Alaska

Alaska has 21 official state languages: English and 20 Native languages.

Alaska's elevation rises from sea level (at various ocean bodies) to the top of Mt. Denali at 20,310'.

Denali

Vitus Bering was the first non-Native explorer to reach Alaska, landing in 1741.  Within a few years, Russians had enslaved and kidnapped Aleuts to force them to hunt for sea otter and other furs.  When the Natives rebelled, the Russians enforced their claim ruthlessly.  During the 1820s, Russia signed treaties with the US and England claiming their right to those lands. 

By the end of the Crimean War in 1850s, however, Russia was low on cash, the fur trade had become less profitable, yet governing Alaska continued to cost money.  Russia offered to sell Alaska to the US.  US Secretary of State William Seward knew of Alaska's resources from expeditions by the Smithsonian's American Natural History Museum and, in 1867, he agreed to buy it for 2 cents an acre.

In June 1942, Japan occupied the Aleutian islands of Attu and Kiska.  The US didn't get them back until August 1943.

Alaska is the northernmost and westernmost and easternmost state in the US.  (Easternmost because some of the Aleutians cross the International Date Line.)

The Bering Strait is only about 50 miles wide, with Big (Russians) and Little (US) Diomede Islands in the middle.

On Good Friday in 1964, a 9.2 earthquake hit Alaska on its coast with the Gulf of Alaska.  The resulting tsunami was responsible for most of the 131 deaths.

During the summer, residents in the North Slope area can see the sun for 84 days straight.

Because Alaskans are spread out over such an enormous area, the Alaska Dept. of Education has for many years used an extensive correspondence study program.  Modern technologies - such as the Internet and teleconferencing - have made the program even more effective.

Alaska has more water than any other state: 33,904 miles of saltwater tidelands; 3,000 rivers; 3 million lakes of 20 acres or more; 100,000 glaciers.

Southeast Alaska is a temperate rain forest and the only area of Alaska where the average winter daytime high is above freezing.

Tongass National Forest in Southeast AK

Alaska tied with Hawaii for the lowest high temperature in the US: Alaska's record of 100° at Fort Yukon was set in 1915.  Alaska lost - by 1° - to the Yukon Territory for the lowest low temperature in North America: Alaska's record of -80° at Prospect Creek was set in 1971.

Alaska has about 80 active volcanoes, and the Aleutian Islands are part of the Pacific Rim Ring of Fire.

Pacific Rim Ring of Fire (volcanoes)

Only 34% of Alaskans were members of a religious congregation as of 2010 - one of the lowest rates of any state.  However, Alaska has the largest percentage of Quakers in the US, and Anchorage will soon be home to one of the world's northernmost Islamic mosques.  

2/3 of Alaskan lands are in unorganized boroughs and are controlled by the state government. 

The federal government has recognized 246 tribal governments.

Alaska is the world's largest producer of zinc.  It produces more seafood than any other state - about 6 billion pounds annually.

Alaska fishing boats

The Alaska Marine Highway ferries 100,000 vehicles and 350,000 people each year.  In Southeast Alaska, it indeed operates as a highway between the small isolated towns providing, for example, transportation for high school basketball teams to compete with other schools.

One in 58 Alaskans is a registered pilot.  Float planes are common throughout the state.  Lake Hood at Anchorage is the busiest float plane airport in the world.

Lake Hood seaplane base

Alaska has 27 types of mosquitoes.  Alaska has no snakes.

Juneau is the only US capital city with no road access: everyone must come by plane or boat.

The Totem Heritage Center in Ketchikan has more totem poles that anywhere else in the world.