01
Location
Alaska borders Canada and is separated from the contiguous United States.
Local timeJuneau ·
U.S. States / West · Card 002
Alaska
Alaska is a U.S. state in the West. Its capital is Juneau.
Find Alaska
● State capital · Gold highlights Alaska.
Map: Natural Earth. Neighboring states use postal abbreviations.
Map: Natural Earth. Neighboring states use postal abbreviations.
At a glance
- Capital
- Juneau
- Postal abbreviation
- AK
- Population
- 737,270July 1, 2025 · Census estimate
- Total area
- 1,723,337 km²665,384 square miles · land and water
- Statehood
- January 3, 1959State number 49
- Currency
- U.S. dollar (USD)
Sources: Census · population · Census · area
Alaska in context
Gold shows Alaska. The dot marks Juneau.
Alaska and Hawaii are shown in separate insets at different scales.Geography & flag
02
Landscape & places
Denali National Park includes tundra, boreal forest, glaciers and North America's highest mountain.
03
Land and water
The total area includes 1,477,953 km² of land and 245,383 km² of water, according to Census area measurements.
State flag
Eight gold stars on a blue field form the Big Dipper and the North Star.
Sources: Census · geographic reference · Census · area measurements · National Park Service · Denali
History & statehood
The United States purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867. It became an organized U.S. territory in 1912 and a state in 1959. Alaska's Indigenous communities long predate both Russian colonization and U.S. administration.
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Purchase from Russia
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Alaska Territory organized
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Statehood · State number 49
Sources: Congressional Research Service · statehood · U.S. Census Bureau · historical geography · National Park Service
Economy
Main activities
In 2025, government and government enterprises was the largest of the broad industry groups compared here by current-dollar output. Other major groups included transportation and warehousing, mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, and real estate and rental and leasing.
Total economic output was $75.0 billion in current dollars in 2025.
Largest industry groups · 2025
- Government and government enterprises: 18.3%
- Transportation and warehousing: 14.8%
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction: 13.1%
- Real estate and rental and leasing: 10.9%
Share of total current-dollar GDP. These figures measure output, not employment.
Sources: BEA · annual GDP by state, SAGDP2
Population & economic trends
Population, 2020–2025
Thousands of people737.272025 · thousands of people
July 1 resident population estimates, using the Census Bureau’s Vintage 2025 series.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau
View data table
| Year | People |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 732,906 |
| 2021 | 734,590 |
| 2022 | 733,659 |
| 2023 | 734,654 |
| 2024 | 736,537 |
| 2025 | 737,270 |
Real GDP, 2010–2025
Billions of chained 2017 dollars57.492025 · billions of chained 2017 dollars
Real GDP measures economic output adjusted for inflation. The chart uses BEA’s chained 2017 dollars.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
View data table
| Year | Millions of chained 2017 dollars |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 53,652.0 |
| 2011 | 54,045.5 |
| 2012 | 57,087.4 |
| 2013 | 54,627.6 |
| 2014 | 53,303.3 |
| 2015 | 53,681.1 |
| 2016 | 53,463.9 |
| 2017 | 53,550.9 |
| 2018 | 52,479.6 |
| 2019 | 52,377.5 |
| 2020 | 50,901.3 |
| 2021 | 51,764.0 |
| 2022 | 50,509.1 |
| 2023 | 54,183.8 |
| 2024 | 55,945.7 |
| 2025 | 57,488.0 |
Government
Alaska has three branches of state government. The governor leads the executive branch. A Senate and House of Representatives form the legislature, which passes state laws and budgets. State courts interpret and apply the law.
Sources: USAGov · Alaska
Knowledge check
Three questions about Alaska.
QUESTION 1 OF 3
What is the capital of Alaska?
Sources & notes
Prepared 27 September 2026. Population: Census Bureau Vintage 2025, July 1 estimates for 2020–2025. Real GDP: BEA annual state accounts, SAGDP9, millions of chained 2017 dollars; industry shares: SAGDP2, current dollars. Data downloaded 27 September 2026. Area measurements include land and water.
Sources: Census · population estimates · BEA · state GDP · Census · area measurements · Natural Earth · map data
The capital clock shows current local time. Statistical figures are dated estimates and may be revised.