Alaska is the northernmost state of the United States. Not many cities are located on its territory, and there are no large megacities at all.
Like any state of America, Alaska has a capital. But which city is the capital of Alaska? The answer to this question is contained in the text of the article.
State territory
Alaska occupies a vast territory, which includes the Alaska Peninsula, a narrow strip in the northwest of the continent, the Aleutian Islands and the Alexander Archipelago. Alaska is an exclave separated from the USA by Canada. The state is washed by two oceans: the Arctic Ocean from the north and the Pacific from the west and south. The Bering Strait in the west separates Alaska from the Russian Federation. The state relief is special. A narrow strip of the Alaskan ridge stretches along the coastline, which is part of the world's greatest mountain range - the Cordillera. The ridge is known not only for beautiful landscapes and huge glaciers, but also for the location on it of the highest peak in all of North America - the Denali Mountains.
The height of this mountain, also known as McKinley, is 6,190 m. After the intracontinental plateau, the Brooks mountain range in the north of the state follows. The climate, depending on the region, is different: from the temperate sea on the Pacific coast to the continental Arctic in the depths of the peninsula. The Aleutian Islands are also mountainous. There are active volcanoes on the peninsula: Kathmay, Augustine, Cleveland, Pavlova Volcano. Volcano Redout erupted recently, in 2009. The nature of Alaska is incredibly beautiful, despite the permafrost, which covers a large territory of the state.
Alaska's capital: history
During the development of the territory by Russian discoverers at the turn of the 17th-19th centuries, the center of Alaska was the city of Novo-Arkhangelsk (now Sitka). Then it was the center of the fur and whaling industry. After the sale of this territory to America, the same capital of Alaska remained - Sitka. However, by the end of the XIX century, when the city ceased to be promising, the city of Juneau became the capital. Gold reserves were found here, then oil. Nowadays, the capital of Alaska is Juneau.
Alaska's capital: controversial issues
The capital is usually the largest city, with primacy in area and population. However, in Alaska this principle does not apply. The capital of Alaska is far from the largest city: its population is about 35 thousand people. This peculiarity gives reason to believe that the state capital should be the city of Anchorage - the largest city in Alaska. In terms of population, he surpasses Juneau almost ten times. The infrastructure of the city is much better developed than in the capital. So the question is, is Alaska's capital Anchorage or Juneau? The issue of transferring the capital from Juneau was repeatedly raised by the inhabitants of Anchorage, but, according to a survey, the population of other cities is against the transfer. Perhaps this is due to the fact that Juneau is located closer to the continental states.
Juneau - Anchorage Attractions
The capital of Alaska is a small town that is traditionally considered the administrative center of the state. There are few attractions in the city, such as in Anchorage. Here you can visit the State Alaskan Museum, which presents historical details of the natives of southeastern Alaska - the Tlingit, Russian history in Alaska and American rule. An interesting and distinctive church is St. Nicholas, located in the city. This is an Orthodox church built at the end of the 19th century by the Tlingits who converted to Orthodoxy. An important role in the financial side of city life is ecotourism in incredibly beautiful, virgin places of northern nature.
Anchorage, like a larger city, has more attractions. Heritage Center, Imaginarium, Anchorage Cultural Center, Botanical Gardens, Zoo and much more can be visited in the largest community in Alaska. The city, which emerged as a key railway junction, is connected with all the cities of the state, so many tourist routes begin here.
The unique location of the city - between the two ducts of Cook Bay and the Chugach Mountains, makes it possible to simply enjoy the nature of the American north, visit nature reserves and large national parks of the state. Anchorage is located four hundred kilometers from the world famous Denali National Park, where the highest point of North America is located.