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State of AlaskaThe State of Alaska borders the Yukon and British Columbia, Canada, to the east, the Gulf of Alaska and the Pacific Ocean to the south, the Bering Sea, Bering Strait, and Chukchi Sea to the west, and the Beaufort Sea and the Arctic Ocean to the north, and at 570,380 square miles (1,477,277 km²) it is over twice as large as Texas, the next largest state. The State flower: wild/native Forget-Me-Not, adopted by the Territorial Legislature in 1917. The State insect: Four-spot skimmer dragonfly, adopted 1995. Alaska officially became a State on January 3, 1959. Alaskans approved statehood by a 5 to 1 vote. It has over 100 state parks and recreation areas perfect for camping, fishing or a great picnic. Alaska\'s state university has campuses in Fairbanks, Anchorage and Juneau. A state of superlatives, it has the largest area, the highest mountain and greatest difference in elevation, the most extensive wilderness, and the most lakes, shoreline, and wetlands of any state, yet has the lowest population density. Because it is so large, its geographical characteristics vary widely by region. Southcentral Alaska, the state\'s southern coastal region, contains Anchorage, Alaska\'s largest city, which has most of the state\'s population. Southeast Alaska is home to several mid-size towns, (including Juneau the state capital ), along with tidewater glaciers, and extensive forests. The Alaskan Bush is a general term encompassing any remote area of the state. With its many islands, Alaska has nearly 34,000 miles (54,720 km) of tidal shoreline (the most shoreline in the United States). Alaska is also the most seismically active state in the United States, although it has not attracted as much attention as California due to its much lower population. In 2000, Alaska was ranked 48th out of 50 states by population. Alaska\'s economy relies heavily on petroleum extraction, with more than 80 percent of the state\'s revenues derived from this industry. Agricultural production is primarily for consumption within the state and includes nursery stock, dairy products, vegetables, and livestock. The Permanent Fund is a legislatively-controlled appropriation established in 1976 to manage a surplus in state petroleum revenues from the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System. The cost of goods in Alaska has long been higher than in the U.S.. Federal Government employees, Including United States Postal Service (USPS) workers and active-duty military members, receive a Cost Of Living Allowance usually set at 24% of base pay because, while the cost of living has gone down, it is still one of the highest in the country. Alaska has the lowest individual tax burden in the US, and is one of only six states with no state sales tax and one of seven states that do not levy an individual income tax. To finance state government operations, Alaska depends mostly on income from the petroleum industry. The Department of Revenue Tax Division reports regularly on the state\'s revenue sources. The Department also issues an annual overview of its operations, including new state laws that directly affect the tax division. Alaska\'s road system covers a relatively small area of the state, linking the central population centers to the Alaska Highway, the principal route out of the state through Canada. (Most cities and villages in the state are accessible only by boat or plane. Alaska Airlines—which serves Anchorage, Fairbanks, and regional hubs—is the only major airline offering in-state travel with jet service (sometimes in combination cargo and passengers.
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| Alaska News | ||||||
Alaska trooper says politics slowed drug arrest - The Associated Press
Fuel consumption, December traffic down at Alaska Airlines - Bizjournals.com
Alaska in deeper-than-usual freeze - United Press International
Lung Association's Northwest chapter is deflated - The Associated Press
Alaskan mountains holds a special place for climber - Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
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