Alaska is known as “The Last Frontier” and is renowned for its majestic natural beauty and vast untouched landscapes.[1] Alaska is the largest state in the United States, covering an area of approximately 663,267 square miles.[2] As of 2023, the population of Alaska was estimated to be around 733,406.[3]
Alaska’s economy ranks 49th in size among states and Washington, DC.[4] The state’s economy is primarily based on oil production, fishing, federal and state (both civilian and military) expenditures, research and development, and tourism.[5] The petroleum and gas industry, the federal government, and other industries and services are the three main pillars of Alaska’s economy.[6] Alaska’s main export product after oil and natural gas is seafood, primarily salmon, cod, pollock, and crab.[7] Additionally, Alaska is known for its gold and a fabric made from the undercoat of the Arctic musk ox known as qiviut.[8][9] Alaska has eight National Parks: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Denali National Park and Preserve, Kenai Fjords National Park, Katmai National Park and Preserve, Kobuk Valley National Park, and Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve. In addition the state has parks, forests, and refuges and a number of National Monuments. The cities of Anchorage and Juneau offer cultural experiences with museums, art galleries, and restaurants. Notable attractions include the Chugach State Park in Anchorage and the Alaska Native Heritage Center.
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History of AlaskaHistory of Alaska
The European exploration of Alaska began with the 1741 voyages of Vitus Bering and Alexei Chirikof to the Aleutian Islands, the coasts of the Gulf of Alaska, and southeastern Alaska. The first permanent Russian settlement in Alaska was established by Grigory Shelikhov on Kodiak Island in 1784.[10]
Purchase from Russia: The U.S. purchased Alaska from the Russian Empire for a sum of $7.2 million in 1867.[11] The deal was orchestrated by U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward and Russian envoy Baron Edouard de Stoeckl.[12] Russia had offered to sell its North American territory to the United States on several occasions, but the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861 led to the postponement of discussions. The cost and logistical difficulties of supplying the territory had made it an economic liability to the Russians, who were additionally struggling with debt accrued during the disastrous Crimean War.[11] On October 18, 1867, the U.S. formally took possession of Alaska.[13] The purchase was initially met with skepticism by some in the U.S., who referred to it as “Seward’s Folly” or “Seward’s Icebox” due to the perceived uselessness of the land.[11] The Alaska Purchase added 663,267 square miles [the size of Alaska varies from different sources] of new territory to the United States.[14]
Although Alaska was not yet a state during the American Civil War, it did experience some effects of the conflict. Confederate sailors, unaware that the war had ended, set ablaze whaling ships off the coast of Alaska.[15] Alaska was admitted to the Union as the 49th state on January 3, 1959.[16]
From 1897 to 1904, the two Klondike Gold Rushes lured thousands of would-be minors to travel north to Alaska.[17] The 19th century saw the development of the salmon fisheries, which provided the first American economic boom in Alaska. In the 1880s, canneries spread from southeastern Alaska to the northwest, and salmon production exploded.[18] The discovery of oil at Prudhoe Bay in 1968 and the completion of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline in 1977 led to an oil boom. This had far-reaching effects on Alaska’s economy and society.[19]
Demographics of AlaskaDemographics of Alaska
The demographic distribution of the Alaska population is as follows:[20]
- White: 62.3%
- Native American: 14.61%
- Two or more races: 10.05%
- Asian: 6.42%
- Black or African American: 3.22%
- Other race: 1.94%
- Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 1.46%
Most common surnames in AlaskaMost common surnames in Alaska
Researching family history in AlaskaResearching family history in Alaska
The National Archives at Seattle maintains and provides access to permanent records in created by federal agencies for Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. The Alaska State Archives preserves permanently valuable government records that document Alaska's history and has a list of genealogical helps at Alaska State Archives Genealogy. The Alaska State Library has a list of extensive genealogical records in the Alaska Genealogy Resource Guide. Another major repository of historical information is the Archives and Special Collections at the University of Alaska Anchorage and the Alaska Pacific University Consortium Library, Alaska also has an extensive list of local libraries.
Alaska Boroughs/Census Areas listAlaska Boroughs/Census Areas list
There are 30 county equivalents in Alaska.[22] Most of the land area in Alaska has not been divided into political subdivisions. Boroughs, cities and boroughs, and municipalities are legal entities. Census areas are statistical entities. In Alaska, there are twelve boroughs, four city and boroughs, and two municipalities (borough equivalent). There are four consolidated governments, Anchorage, Juneau, Sitka, and Wrangell, which are classified as municipal governments. Alaska has 11 statistical entities called “census areas.” Census areas are statistical areas established in cooperation with state government for reporting data in the portion of the state outside any borough. These areas are sometimes referred to as the “unorganized borough” and are administered by the state. Boroughs and census areas were first recognized as county equivalent entities for the 1980 Census. Prior to 1980, the county equivalents used in the census included geographic divisions, geographic districts, judicial districts/divisions, election districts, and census divisions. [23] The numbers of boroughs, municipalities, and census areas may have changed due to increase in population.
| Aleutians East Borough | Aleutians West Census Area | Anchorage Municipality | Bethel Census Area |
| Bristol Bay Borough | Chugach Census Area | Copper River Census Area | Denali Borough |
| Dillingham Census Area | Fairbanks North Star Borough | Haines Borough | Hoonah-Angoon Census Area |
| Juneau City and Borough | Kenai Peninsula Borough | Ketchikan Gateway Borough | Kodiak Island Borough |
| Kusilvak Census Area | Lake and Peninsula Borough | Matanuska-Susitna Borough | Nome Census Area |
| North Slope Borough | Northwest Arctic Borough | Petersburg Borough | Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area |
| Sitka City and Borough | Skagway Municipality | Southeast Fairbanks Census Area | Wrangell City and Borough |
| Yakutat City and Borough | Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area |
See also=See also=
Explore more about AlaskaExplore more about Alaska
MyHeritage.com has the Alaska Vital Records collection.
References
- ↑ Alaska - Juneau, Alaska Purchase & Population
- ↑ How Big is Alaska? Facts, Stats, Maps, & Epic Photos!
- ↑ U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: United States; Alaska
- ↑ Economy of Alaska Statistics and Data Trends: GDP ranking, unemployment rate, and economic growth | USAFacts
- ↑ Alaska - Oil, Fishing, Tourism | Britannica
- ↑ Alaska Unique Fiscal Landscape: A 2024 Insight
- ↑ What is Alaska's main export?
- ↑ Hand-Combed Qiviut: A Rare Luxury from Alaska
- ↑ Out of the Mine and into the Smelter
- ↑ Russians settle Alaska | August 14, 1784
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Alaska Purchase | History, Cost, & Significance | Britannica
- ↑ Why Russia gave up Alaska, America’s gateway to the Arctic
- ↑ U.S. takes possession of Alaska | October 18, 1867
- ↑ The Alaska Purchase
- ↑ When the Civil War came to Alaska | Geophysical Institute
- ↑ Alaska admitted into Union
- ↑ The Stampede North: The Alaska Gold Rushes, 1897-1904 (U.S. National Park Service)
- ↑ American Early Development | Alaska | Articles and Essays | Meeting of Frontiers | Digital Collections | Library of Congress
- ↑ History of Alaska | Britannica
- ↑ Alaska Population 2024 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs)
- ↑ Most Common Last Names In Alaska
- ↑ Alaska Health Data Geographic Descriptions, Alaska Boroughs/Census Area
- ↑ About the Geographic Areas