also produce metals such as zinc and silver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because some mines are located in remote areas, even a single project can have a noticeable effect on nearby jobs and communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Millions of visitors are drawn to Alaska’s glaciers, wildlife, national parks, cruises, fishing, mountains, and northern lights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tourism supports hotels, restaurants, tour companies, guides, shops, transportation services, and seasonal jobs, especially in popular coastal and park areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Transportation matters more in Alaska than it does in many states because so many communities are far apart and not connected by road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Aircraft carry passengers, mail, medical supplies, groceries, and freight. Ships and ferries serve coastal communities. Highways and the Alaska Railroad are important in areas where land routes are available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Federal, state, and local government jobs make up an important part of Alaska’s economy. The U.S. military also has a strong presence because Alaska is close to the Arctic and lies across the North Pacific from Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n GDP, or gross domestic product, measures the total value of goods and services produced within an economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Alaska’s current-dollar GDP was about $75.0 billion in 2025<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For comparison, Alaska’s current-dollar GDP was about $71.6 billion in 2024 and $68.2 billion in 2023. These figures are measured in the dollars of each year and are not adjusted for inflation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alaska’s GDP comes from many different activities. Government is a major contributor, as are mining and oil and gas extraction. Transportation is also especially important because of the state’s size and limited road system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Health care, construction, real estate, retail, professional services, tourism, fishing, and other industries also add to Alaska’s economic output.<\/p>\n\n\n\n GDP does not tell us how much money the average person earns. It measures production across the whole economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wages, household income, business profits, government payments, and cost of living are separate measures. That is why GDP should not be treated as the same thing as personal income.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Alaska Permanent Fund was created to save and invest part of the state’s mineral wealth for the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alaska voters approved the fund through a constitutional amendment in 1976. Under the state constitution, at least 25 percent of certain mineral revenues must be placed into the fund.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation manages the money and invests it over the long term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Permanent Fund Dividend, usually called the PFD, is a yearly payment available to eligible Alaska residents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The dividend is not the same thing as the Permanent Fund itself. The fund is the large pool of invested money, while the PFD is a payment program governed by state law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The amount can change from year to year, so the Alaska Department of Revenue should be checked for the latest figure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alaska does not use counties in the same way most U.S. states do. Instead, it uses boroughs<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alaska currently has 19 organized borough governments. Areas outside those boroughs are part of the Unorganized Borough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For Census purposes, parts of the Unorganized Borough are divided into census areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This unusual system makes more sense when Alaska’s geography is considered. Many communities are small, remote, and separated by huge distances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The University of Alaska is the state’s main public university system. Its best-known campuses include the University of Alaska Anchorage, University of Alaska Fairbanks, and University of Alaska Southeast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Education can be difficult to provide in remote parts of Alaska. Some villages are far from the road system and can be reached mainly by air, boat, or seasonal routes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alaska is an important place for research on the Arctic and northern environments. Researchers study sea ice, climate, permafrost, earthquakes, volcanoes, fisheries, geophysics, Indigenous languages, and the challenges of building and living in cold regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alaska contains some of the largest protected wild areas in the United States. Its national parks preserve mountains, glaciers, tundra, volcanoes, rivers, wildlife habitat, and places of deep cultural importance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Denali National Park and Preserve protects about six million acres of wild land in Interior Alaska. The landscape ranges from forests and tundra to glaciers and high mountains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The park is also home to animals such as grizzly bears, caribou, moose, Dall sheep, and wolves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Glacier Bay in Southeast Alaska is known for glaciers, fjords, mountains, marine wildlife, and its strong cultural ties to the Huna Tlingit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is a good example of how Alaska’s natural history and human history often overlap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alaska is best known for its huge size, mountains, glaciers, wildlife, Alaska Native cultures, national parks, oil fields, fisheries, and Arctic landscapes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is also famous for the northern lights, long summer days, remote communities, dog mushing, salmon fishing, and outdoor recreation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In history, Alaska is closely linked with the Alaska Purchase, the gold rush, World War II in the Aleutian Islands, statehood in 1959, and the development of North Slope oil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are studying Alaska for school, an exam, or a quiz, these are the facts worth remembering:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. What is the capital of Alaska?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Answer: C. Juneau<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. What is the largest city in Alaska?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Answer: B. Anchorage<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. When did Alaska become a U.S. state?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Answer: D. 1959<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. Alaska was which state admitted to the Union?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Answer: C. 49th<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 5. From which country did the United States purchase Alaska?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Answer: B. Russia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 6. How much did the United States agree to pay for Alaska in 1867?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Answer: C. $7.2 million<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 7. What is the highest mountain in Alaska and North America?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Answer: D. Mount McKinley\/Denali<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 8. Which country shares Alaska’s land border?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Answer: B. Canada<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 9. What is Alaska’s postal abbreviation?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Answer: C. AK<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 10. Which major river flows across Interior Alaska toward the Bering Sea?