Geography of Alaska
Wild and beautiful Alaska is home to majestic mountains, glaciers, active volcanoes, huge trails of forested land and some of the planet’s most varied extremes of cold, heat, rain, snow and wind. In addition, Alaska is the most northern, western and eastern state of the United States.
The largest geographic areas (from north to south) include the Arctic Coastal Plain, the Northern Slope, the Stream Mountain Range, the central highlands dissected by the Yukon River, the great Alaska Mountain Range, the Pacific coastal areas and the Eastern Inner Passage, and the Alaskan Peninsula and Aleutian Islands of the southwest.
- Allcitycodes: Provides map of area codes in Alaska by county and city.
- Ask4beauty: Introduction to the state of Alaska, addressing geography, history, politics, economy and population.
- Toppharmacyschools: Lists all educational institutes in Alaska, including psychology, biological science, clinical psychology, computer science, economics, fine arts, etc.
The North Slope of the Brooks Range slopes gently north into the Arctic Coastal Plain, ( or tundra). Beginning in the upper reaches of the Brooks Range, only the surface area of ice and snow melt in spring, when the balance of the earth remains frozen year-round. The molten water then flows north into the Arctic Ocean through countless streams and/or small rivers. The Brooks Range is a collection of icy mountain peaks that form the northern front of a huge central upland region of low mountains, hills and river valleys, all parsed by the Yukon River and its tributaries. The countless mountains of the rugged Alaska Range, including Mt. mckinley, highest point in Alaska and all of North America at 20,320 ft., dominates the southeastern regions of Alaska.
Along densely forested coastal areas (from southwest to southeast), numerous mountain ranges cover the land. They stretch southwest across the Kenai Peninsula, Kodiak Island, Alaska, and the Aleutian Islands. (70 some) The Aleutian Islands continue the North Pacific all the way into Russia. Many of these islands have active volcanoes. The Inner Passage of Alaska’s Panhandle, which overlooks the Pacific Ocean and Canada’s British Columbia, includes approximately 1,000 islands, 15,000 miles of coastline and thousands of coves and bays. This area also includes
Glacier Bay National Park and the jagged peaks of the Rocky Mountains. Hundreds of rivers drain the land, while the 2,000-mile-long Yukon is the largest river. Its largest tributaries include the Porcupine, Tanana, and Koyukuk Rivers. The state has nearly three million lakes; Becharof and Iliamna lakes are the largest. For a closer look at the topography of Alaska, check out this topographic map.
Alaska Famous Natives
People listed are almost always native to the state. We do (on occasion) include those who have either lived within the state for most of their adult lives or have made significant contributions to the state in their personal endeavors.
B
- Actress Irene Bedard
- Written by Margaret Elizabeth Bell
- Benny Benson designed the national flag at age 13
- Carlos Boozer basketball player (born in West Germany)
- Susan Bucher dog musher, iditarod winner drag sledge dog race (born in MA)
C
- Hockey player Matt Karl
- Chad Carpenter animator
- Sean Chacon baseball player
- Snowboarder Callan Chythlook-Sifsof
- Hockey player Ty Conklin
D
- Written by Nora Marks Doenhoer
- Politician Bettai Davis
E-H
- William Allen Egan first governor of Alaska
- Eric Ellington skateboarder
- Rosie Fletcher Olympic snowboarder
- Scott Gomez hockey player
- Anna Graseman singer, musician
- Written by Sue Henry
J
- Jewell singer, songwriter, poet
- Kevin Johansen musician
L
- Trajan Langdon basketball player
- Hilary Lindh Olympic skier
M
- Lance dog McKee musher, dog sled racer
- Ray Mala actor
N-O
- Joanne Osterud Alaska Airlines’ first female pilot
- Herbie Nayokpuk iditarod musher
P
- Sarah Palin Alaska’s first female governor, politician
- Virgil Partch cartoonist
- Elizaveta Wanamaker Peratrovich, leader of the civil rights movement
R
- Kikken Randall cross country skier
- Howard Rock artist, political and environmental activist, publisher
S
- Kurt Schilling baseball player
- Nell Scott first woman in the Alaska legislature
- Mark Schleret footballer, analyst
- Mike Stepovich last territorial governor
T
- Climber Vern Tejas
- Jim “Robo Jim” Varsos singer
