alaska Cultural Information
WELCOME TO
Alaska
Alaska is famous for its natural beauty, wildlife, and outdoor activities.
In addition to its natural wonders, Alaska is also known for its rich history and culture. The state is home to several Native American tribes, as well as Russian and Scandinavian immigrants. This diverse population has resulted in a unique culture that is evident in the food, music, and art of Alaska
Alaska Motto
“North to the Future” was adopted in 1967 during the Alaska Purchase Centennial. The motto is meant to represent Alaska as a land of promise.
- Spoken Languages: English: 86.3% •Alaska Native languages 5.2% • Tagalog: 3.4% • Spain: 2.9% • Other: 2.2%
- Alaska is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. At 663,268 square miles (1,717,856 km2), it is the largest U.S. state by area, comprising more total area than the next three largest states (Texas, California, and Montana) combined and with 736,081 residents in 2020, it is the third least populous state.
- A semi-exclave of the U.S., it borders the Canadian province of British Columbia and the territory of Yukon to the east and shares a maritime border with the Russian Federation’s Chukotka Autonomous Okrug to the west, just across the Bering Strait. To the north are the Chukchi and Beaufort seas of the Arctic Ocean, while the Pacific Ocean lies to the south and southwest.
- Approximately half of Alaska’s residents live within the Anchorage metropolitan area. The state capital of Juneau is the second-largest city in the United States by area, comprising more territory than the states of Rhode Island and Delaware.
- What is now Alaska has been home to various indigenous peoples for thousands of years; it is widely believed that the region served as the entry point for the initial settlement of North America by way of the Bering land bridge. The Russian Empire was the first to actively colonize the area beginning in the 18th century, eventually establishing Russian America, which spanned most of the current state.
- While it has one of the smallest state economies in the country, Alaska’s per capita income is among the highest, owing to a diversified economy dominated by fishing, natural gas, and oil, all of which it has in abundance. United States armed forces bases and tourism are also a significant part of the economy; more than half the state is federally owned public land, including a multitude of national forests, national parks, and wildlife refuges
Things
TO DO
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WHAT IS ALASKA FAMOUS FOR?
Alaska is also famous for the Eskimos, a group of indigenous people who live in the Arctic region. The term “Eskimo” is actually a derogatory term that means “eaters of raw meat” in Algonquin. The preferred term now is “Inuit,” which means “the people.” The Inuit people are known for their unique culture and traditions, as well as their impressive hunting skills.
Most Popular Sports in alaska.
The state’s official sport also hails from rural Alaska – dog mushing. Other outdoor, snow-focused sports are popular here. Alaskans have won Olympic medals in cross-country skiing, downhill skiing and snowboarding, not to mention top honors in extreme winter sports. Alaska’s snow machine racers also take on short- and long-distance events, all of them at ridiculously high speeds
WHAT IS COOL ABOUT ALASKA?
One of the most popular things to see in Alaska is the Northern Lights. The Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis, are a natural light display that occurs in the night sky. The lights are caused by the interaction of charged particles from the sun with the Earth’s atmosphere. The best time to see the Northern Lights is during the winter months when the nights are longer.