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Answer: B. Yukon River<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 11. What type of regional government does Alaska use instead of conventional counties?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Answer: D. Boroughs<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 12. Which Alaska industry is closely associated with the North Slope?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Answer: B. Oil and gas<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 13. What is Alaska’s nickname?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Answer: B. The Last Frontier<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 14. What is the state bird of Alaska?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Answer: C. Willow ptarmigan<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 15. What is the Alaska Permanent Fund?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Answer: C. A fund created to save and invest part of Alaska’s mineral wealth<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Juneau is the capital of Alaska. It is in Southeast Alaska and is home to the main offices of the state government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Anchorage is Alaska’s largest city. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated its population at 287,155 on July 1, 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alaska is known for its huge size, mountains, glaciers, wildlife, Alaska Native cultures, oil fields, fisheries, national parks, and Arctic landscapes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The United States purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867. Alaska later became a U.S. territory and then the 49th state in 1959.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The United States and Russia agreed to the Alaska Purchase in March 1867. The formal transfer took place on October 18, 1867.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The United States agreed to pay Russia $7.2 million for Alaska.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alaska became the 49th U.S. state on January 3, 1959.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The U.S. Census Bureau estimated Alaska’s population at 737,270 on July 1, 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alaska’s current-dollar GDP was about $75.0 billion in 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Major parts of Alaska’s economy include government, oil and gas, transportation, fishing and seafood processing, mining, health care, construction, tourism, and other services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Canada is the only country that shares a land border with Alaska. Alaska borders Yukon and British Columbia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes. Alaska and Russia are separated by the Bering Strait, and the Diomede Islands lie between the two mainland areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mount McKinley, widely known as Denali, is Alaska’s highest mountain. It rises 20,310 feet and is also the highest mountain in North America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alaska uses boroughs instead of the county system used by most states. Areas outside organized boroughs are part of the Unorganized Borough and are divided into census areas for statistical purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Juneau is the capital of Alaska. Anchorage is the state’s largest city, but it is not the capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes. You can drive to road-connected parts of Alaska from the contiguous United States by traveling through Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No continuous highway connects Juneau with the main North American road system. Travelers usually reach the city by plane or ship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Parts of northern Alaska have continuous daylight for a period during summer because they lie above the Arctic Circle. Those same areas can also go through a period without sunrise in winter. The amount of daylight depends on location and season, so this does not happen everywhere in Alaska at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Population, GDP, and other statistics can change when government agencies publish new estimates. When citing these figures, include the year so readers know exactly which data you are using.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Explore Alaska facts, including its capital, major cities, population, geography, history, economy, GDP, Native cultures, landmarks, and state symbols.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":23069,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","mcq_note":"","mcq_options":[],"mcq_multi_answer":"","mcq-view-count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1506,1887,1885,1886,1884],"tags":[1882,3248,3247,3254,1883,3252,3250,3253,3255,3256,3251,3249],"class_list":["post-23067","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-geography","category-us-capitals-cities","category-us-geography","category-united-states-facts","category-usa-states","tag-alaska","tag-alaska-capital","tag-alaska-cities","tag-alaska-economy","tag-alaska-facts","tag-alaska-gdp","tag-alaska-geography","tag-alaska-history","tag-alaska-native-peoples","tag-anchorage","tag-denali","tag-juneau"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mcqacademy.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23067","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mcqacademy.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mcqacademy.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mcqacademy.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mcqacademy.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23067"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mcqacademy.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23067\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23068,"href":"https:\/\/mcqacademy.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23067\/revisions\/23068"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mcqacademy.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23069"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mcqacademy.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23067"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mcqacademy.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23067"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mcqacademy.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23067"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Quick Facts About Alaska<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Fact<\/strong><\/td> Alaska<\/strong><\/td><\/tr> Official name<\/td> State of Alaska<\/td><\/tr> Postal abbreviation<\/td> AK<\/td><\/tr> Capital<\/td> Juneau<\/td><\/tr> Largest city<\/td> Anchorage<\/td><\/tr> Nickname<\/td> The Last Frontier<\/td><\/tr> State motto<\/td> North to the Future<\/td><\/tr> Statehood date<\/td> January 3, 1959<\/td><\/tr> Order of statehood<\/td> 49th state<\/td><\/tr> 2025 population estimate<\/td> 737,270<\/td><\/tr> Land area<\/td> 571,022.38 square miles<\/td><\/tr> 2020 population density<\/td> 1.3 people per square mile<\/td><\/tr> Highest point<\/td> Mount McKinley, widely known as Denali \u2014 20,310 feet<\/td><\/tr> Neighboring country<\/td> Canada<\/td><\/tr> Major bodies of water<\/td> Arctic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska<\/td><\/tr> State bird<\/td> Willow ptarmigan<\/td><\/tr> State flower<\/td> Forget-me-not<\/td><\/tr> State tree<\/td> Sitka spruce<\/td><\/tr> State fish<\/td> King salmon<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Where Is Alaska Located?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Alaska on the Map of North America<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What Borders Alaska?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How Large Is Alaska?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Geography of Alaska<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Major Geographic Regions of Alaska<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Mountains of Alaska<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Mount McKinley, Denali, and North America’s Highest Mountain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Glaciers and Icefields<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Major Rivers and Lakes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Coastline, Islands, and Volcanoes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Climate of Alaska<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Natural Resources and Wildlife of Alaska<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Forests and Tundra<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Wildlife<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What Is the Capital of Alaska?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
