Location: West coast of USA

Geographic Co-ordinates: 54°40'N to 71°50'N, 130°W to 173°E

Area: 1 717 854 sq km

Largest state by area in the United States. It is larger in area than all but 18 of the world's nations.

total: 1 001 450 sq km
land: 995 450 sq km
water: 6000 sq km

lowest point: 0 m
highest point: 6194 m

Borders: Yukon Territory and British Colombia, 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 Arctic Ocean to the north.

Facts About the Nation

Population: 626 932 (est. 2000)

Country Name: Alaska - derived from the Aleut word Alyeska, meaning greater land

Capital: Juneau (only accessible by ship or air)

Government: Republic

Official Language: English

Religions: Christian (81%), Other (2%), Agnostic (17%)

Ethnic Groups: 67.6% caucasian; 4.1% Hispanic, 4% Asian, 3.5% Black, 5.4% Mixed

Independence: US purchase Alaksa from Russia 9 April 1867 (for US$7 200 000 - approximately US$134 000 000 in 2005 dollars). The United States flag was raised on 18 October, 1867.

National Holiday: Alaska Day, 18 October (1867)

Flag: same as US

Economy

Currency: United Stated dollars (USD)

Agriculture: nursery stock, dairy products, vegetables, and livestock

Industries: crude petroleum, natural gas, coal, gold, precious metals, zinc and other mining, seafood processing, timber, tourism and wood products

All information provided by World Fact Book and Wikipedia.