š„¶ 14 Absolutely Freezing Facts about Alaska
Itās chilly up north – and if youāre a resident of Alaska, US, youāll probably have some form of way of beating back the chill. Did you know Alaska is actually the biggest state in the US on sheer landmass alone? Here are some more fun facts about Alaska to help warm you upā¦
1. Itās hilly up hereā¦
17 out of the top 20 highest peaks in the US are all in Alaska – unbelievable!
2. Denali reigns supreme.
North Americaās tallest peak – Denali, or āThe Great Oneā, is in Alaska, too. Itās more than 20,000 feet above sea level.
3. Its flag was designed by a teenager.
Alaskaās state flag was designed by Benny Benson when he was just 13. He designed it in 1926 – and by 1959, when Alaska had joined the Union, it became their official sigil!
Flag of Alaska
4. A large percentage of the state is glacial.
Alaska is around 5% glacier – thatās around 100,000 of the frozen waterways in total.
5. You want big turnips? Head to Alaska.
Alaska is also famous for growing vegetables at a pretty impressive size. Believe it or not, this is all down to the fact that Alaskan summers are extremely long. The biggest turnip ever grown here was almost 40lbs in weight – hefty stuff!
6. The distances between people here is massive.
Alaska is famously sparse despite being extremely large. If you took the same density and applied it to Manhattan down in NYC, only 15 or 16 people would live in the district. Itād be a bit quieter, at least!
7. Whatās in a name, anyway?
Alaska has multiple names. Many people refer to it as either the āGreat Landā, from which its name is actually translated, or āThe Last Frontierā.
8. Many indigenous tribes live in Alaskaās wilds.
Many tribes live out in Alaska, with at least 224 indigenous peoples living out in the stateās wilderness – that we know of.
9. Many, many languages are spoken here.
Alaska is incredibly multilingual. More than 20 indigenous tongues and languages are spoken across the land.
10. Water, water, everywhere!
Alaska is absolutely brimming with natural waterways, whether frozen or not. For example, itās said to be home to more than three million individual lakes.
Thatās not all. The incredible Yukon river, at more than 2,000 miles in length, flows through the state. Itās one of more than 3,000 different waterways of its kind in the area, too.
11. Come look at the sky!
Did you know that you can see the Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, up in Alaska? Youāll need to head to Fairbanks, where you can actually watch the light display at least 60% of the year. No need to travel to Europe or into Canada.
12. Beach weatherā¦?
Many people forget that Alaska actually has a pretty incredible coastline. Itās truly massive! It measures more than 6,600 miles in length. Thatās not including the Alaskan islands – if we include these areas, youāre considering more than 30,000 miles of shore.
The Northern Lights
13. Try it yourself!
Alaska has the weird honor of being the only state in the US that you can type with just one keyboard row.
14. Grab your pup and letās go sledding.
The national sport in Alaska actually involves manās best friend. Dog mushing or sledding is an absolutely massive spectator event across the state, and itās fair to say they have the snow and terrain for some fantastic races.
FAQs about Alaska
Is Alaska always cold?
Yes - pretty much! It has the coldest summers in the US, and itās said to hit -40 F even in the spring.
Is Alaska technically part of Canada?
No - itās a recognized US state.
Is it expensive to live in Alaska?
Believe it or not, yes! Itās not cheap to live in Alaska as itās so far removed from other states - shipping costs a lot.
Do you know any fun facts about Alaska? Share them in the comments below!
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This page was last modified on January 13, 2022. Suggest an edit
