Alaska: The Last Frontier Beyond the Road System
Alaska became the 49th state on January 3, 1959, eight months before Hawaii joined the union. The territory had been purchased from Russia in 1867 for $7.2 million, a transaction mocked at the time as "Seward's Folly" after Secretary of State William Seward. The discovery of gold in the Klondike in 1896 and at Nome in 1899 brought the first major waves of American settlers. Oil changed everything again when the Prudhoe Bay field was confirmed in 1968 as the largest in North America.
The state covers 665,384 square miles, making it more than twice the size of Texas. Yet the population sits at roughly 740,000, giving Alaska the lowest population density of any state. About 40 percent of all residents live in Anchorage, the only city that functions as a conventional American metropolitan area. Fairbanks, the second-largest city, serves as the hub for interior Alaska and the gateway to the Arctic. Juneau, the state capital, is accessible only by air or sea.
Military spending and oil revenue form the backbone of the economy. Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and Eielson Air Force Base are major employers. The Trans-Alaska Pipeline System moves crude oil 800 miles from Prudhoe Bay to the port of Valdez. Commercial fishing, particularly salmon and crab, supports coastal communities. Tourism brings roughly two million visitors per year, many arriving on cruise ships that dock in Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan.
The Alaska Permanent Fund, established in 1976, invests a portion of oil royalties and distributes an annual dividend to every eligible resident. The 2024 dividend was $1,702 per person. There is no state income tax and no statewide sales tax, though some municipalities levy their own.
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Alaska became the 49th state on January 3, 1959, eight months before Hawaii joined the union. The territory had been purchased from Russia in 1867 for $7.2 million, a transaction mocked at the time as "Seward's Folly" after Secretary of State William Seward. The discovery of gold in the Klondike in 1896 and at Nome in 1899 brought the first major waves of American settlers. Oil changed everything again when the Prudhoe Bay field was confirmed in 1968 as the largest in North America.
The state covers 665,384 square miles, making it more than twice the size of Texas. Yet the population sits at roughly 740,000, giving Alaska the lowest population density of any state. About 40 percent of all residents live in Anchorage, the only city that functions as a conventional American metropolitan area. Fairbanks, the second-largest city, serves as the hub for interior Alaska and the gateway to the Arctic. Juneau, the state capital, is accessible only by air or sea.
Military spending and oil revenue form the backbone of the economy. Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and Eielson Air Force Base are major employers. The Trans-Alaska Pipeline System moves crude oil 800 miles from Prudhoe Bay to the port of Valdez. Commercial fishing, particularly salmon and crab, supports coastal communities. Tourism brings roughly two million visitors per year, many arriving on cruise ships that dock in Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan.
The Alaska Permanent Fund, established in 1976, invests a portion of oil royalties and distributes an annual dividend to every eligible resident. The 2024 dividend was $1,702 per person. There is no state income tax and no statewide sales tax, though some municipalities levy their own.
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