About Juneau<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Why Isn’t Anchorage the Capital?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Can You Drive to Juneau?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Major Cities in Alaska<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
City or municipality<\/th> 2025 estimated population<\/th> Known for<\/th><\/tr><\/thead> Anchorage<\/td> 287,155<\/td> Largest city and main population center<\/td><\/tr> Juneau<\/td> 31,609<\/td> State capital<\/td><\/tr> Fairbanks<\/td> 31,468<\/td> Main center of Interior Alaska<\/td><\/tr> Wasilla<\/td> 10,556<\/td> Growing community in the Matanuska-Susitna area<\/td><\/tr> Sitka<\/td> 8,319<\/td> Historic coastal community<\/td><\/tr> Ketchikan<\/td> 7,939<\/td> Port, fishing, and tourism center<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Anchorage \u2014 Alaska’s Largest City<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Fairbanks \u2014 Hub of Interior Alaska<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Population of Alaska<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Year<\/th> Population<\/th> Type<\/th><\/tr><\/thead> 2010<\/td> 710,231<\/td> Decennial Census<\/td><\/tr> 2020<\/td> 733,391<\/td> Decennial Census<\/td><\/tr> 2025<\/td> 737,270<\/td> July 1 population estimate<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Why Is Alaska So Sparsely Populated?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Alaska Native Peoples and Cultures<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Alaska Native Languages<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Life Connected to Land and Sea<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
History of Alaska<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Alaska Before European Contact<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Russian Exploration and Russian America<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Alaska Purchase of 1867<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Gold Rush Era<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Alaska During World War II<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
When Did Alaska Become a State?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Oil and the Trans-Alaska Pipeline<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Economy of Alaska<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Oil and Gas<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Fishing and Seafood<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Mining<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Tourism<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Transportation and Logistics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Government and Military Activity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
GDP of Alaska<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Year<\/th> Alaska current-dollar GDP<\/th><\/tr><\/thead> 2023<\/td> Approximately $68.2 billion<\/td><\/tr> 2024<\/td> Approximately $71.6 billion<\/td><\/tr> 2025<\/td> Approximately $75.0 billion<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n What Industries Contribute to Alaska’s GDP?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
GDP Is Not the Same as Income<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Alaska Permanent Fund<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What Is the Permanent Fund Dividend?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Government and Boroughs of Alaska<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Why Doesn’t Alaska Have Counties?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Education in Alaska<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Arctic and Northern Research<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
National Parks and Famous Natural Places in Alaska<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Place<\/th> Why it is important<\/th><\/tr><\/thead> Denali National Park and Preserve<\/td> Home to North America’s highest mountain and huge stretches of Interior wilderness<\/td><\/tr> Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve<\/td> Known for glaciers, fjords, marine life, and Indigenous history<\/td><\/tr> Kenai Fjords National Park<\/td> Known for coastal fjords and glaciers flowing from the Harding Icefield<\/td><\/tr> Katmai National Park and Preserve<\/td> Famous for volcanoes and brown bears<\/td><\/tr> Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve<\/td> Protects a vast roadless area north of the Arctic Circle<\/td><\/tr> Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve<\/td> Known for huge mountains, glaciers, and wilderness<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Denali National Park and Preserve<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Famous Landmarks and Places in Alaska<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Alaska State Symbols<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Symbol<\/th> Official designation<\/th><\/tr><\/thead> Nickname<\/td> The Last Frontier<\/td><\/tr> Motto<\/td> North to the Future<\/td><\/tr> State bird<\/td> Willow ptarmigan<\/td><\/tr> State flower<\/td> Forget-me-not<\/td><\/tr> State tree<\/td> Sitka spruce<\/td><\/tr> State fish<\/td> King salmon<\/td><\/tr> State land mammal<\/td> Moose<\/td><\/tr> State marine mammal<\/td> Bowhead whale<\/td><\/tr> State gem<\/td> Jade<\/td><\/tr> State mineral<\/td> Gold<\/td><\/tr> State sport<\/td> Dog mushing<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n What Is Alaska Known For?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Interesting Facts About Alaska<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Alaska Facts for Students<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Alaska MCQ Quiz Questions and Answers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Frequently Asked Questions About Alaska<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What is the capital of Alaska?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What is the largest city in Alaska?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What is Alaska known for?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Why is Alaska part of the United States?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
When did the United States buy Alaska?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How much did the United States pay for Alaska?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
When did Alaska become a state?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What is the population of Alaska?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What is Alaska’s GDP?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What are Alaska’s major industries?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What country borders Alaska?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Is Alaska close to Russia?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What is the highest mountain in Alaska?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Why doesn’t Alaska have counties?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Is Juneau or Anchorage the capital of Alaska?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Can you drive from the lower 48 states to Alaska?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Can you drive to Juneau?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Does Alaska have 24 hours of daylight?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Key Takeaways About Alaska<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Sources and References<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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