Alaska general data
- Time zone: 10 hours less than Italy
- Capital: Juneau
- Main towns: Anchorage, Fairbanks.
- Area: 1.518.800 km²
- Population: 736,000 inhabitants approximately.
- Population density: 2,4 residents / km²
- State abbreviation: AND
- Entry into the United States: Joins the United States on January 3, 1959 and is the 49th state to join the union.
Great land or continent means the word used by the Aleutians to designate the territory. The state of Alaska is a vast territory, the size of which is about five times the size of the Italian peninsula, located on the northwestern edge of the American containment and partly within the Arctic Circle. It is the only territory of the Americas that is partly in the hemisphereOriental. Bordered to the north and northwest by the Arctic Ocean with the Bering Sea, to the west by the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Alaska to the south, and by the Canadian territory of Yukon and British Columbia. The territory includes the islands and the mainland and numerous archipelagos, including the Alexander archipelago, the Aleutians and Kodiak. The highest point is Mount McKinley (6,194m), the highest peak in North America.
According to thembaprograms.com, Alaska is crossed from east to west by three mountain ranges (the Brooks Range, the Alaska Range and the Coastal Range), and the Yukon River. The southern section of the territory extends to the west, forming the peninsula and the islands that make up the Aleutian arc, and to the south-east, in the part of the territory that runs parallel to the Canadian territory of British Columbia and which includes the Alexander archipelago, part of the coastal cordillera, and the Saint Elias mountains, an area of fjords and glaciers. Overall, Alaska is structured into four major natural regions: the Arctic Region, Western Alaska, Southern Alaska, and Inner Alaska. The area of Arctic limited by the Canadian Yukon, includes the Brooks Cordillera and the coastal plains of the Arctic, it is a semi-arid area, covered by tundra, with an average annual temperature of -12 ° C, and with rainfall of 250 mm. Being inside the Polar Circle, it enjoys the sun all 24 hours of the day in summer, with temperatures up to 10 ° C, and permanent darkness from November to January.
The Western Alaska region constitutes the coastal area of the Bering Sea and its islands, and the Aleutian archipelago, it is a region dominated by tundra and with low temperatures, it does not exceed 10 ° C in summer, large clouds and strong winds due to the effect of the waters of the Bering Sea. The Southern Alaska region extends from the Gulf of Alaska to the foothills of the Alaska Range, is a very active region in terms of earthquakes (the most destructive was in 1964), and volcanic activity. Southern Alaska enjoys mild temperatures in comparison with the rest of the territory, with an average of 4 ° C per year and precipitation of 3,650 mm. its landscape of fjords, glaciers, mountains and forests made this southern area a unique tourist destination during the summer. As for the last area indicated, Inner Alaska, which includes the lands of the Yukon and Tanana river basins, it enjoys more temperate summers than the rest of Alaska due to the exposure of the sun and the absence of oceanic factors, blocked by the mountain ranges. north and south; however, in winter the temperatures are excessively low, with averages of down to -40 ° C. Alaska due to sun exposure and the absence of oceanic factors, blocked by the mountain ranges of the north and south; however, in winter the temperatures are excessively low, with averages of down to -40 ° C. Alaska due to sun exposure and the absence of oceanic factors, blocked by the mountain ranges of the north and south; however, in winter the temperatures are excessively low, with averages of down to -40 ° C.
The main rivers of Alaska are the Yukon (with its tributaries White, Chandalar, Tanana and Koyukuk), originates in Canada and flows into the homonymous delta, in the Bering Sea, the Kuskokwim, which runs almost parallel to the Yukon and flows further into south, and the rivers of the Susitna-Chulitna system, in the south, which drain the valleys of the south until they flow into the Gulf of Alaska, and which are of great importance as routes of communication for the interior. In Alaska there are many lakes, many of them of glacial origin, important is Lake Iliamna, located in the area near the Bristol Bay, in the Gulf of Alaska.
Juneau
According to countryaah.com, Juneau is a city of the United States, capital of the state of Alaska, in the Panhandle region, and port on the Gastineau Channel. Juneau is probably among the capitals of the United States the one that can boast the most fascinating position. It is also the most isolated: it is not connected by roads to the rest of the world or even to the rest of Alaska. In addition to its residents, the city hosts around 900,000 tourists during the summer months (late May-early September) and is an important hub within the Inside Passage. Sandwiched between steep wooded mountains and the Gastineau Channel, the city center alternates modern skyscrapers with historic old buildings such as the Red Dog Saloon and the Alaskan Hotel. The best way to fully appreciate the city’s beautiful location is a cable car ride up Mount Roberts, from which the view extends to the Gastineau Channel. Transportation to and from the city takes place mainly by ship or plane.
In 1880 Joseph Juneau and Richard Harris found gold in this area, a settlement developed here which was called the city of gold mines. The last gold mines were closed in 1940, but the year 1990 saw a renewed interest in this activity. Juneau has officially become the state capital of Alaska since 1900, but government offices weren’t moved here from Sitka until six years later. When Alaska joined the Union in 1959, Juneau remained the state capital. In 1974 Alaskans voted to move the capital to a more central location, starting in 1992, however, interest in relocation has declined. The city has an ice-free port, an airport and a seaplane base. A large part of the population finds work in the state and federal administration; other important economic resources are the wood, fish and tourism industries.
According to topschoolsoflaw.com, Juneau is the site of the Alaska State Museum, and the Last Chance Mining Museum. Mendenhall Glacier and Glacier Bay National Park are close to the city. The Alaska State Museum in downtown has a fine collection of Russian and indigenous crafts, as well as Eskimo masks. The natural history section has a reconstruction of a white-headed eagle’s nest. The tiny Russian Orthodox church of St. Nicholas is among the attractions of the city, built in 1893 by the Tlingit (Indigenous of Alaska) who, forced to convert to Christianity, chose the only faith that allowed them to keep their language. At the northern end of the city, 20km from the center, is the Mendenhall Glacier. This 2.5 km wide, slowly retreating glacier is part of the Juneau Icefield. The icebergs that break away from here end up in Mendenhall Lake. A tourist center on the lake exhibits panels describing the movements of the glacial masses. It is the starting point of paths that allow you to closely observe the glacier. There is also the possibility of rafting.
The climate is rainy and mild, with an average temperature of 4 ° C and average annual rainfall of about 1400 mm.
