Portal:Alaska

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Introduction

Location of Alaska

Alaska (/əˈlæskə/ (listen) ə-LAS-kə; Russian: Аляска, romanizedAlyaska; Aleut: Alax̂sxax̂; Inupiaq: Alaaskaq; Alutiiq: Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: Alaskaq; Tlingit: Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., it borders the Canadian province of British Columbia and the Yukon territory to the east; it also shares a maritime border with the Russian Federation's Chukotka Autonomous Okrug to the west, just across the Bering Strait. To the north are the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas of the Arctic Ocean, while the Pacific Ocean lies to the south and southwest.

Alaska is by far the largest U.S. state by area, comprising more total area than the next three largest states (Texas, California, and Montana) combined. It represents the seventh-largest subnational division in the world. It is the third-least populous and the most sparsely populated state, but by far the continent's most populous territory located mostly north of the 60th parallel, with a population of 736,081 as of 2020—more than quadruple the combined populations of Northern Canada and Greenland. Approximately half of Alaska's residents live within the Anchorage metropolitan area. The state capital of Juneau is the second-largest city in the United States by area, comprising more territory than the states of Rhode Island and Delaware. The former capital of Alaska, Sitka, is the largest U.S. city by area.

What is now Alaska has been home to various indigenous peoples for thousands of years; it is widely believed that the region served as the entry point for the initial settlement of North America by way of the Bering land bridge. The Russian Empire was the first to actively colonize the area beginning in the 18th century, eventually establishing Russian America, which spanned most of the current state. The expense and logistical difficulty of maintaining this distant possession prompted its sale to the U.S. in 1867 for US$7.2 million (equivalent to $140 million in 2021), or approximately two cents per acre ($4.74/km2). The area went through several administrative changes before becoming organized as a territory on May 11, 1912. It was admitted as the 49th state of the U.S. on January 3, 1959.

While it has one of the smallest state economies in the country, Alaska's per capita income is among the highest, owing to a diversified economy dominated by fishing, natural gas, and oil, all of which it has in abundance. U.S. Armed Forces bases and tourism are also a significant part of the economy; more than half the state is federally owned public land, including a multitude of national forests, national parks, and wildlife refuges.

The indigenous population of Alaska is proportionally the highest of any U.S. state, at over 15 percent. Close to two dozen native languages are spoken, and Alaskan Natives exercise considerable influence in local and state politics. (Full article...)

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Entries here consist of Good and Featured articles, which meet a core set of high editorial standards.

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Curtis Jack Glencross (born December 28, 1982) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). An undrafted player, he signed with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim as a free agent in 2004 and made his NHL debut with the team in 2007. He has also played in the NHL for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames and Washington Capitals.

Glencross was an effective goalscorer and active within the community during his time in Calgary, which led to the team naming him its recipient of the Ralph T. Scurfield Humanitarian Award in 2012. After splitting the 2014–15 season between Calgary and Washington, Glencross was unable to reach a contract deal with any NHL team (despite pre-season attempts with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Colorado Avalanche) and opted to retire as a player. During his playing career, Glencross was a spokesman for the Special Olympics. He has also participated with Rae Croteau Jr.'s chuckwagon racing team in the summer. (Full article...)
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In 2006, Sarah Palin was elected governor of Alaska. Running on a clean-government platform, Palin defeated incumbent Governor Frank Murkowski in the Republican gubernatorial primary election in August. She then went on to win the general election in November, defeating former Governor Tony Knowles 48.3% to 40.9%. Her running mate was State Senator Sean Parnell.

During the Republican gubernatorial primary campaign, Palin was endorsed by former Alaska Governor Walter Hickel, and groups such as the Alaska Correctional Officers Association and Alaska Right to Life. Later, in the general election for governor, she was supported by Governor Frank Murkowski. Republican U.S. Senator Ted Stevens made a last-moment endorsement, filming a television commercial with Palin for the gubernatorial campaign.

During her campaign for governor, Palin declared that education, public safety, and transportation would be the three cornerstones of her administration. She won the race despite spending less than her Democratic opponent. (Full article...)
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Bull moose in Chugach State Park.
Photo credit: US Fish and Wildlife Service

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Related WikiProjects

Alaska U.S. States 
Alaska Project Divisions
  • People
  • Physical geography
  • History
  • Economy
  • Communities
  • Government
  • Transportation
  • Culture
    • Alaska Natives

State facts

  • Total area: 663,268 mi2
    • Land: 571,936 mi2
    • Water: 91,332 mi2
  • Highest elevation: 20,310 ft (Denali)
  • Population 741,894 (2016 est)
  • Admission to the Union: January 3, 1959 (49th)

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This page was last updated at 2022-11-22 08:11 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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