Alaska is situated at the northwest of Canada and is the largest U.S. state. Alaska has a diverse geography with wide-open spaces, mountains, lakes and forests. The flora and fauna if this state is very unique, abundant and amazing, which attracts thousands of tourists who seeks wildlife adventures. Here we have many facts about Alaska for kids to let you know all about this amazing state of USA.
Facts About Alaska for Kids
Ranking
According to area, Alaska is by far the biggest US state.
Alaska is the biggest exclave of the world (and naturally America’s as well). An exclave is the part of a country which is not connected to that country in geographical or physical terms.
In terms of crude oil extraction, Alaska stands at the second position in USA.
According to the Tax Foundation reports of 2008, Alaska stood at 4th position due to its relaxed business-oriented policies.
Alaska stands at the 4th position among the least-inhabited states of America.
Alaska stands at the 5th position among the highest number of millionaires per capita in the US.
It ranks at the 10th position among the richest states of USA.
According to per capita personal income of 2007, Alaska ranked 15th in USA.
According to Gross Regional Product (GRP) of 2007, Alaska ranked 45th in USA.
As per population in 2010, Alaska stood at the 47th position in USA.
Alaska ranks 49th position among all other US States.
Facts About The Cities of Alaska
The biggest city of Alaska is Anchorage.
The second biggest city after Anchorage is Fairbanks.
Juneau is the third biggest city.
The biggest city in ‘The Bush’ (rustic areas of Alaska) is Bethel.
Anchorage is also the most heavily populated city of Alaska.
The top four biggest cities of USA are found in Alaska.
At the northernmost part of US, is an Alaska’s city named Barrow. It is also known as Top of the World due to its geographical location.
There is no road that leads to Alaska’s capital Juneau and thus it is literally out-of-the-way city.
Physical, Human and Economic Geography of Alaska
Alaska’s Mount Mckinley is the biggest mountain of North America.
With only 1.2 people per square mile, Alaska is certainly among the most thinly inhabited regions across the globe.
Among all the states of America, Alaska is the only state where biggest percentage of Quaker inhabitants live.
Unimak Island of Alaska is the biggest of the Aleutian Islands.
Mount Shishaldin is a blazing volcano in Alaska. This volcanic cone is the most balanced and perfect across the globe.
There are 3 million lakes in Alaska.
About 50 percent of the world’s glaciers are found in Alaska (i.e. 100,000).
With the daily production of 400,000 barrels, Prudhoe Bay oil field of Alaska is the largest in USA in terms of production.
Alaska was struck with a deadly tremor in 1964 called ‘Great Alaskan Earthquake’ or ‘Good Friday Earthquake’. The duration of this earthquake was about 3 minutes with a magnitude of 9.2 on Richter scale. Even now it is the strongest earthquake in US history; third strongest and second biggest in the world too. The number of people perished amounted to 139.
Over 80 percent of the Alaska’s economy derives its income from oil mining.
Seafood (like crab and salmon) forms a large portion of the state’s export.
Alaska pipeline or TAPS (Trans-Alaska Pipeline System) is among the biggest pipeline arrangements in the world. It travels in a zigzag fashion and extracts daily 2.1 million barrels of oil.
Since there are quite a number of rivers in this state, Alaska has one of the greatest resources of hydropower in US.
As compare to other nearby states, Alaska has a comparatively higher cost of living.
When it comes to pilots per capita, Alaska again exceeds all other US states by having one pilot in every 78 persons and thus the only region with maximum pilots in all other states of US.
The people of Alaska enjoy least tax amount to be paid as compare to other US states thanks to its proceeds from petroleum extraction.
There are five US states that do not levy Sales Tax on their inhabitants and Alaska is one of them.
There are seven US states that do not charge Income Tax on person’s income and Alaska is one of them.
There are only two US states that do not charge either Sales Tax or Income Tax on its people and Alaska is clearly one of them.
There are 34 recording districts in this state.
According to per capita income, Halibut Cove is the most affluent area in this state.
Alaska is home to over 12 educational institutions.
Relative Size Of Alaska
The seashore of Alaska is larger than the collective shorelines of the fifty US states.
Alaska is two times bigger than Texas, which stands at the second position among the biggest states of America.
It is bigger than eighteen autonomous countries of the world.
The collective area of 22 smallest American states is less than the area of Alaska.
Alaska’s ANWR (Arctic National Wildlife Refuge) is the biggest wildlife sanctuary of the world.
An Alaska’s tunnel known as Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel has a length of about 2.5 miles and is North America’s biggest road-rail arrangement.
Located on the south central area of this state is a region called Anchorage metropolitan area, where nearly 50 percent of local people are inhabited.
Unlike many of the other American states, Alaska comprises of boroughs (sixteen of them) instead of counties.
Politics of Alaska
When it comes to elections for US Presidents, Alaska has always been in Republican’s camp. That’s why Barack Obama lost here both in 2008 elections as well as in 2012’s because he was a Democrat.
Though he was routed in 2012 elections but by clinching 40 percent votes from Alaska, Barack Obama became the first Democrat ever since 1968 to have achieved such high percentage of Alaskan votes.
Due to lower population in Alaska compared to the rest of the states, the United States House of Representatives comprises of only 1 Alaskan member.
More Facts About Alaska
This state was previously under the supremacy of Russia.
America had acquired it on 30th March, 1867 at the cost of 7.2 million dollars.
Alaska’s at-large Congressional District is the biggest US congressional district.
St. Gabriel is believed to be the very first ship from Europe that arrived in Alaska back in August 1732.
When Alaska was under the control of Russia, Sitka used to be the capital of this state.
It was in 1912 that Alaska was declared as a planned territory.
Cessna 208 Caravan is a famous Alaska’s nine-seat airliner.
Lake Hood Seaplane Base of Alaska is the busiest base in the world.
Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race (which is a dog team race held in winter) is a well-known amusement in Alaska.
Alaska’s Stikine River is 610 km long and receives the biggest number of Bald Eagles that are united in one place.
- The song of this state is called Alaska’s Flag.
- It was included on January 03, 1959.
- Other name of Alaska is: The Last Frontier
- Juneau is the capital of Alaska.
- The motto of this state is North to the Future.
- Willow Ptarmigan is the bird of this state.
- Four-spot skimmer dragonfly is Alaska’s hallmark insect.
- Alaskan Malamute is the dog of this state.
- Moose is the land mammal of this state while Bowhead Whale is its maritime mammal.
- A gigantic Woolly Mammoth is the fossil present in this state.
- Chinook salmon is the fish of Alaska.
- Forget-me-not is the flower of this state.
- Dogteam racing is the sport of Alaska.
- Jade is the precious stone that is found here.
- Gold is the mineral of this state.
- Sitkta spruce is the tree of Alaska.
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