Alaska is the northernmost and by far the largest U.S. state with an area of 663,268 square miles (1,717,856 km²). Yet, it has one of the lowest populations in the United States, at about 733 thousand. Alaska's capital Juneau is the second largest U.S. city by area, and the former capital Sitka is the largest city in the United States. Separated from the rest of the U.S. by Canada, Alaska is the largest exclave in the world. Large parts of the landscape are marked by wilderness with many National Forests and wildlife refuges. The indigenous inhabitants of Alaska from the time before the arrival of Europeans include the Iñupiat, Yupik, Aleut, Eyak, Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian, among others. The Russians founded a colony in 1741, but sold it to the United States in 1867 as it was not very profitable. In 1959, Alaska became the 49^th state to join the Union. The state motto is “NORTH TO THE FUTURE.”

Denali is part of the Alaska Range and, at 20,310 feet (6,190 m), the highest mountain in North America. Out of respect for the indigenous population, its long-standing name "Mount McKinley" was officially replaced by its traditional name in 2015.

At 15 percent, the proportion of indigenous inhabitants is the highest of all U.S. states. They are descendants of the Paleo-Indians who migrated from Asia to America across the Beringia land bridge. A tradition preserved to this day is the remarkable carving art of some tribes, known in the form of ornate totem poles.

Back to United States of America