Personal blog about states
Alaska is one of two US states not bordered by another state , Hawaii is the other . Alaska is bordered by Canada (by the Canadian provinces of Yukon Territory and British Columbia) to the east, and it shares a maritime border with Russia to the west.
Alaska is bounded by the Beaufort Sea and the Arctic Ocean to the north; Canada ‘s Yukon territory and British Columbia province to the east; the Gulf of Alaska and the Pacific Ocean to the south; the Bering Strait and the Bering Sea to the west; and the Chukchi Sea to the northwest.
The purchase of Alaska in 1867 marked the end of Russian efforts to expand trade and settlements to the Pacific coast of North America , and became an important step in the United States rise as a great power in the Asia-Pacific region.
Alaska does not touch other US states. It has borders with Canada, the Arctic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, the Bering Sea, and the Bering Strait. Alaska is the biggest state in the United States . The United States bought Alaska from Russia on March 30, 1867.
Alaska runs a program called the Alaska Permanent Fund, which, per the state website, allots an equal amount of the state’s oil royalties to every resident through an annual dividend. In 2018, that dividend came out to $1,600 per person.
Russia controlled most of the area that is now Alaska from the late 1700s until 1867, when it was purchased by U.S. Secretary of State William Seward for $7.2 million, or about two cents an acre. During World War II, the Japanese occupied two Alaskan islands, Attu and Kiska, for 15 months.
U.S. citizens flying between another state and Alaska do not need a passport . However, those driving through Canada or traveling on a ferry or cruise ship with stops in Canada are required to carry one . All non U.S. citizens will need a passport and possibly other documents to enter.
Americans traveling to Alaska through Canada for work or to return home will now face firmer rules to prevent what is being coined the ‘ Alaska loophole ,’ where Americans claim to be Alaska -bound to skirt the border closure to non-essential travel.
1) We are the biggest state in the United States by a long shot. 2) We have 17 out of the 20 highest peaks in the United States . 3) We have over 3,000 rivers and 3 million lakes. We also have the biggest lake in the U.S., Lake Iliamna.
There are two main reasons. First, Canada wasn’t its own country in 1867. Second, Great Britain controlled the Canadian colonies. Russia did not want to sell Alaska to its rival.
20 Things Everyone In Alaska Should Avoid At All Costs Farmed seafood. Flickr – Judi Knight. Or buying fish in general. Flickr – Alaska Region U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Even feeding your dogs farmed fish. Eating hot dogs. Camping without a view. Snacking on chips from the lower 48. Shopping at big corporate box stores. Drinking wine that isn’t from Alaska .
The narrowest distance between mainland Russia and mainland Alaska is approximately 55 miles. The stretch of water between these two islands is only about 2.5 miles wide and actually freezes over during the winter so you could technically walk from the US to Russia on this seasonal sea ice.
The Bering Strait tunnel was estimated to cost between $10 billion and $12 billion, while the entire project was estimated to cost $65 billion. Shortly after, the Russian government approved the construction of the $65 billion Siberia- Alaska rail and tunnel across the Bering Strait.
Crime in the U.S. state of Alaska is exceptionally high and is present in various forms. Crime rates in Alaska are among the highest in the U.S.
Really, you will likely find that Alaskan people are some of the most friendly and tolerant anywhere.