What is the largest state in the Untied States? It is Alaska. It lies on the northwest peak of the North American continent, surrounded by two oceans – the Arctic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, and Canada.
History of Alaska
For thousands of years this piece of land, covered with snow, has been populated by different native tribes. The Tlingit people and the naval experts, Aleuts, are just some of many native tribes that were the masters of this territory. The first Europeans that stepped on the Alaskan soil were the members of Russian expedition commanded by Danish navigator Vitus Bering in 1741.
From 1741 to 1867, Alaska was a part of the Great Russian Empire. Then, in 1867, ’the best trade deal in the history of the US’ happened – Russians decided to sell Alaska to the United States. First, the Americans purchased Louisiana from the French and some other territories from the Native tribes and US government wanted to do the same thing with Alaska. In 1867, the deal was signed and USA acquired this former part of the Russian Empire for 7 200 000$.
In the 1890’s Alaska attracted a great number of adventurers in search for gold, when the information about great wealth of this land came out in public. However, Alaska is not only rich in gold, but also in oil and natural gas and represents a real energetic vault of the United States.
It was a US territory until 1953, when on January the 3rd, Alaska officially became the 49th state of the US. According to the list of 2009, Alaska has a population of approximately 698.000. Its capital is Juneau with the population of 31.000 and the largest city is Anchorage with 286.174 inhabitants. Although it is the largest state in the USA by territory, Alaska is among the least populated states in the United States.
This great land, where Charlie Chaplin ate his shoes and Jack London’s Buck won the race of his life, is not only the largest state in the USA but you can also call it the most mysterious one. It still attracts the adventurers from all over the world to come and explore its wild and beautiful nature.