the handle on alaska
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Alaska’s nickname, “The Last Frontier,” reflects its vast, untamed wilderness.
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Land of the Midnight Sun: During the summer, parts of Alaska experience 24 hours of daylight!
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Home to North America’s Highest Peak: Denali, aka Mount McKinley, is the tallest mountain in North America, standing at 20,310 feet.
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More Coastline Than All Other U.S. States Combined: Alaska has over 6,640 miles of coastline, more than all other U.S. states combined
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Juneau, Alaska’s capital, is only accessible by boat or plane. It’s one of the few state capitals in the U.S. without road access.
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The largest U.S. state, larger than Texas, California, & Montana combined. If it were a country, it would be the 17th largest in the world!
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The US bought Alaska from Russia in 1867 for $7.2M, about two cents per acre.
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The famous Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, known as “The Last Great Race on Earth,” covers roughly 1,000 miles between Anchorage and Nome.
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Alaska is one of the best places to view the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights), especially in Fairbanks.
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Alaska has the highest bear pop. in the U.S., (100,000 black bears and 30,000 grizzly and brown bears). You can also see polar bears in the wild.
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While some cities in Alaska have local sales taxes, the state does not have a statewide sales tax, making it one of the few states with this tax benefit.
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Alaska is the most seismically active state, with thousands of earthquakes every year and over 130 active volcanoes.
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Alaska Time Zone: Alaska is in its own unique time zone, Alaska Standard Time (AKST), which is one hour behind Pacific Standard Time.
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Tallest Tides in the U.S.: Cook Inlet, near Anchorage, has some of the largest tidal ranges in the world, with fluctuations up to 40 feet.