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Alaska Almanac: State Facts and Figures
Browse the state's symbols; state animal, state bird, state flower, state flag, state fossil, state insect, state motto, state seal, state tree, color, dance, fish, mammal, music, nut, reptile seal, and miscellaneous designations, emblems, and mascot of each state with pictures. Find origin of the state name. View the state almanacs, state timelines and peruse state facts and stats such as the capitol, location, and date admitted to the union.
Alaska Almanac
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| Official Name |
Alaska |
| Capital |
Juneau |
| Nick Name |
The Last Frontier |
| Motto |
North to the Future (Official) |
| Location & Region |
58.38858 N, 134.13342 W |
Alaska |
| Constitution Ratified |
April 24, 1956 |
| Statehood |
January 03, 1959 |
49th State |
| Population |
626,932 |
1.10 sq mi. |
48th |
Largest City
(by population) |
Anchorage, Juneau, Fairbanks, Sitka, Ketchikan, Kenai, Kodiak, Bethel, Wasilla, and Barrow |
| Bordering States |
Coastline: 5580 mi. |
| Number of Boroughs |
27 Boroughs and 11 Geographical Census Areas in Alaska |
Largest Borough
(by population) |
Anchorage |
260,283 |
1,698 sq mi. |
| Time Zone |
Alaska Standard Time
On September 15, 1983, Secretary Elizabeth Dole signed a plan to reduce the number of time zones in Alaska from four to two; two weeks later, the plan became effective. Since that date, 90 percent of Alaska residents set their clocks to Alaska Standard Time (same as Yukon), only one hour behind the West Coast. The far reaches of the Aleutian Islands and St. Lawrence Island are in the next zone, Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time. Alaska does participate in the Daylight Savings program from April to October along with most other states in the US.
Before this change, Alaska's time zones were Pacific time (southeastern Alaska), Yukon time (Yakutat), Alaska time (from just east of Cold Bay and west of Yakutat northward, including Nome), and Bering time (the north coast of Alaska and the Aleutian chain). |
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Alaska Climate and Weather |
| Extremely varied weather throughout the state. Damp, rainy and somewhat mild conditions south, southeast and central, while the far north is extremely dry with very cold (Arctic) winter conditions. Heavy winter snows common central and north. |
| Highest Temperature |
100 degrees
June 27, 1915 - Fort Yukon |
| Lowest Temperature |
-80 degrees
January 23, 1971 - Prospect Creek Camp |
| Avg Temp: High - Low |
71.8 degrees |
-21.6 degrees |
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Alaska Highest, Lowest, and Mean Elevations (Feet) |
| Mean Elevation |
1,900 |
| Highest Point |
Mt. McKinley |
20,320 |
| Lowest Point |
Pacific Ocean |
Sea level |
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Alaska Land Area (Square Miles) |
| Geographic Center |
60 miles NW of Mt. McKinley |
| Total Area |
663,267.26 |
1st |
| Land Area1 |
571,951.26 |
66.24% |
| Water Area2 |
91,316.00 |
13.76% |
| Forested Land Area3 |
34.9% |
Dimensions
(Length - Width) |
1,480 miles |
810 miles |
Source: (U.S. Census, April 1, 2000)
1. Dry land and land temporarily or partially covered by water, such as marshland, swamps, etc.; streams and canals under one-eighth statute mile wide; and lakes, reservoirs, and ponds under 40 acres.
2. Permanent inland water surface, such as lakes, reservoirs, and ponds having an area of 40 acres or more; streams, sloughs, estuaries, and canals one-eighth statute mile or more in width; deeply indented embayments and sounds, and other coastal waters behind or sheltered by headlands or islands separated by less than 1 nautical mile of water, and islands under 40 acres in area. Excludes areas of oceans, bays, sounds, etc. lying within U.S. jurisdiction but not defined as inland water.
3. 1997 |
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Almanac Provided by SHG Resources |
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