Alaska & its island & culture

1. Welcome To Alaska
Shubham Mishra.

2. • Aurora borealis (northern lights) can be seen an average of 243
days a year in Fairbanks. The northern lights are produced by
charged electrons and protons striking the earth’s upper
atmosphere.
• Alaska is less than 50 miles from Russia.
• While it is legal to shoot bears in Alaska, waking a
sleeping bear for the purpose of taking a photograph is
prohibited.
• The average temperature for Fairbanks in the month of January
is -1 degree Fahrenheit.
• The highest temperature recorded in Alaska was 100 degrees
Fahrenheit in Fort Yukon in 1915.
• The lowest temperature recorded in Alaska was -80 degrees
Fahrenheit at Prospect Creek Camp in 1971.
• Alaska accounts for 25 percent of the oil produced in the
United States.
• Alaska is the only state name that you can type on one row of a
keyboard.
49 Things You Didn’t Know about Alaska

3. • Of the 20 highest peaks in the United States, 17
are in Alaska, including the highest peak in
North America (20,320 ft. above sea level),
Denali.
• Alaska contains more than 100 volcanoes and
volcanic fields which have been active within
the last two million years.
• Alaska is the only state that does not collect state sales tax or levy an individual income tax (some cities have sales
tax, however).
• The fishing and seafood industry is the state’s largest private industry employer.
• The largest salmon ever caught was at the Kenai River. It weighed in at 97.5 pounds.
• There are more than 3,000 rivers and 3 million lakes in Alaska.

4. • Alaska’s largest lake, Lake Iliamna, is roughly
the size of Connecticut.
• Alaska has more coastline than the rest of
the United States combined (more than
34,000 miles).
• Alaska has more inland water than any other
state (20,171 square miles).
• Alaska is the only state to have coastlines on
three different seas: the Arctic Ocean, Pacific
Ocean, and Bering Sea.
• The state bird of Alaska is the willow
ptarmigan.
• During the Klondike gold rush in 1897,
potatoes were so highly valued for their
vitamin C content that miners traded gold
for them.
• The only battle during World War II that was fought on American soil took place in 1943 after the Japanese invaded
the Aleutian Islands.
• The state sport of Alaska is dog mushing, which was once the primary mode of transportation in most of Alaska. The
Iditarod dog sledding race is the state’s largest sporting event.
• More than half the world’s glaciers can be found Alaska.

5. • About 5 percent of Alaska is covered by the 1,000-plus glaciers in the state.
• Alaska has the lowest population density in the nation at one person per square mile.
• If New York City had the same population density as Alaska, only 16 people would be living in Manhattan.
• Bennie Benson designed Alaska’s flag in 1926 at age 13. It would become the official state flag upon Alaska’s adoption into
the Union in 1959.
• Outsiders first discovered Alaska in 1741 when Danish explorer Vitus Jonassen Bering sighted it on a voyage from Siberia.
• Barrow, 800 miles south of the North Pole, has both the longest and shortest day. When the sun rises on May 10, it
doesn’t set for nearly three months. When it sets on November 18, Barrow residents do not see the sun again for nearly
two months.
• Each year Alaska has about 5,000 earthquakes including
1,000 that measure above 3.5 on the Richter scale. Of the
10 strongest earthquakes ever recorded in the world,
three have occurred in Alaska.
• Giant vegetables are common in Alaska due to the
extremely long days in summer. Alaska has grown a record
cabbage weighing in at 94 pounds.
• The Pribilof Islands are home to the largest seal colony
with over one million seals.
• About 52 percent of Alaskans are men – the highest
percentage of any state.

6. • Most of America’s salmon, crab, halibut, and herring
come from Alaska.
• Alaskan Kodiak and Polar Bears can grow to 1,400
pounds and 11 feet tall. Moose can grow to 1,350
pounds with antlers spanning up to 6 feet wide.
• It is illegal to whisper in someone’s ear while they are
moose hunting in Alaska.
• Prudhoe Bay, on the northern Alaskan coast, is North
America’s largest oil field.
• The Trans-Alaska Pipeline moves up to 88,000 barrels of oil per hour on an 800-mile journey to Valdez.
• Alaska has no plants poisonous to the touch. Poison ivy and poison oak are found in all other states.
• The nation’s two largest forests are located in Alaska. The Tongass in Southeast includes 16.8 million acres
and Chugach in Southcentral has 4.8 million acres.

7. TRIP PLANNING
15 Surprising facts about Alaska
1. There are 20 highest mountain peaks in the United States. 17 of
them are in Alaska. Denali,”The Great One”, is the highest at 20,320
feet above sea level.
2. There are more than 3,000 rivers and 3,000,000 lakes in Alaska.
The largest is Lake Iliamna which is 1,000 square miles.

