Britannica Student Encyclopedia - 2010

Alaska is the largest state in the country.

When it became a state, the land area of

the United States increased by one fifth.

The most northerly state, Alaska is not

connected to the other 48 states of the

mainland United States. Instead, it juts

westward from Canada into the Arctic

Ocean and the Bering Sea. The Aleutian

Island chain extends southwest from

mainland Alaska. To the southeast is a

strip of land called the panhandle, which

borders the Canadian province of British

Columbia.

Northern Alaska lies within the Arctic

regions. Along the northern coast is flat,

treeless land called tundra. The ground

there stays frozen year-round. South of

the tundra are the mountains of the

Brooks Range. The middle part of

Alaska is a vast plain with many forests,

marshes, and lakes. The Yukon, Alaska’s

largest river, flows through this region.

Two mountain chains—the Alaska

Range and the Aleutian Range—curve

along Alaska’s southern coast. Mount

McKinley, in the Alaska Range, rises to

a height of 20,320 feet (6,194 meters).

It is the highest point in North America.

People

Alaska’s population is spread

unevenly throughout the state,

with vast areas having few or no

people. More than a third of Alaskans

live in or around Anchorage, the largest

city. Native Alaskans—Eskimo (Inuit),

Aleut, and American Indians—make up

about one sixth of the population. Common

nationalities among the rest of the

people include Russian, Filipino, Japanese,

and Chinese.

Economy

Alaska’s economy is based on oil, tourism,

and fishing. Oil has brought Alaska

so much wealth that the state has no

income tax. In addition, every year the

state gives each resident some of the

money earned from oil sales. Service

businesses such as airlines, restaurants,

and hotels cater to tourists. About one

fourth of all employed Alaskans work

for the federal, state, or local government.

Salmon is one of the state’s lead-

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Alaska 63

 

ing products. Other catches include

crab, halibut, herring, and shrimp. The

main manufacturing industry is fish and

seafood processing.

History

Hunters and gatherers from Asia first

settled in what is now Alaska thousands

of years ago. In 1728 a Russian expedition

led by the Danish explorer Vitus

Bering arrived there. In 1784 Russia

established a settlement and fur-trading

post on Kodiak Island, off the southern

coast. Russia owned Alaska until the

United States bought it in 1867. U.S.

Secretary of State William H. Seward

negotiated the deal. Because many

Americans thought the purchase was a

waste of money, Alaska was sometimes

called Seward’s Folly.

Gold discoveries in neighboring parts of

Canada and in Alaska itself drew people

to the area in the 1890s and early 1900s.

A half century later, in 1959, Alaska

became the 49th state in the Union.

Oil discoveries, especially along the Arctic

coast, changed the state’s economy.

In the 1970s the Trans-Alaska pipeline

was built to transport oil from the Arctic

oil fields. The pipeline made Alaska second

only to Texas in U.S. oil production.

In the early 21st century

environmental groups, government officials,

and business leaders debated

whether to open up more governmentowned

land in Alaska to oil exploration.

..More to explore

Aleut • Arctic Regions • Eskimo

• Juneau • Tundra

A visitor looks across a bay at a glacier in Alaska’s Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park.

Facts About

ALASKA

Flag

Population

(2000 census)

626,932—rank,

48th state; (2008

estimate)

686,293—rank,

47th state

Capital

Juneau

Area

663,267 sq mi

(1,717,854 sq

km)—rank, 1st

state

Statehood

January 3, 1959

Motto

North to the

Future

State bird

Willow

ptarmigan

State flower

Forget-me-not

64 Alaska BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

 

Albania

The Republic of Albania in eastern

Europe is the smallest country on the

Balkan Peninsula. During most of its

history Albania has been ruled by other

countries and empires. The capital is

Tirane.

Geography

Albania is bordered by Greece, Macedonia,

Kosovo, and Montenegro. Its

western border is the Adriatic Sea. Most

of Albania is mountainous. The highest

mountain is Korab, at 9,026 feet (2,751

meters). Albania’s only lowland area lies

along the coast. The longest river is the

Drin. Albania has warm, dry summers

and mild, wet winters. Temperatures are

more extreme in the mountain regions

than on the coast.

Plants and Animals

Forests once covered much of Albania.

After centuries of clearing and livestock

grazing, many areas now have only

bushes and scrub. The remaining forests

have oak, beech, and pine trees.

Hunting has left few wild animals,

except in the remote forests. Among

them are wolves, jackals, wild hogs,

bears, deer, and chamois (goatlike animals).

The mild climate attracts many

birds, however.

People and Culture

The people of Albania are divided into

two major groups: the northern Gegs

and the southern Tosks. Each group

speaks its own dialect, or variation, of

the Albanian language. Minority groups,

including Vlachs and Greeks, make up

about 8 percent of Albania’s population.

The citadel, or fortress, at Kruje was the

stronghold of Albania’s national hero,

Skanderbeg. In the 1400s he fought to keep