Around 8 inches of snow, minus 9 degrees and we are all wrapped up like we are going to spend a week in an igloo. So yeah, without a doubt, I can say that today feels like Alaska (even if I never went, I can only imagine!) except that we don’t have the beautiful mountains, the wildlife and the breath-taking lakes…other than that, I’m pretty sure that in few years, England will be the new Alaska of Europe. Suddenly I realise that I don’t know much about it except that it’s far away from where I’m at the moment and that it’s really cold. Time to change that and learn few things about this amazing US state…
- Alaska is one of the wealthiest nations in North America.
- The official language of Alaska is English. While most of the people speak in English, the other recognized languages are Native North American, Spanish, Yupik, Tagalog and Inupiaq.
- Alaska’s name is based on the Inuit word Alakshak, meaning great lands or peninsula.
- Alaska is larger than the combined area of Texas, California and Montana. It is even larger than 23 smallest U.S. states and districts, combined together.
- The capital of Alaska is Juneau, the only capital city in the United States that is accessible by boat or plane only.
- There are some areas in Alaska that have 24 hours daylight and some that have 24 hours night.
- Alaska’s coastline extends over 6,600 miles.
- The interior of Alaska has over 50,000 glaciers, 3,000 rivers and 3 million lakes.
- Alaska also has a problem with “brain drain” as many of its young people, including most of the highest academic achievers, leave the state upon graduating high school.
- Alaska has been nicknamed ‘America’s Last Frontier’ and ‘Land of the Midnight Sun’.
- Alaska’s most important revenue source is the oil and natural gas industry. It accounts for 25% of the oil produced in the United States.