8. 3. Alaska has about 100,000 glaciers, covering 5% of the state.
4. Alaska is the largest state in the union (1/5 of the entire USA
and twice the size of Texas).
5. The Northern Lights can be seen in Fairbanks 243 days a year.
6. Juneau has no road access to the rest of the state. It is the only
capital city in the United States accessible only by boat or plane.
It is also the largest, covering 3,108 square miles.

9. 7. Anchorage’s Lake Hood is the world’s largest and busiest seaplane
base. Over 800 take offs and landings happen on a busy summer day.
8. The largest salmon caught in Alaska was on the Kenai River. It
weighed in at 97.5 lbs.
9. In Alaska, there is approximately 1 bear to every 21 people.

10. 10. Barrow, Alaska has the longest and shortest day. When
the sun rises on May 10th, it doesn’t set for nearly 3
months. When it sets on November 18th, residents don’t
see the sun for nearly 2 months.
11. It is illegal to whisper in someone’s ear while they are
moose hunting in Alaska.

11. 12. The lowest temperature recorded in Alaska was -80 degrees
Fahrenheit at Prospect Creek Camp in 1971.
13. Alaska has more than 100 volcanoes.
14. Alaska has more coastline than the rest of the United States
combined, roughly 34,000 miles.
15. Dog mushing is the state sport of Alaska, which was once the
main mode of transportation. The Iditarod dog sledding race is the
state’s largest sporting event.

12. 12 Vibrant Festivals In Alaska: All About How The Alaskans Celebrate!
1. Alaska State Fair
The Alaska State Fair is the annual state fair which is held in Palmer in Alaska. The
festival usually begins at the end of August and is a major attraction for the people.
You will find a lot of things to see and activities to do in this fair. If you are a foodie,
you will find a variety of food to gorge on. And those who wish to have some extra
dose of fun and thrill can choose a ride from an array of rides that are present here.
There are also many carnival games that you can play, along with a lot of exhibits
that you can browse through. There are many concerts also that are organized in
the state fair.
Where: Palmer, Alaska
Date: Months of August-September
2. Alaska Festival of Native Arts
Acknowledging and celebrating one’s culture and heritage is a great way of
respecting it and taking pride in it. The Alaska Festival of Native Arts is exactly
that. The aim of the festival is to celebrate the native culture of Alaska. The
culture includes music, dance, and traditional arts and includes various
performances of groups of Alaska as well as groups from outside Alaska. It is a
great place to understand the culture of Alaska. You can purchase artsy products
of Alaska or even watch movies about different cultures.
Where: University of Alaska Fairbanks Brooks Building
Date: Months of February-March

13. 3. Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race
This is one of the most exciting races that take place in Alaska. The race
consists of a team of sixteen dogs who have to cover the distance from
Anchorage to Nome in eight to fifteen days or more. Imagine a snow-clad
surface on which furry pals are running! This is exactly how the scenario looks
like! The race is super fun and is a big deal back in Alaska.
Where: Anchorage to Nome
Date: Early March
4. Alaska Folk Festival
Music is something that most of us enjoy and like to listen. Certain music
has a calming effect on us. And this festival of Alaska is a celebration of folk
music of Alaska. It is organized by a non-profit organization, Alaska Folk
Festival Inc. The main aim of the festival is to show encouragement towards
traditional folk music, support such music and spread folk music among
masses. There are many performances, both by solo artists and group
musicians. And those who are interested in music can even attend the music
workshops that are conducted at the festival. The best part about the
festival is that the entry to the folk festival is absolutely free of cost.
Where: Juneau, Alaska
Date: February

14. 5. Celebration
The Celebration festival is a biennial festival that is organized as a cultural event of
Haida, Tlingit, and Tsimshian. The festival is conducted for three days which
includes a host of activities, dance performances, screening of films, poetry
recitation, and native fashion shows. The highlight of the festival is that it holds a
traditional food contest as a way of promoting native food along with the health
benefits that come with it. The Celebration is conducted by a non-profit
organization, the Sealaska Heritage Institute.
Where: Juneau, Alaska
Date: varies
6. Golden days
The Golden Day is celebrated in Fairbanks Alaska to honor the city’s past. The
Golden Day is quite popular with the tourists, and this is the peak time of tourist
rush here at Fairbanks. The Golden Days parade is one of the most popular
events of the festival. The festival goes on for five days, and you will spot people
wearing a Victorian style of clothing as a mark of support to the festival. Apart
from the parade there is a rubber ducky race, can-can show and a lot of other
fun activities. There are also many contests that you can take part in.
Where: Fairbanks, Alaska
Date: February

15. 7. World Ice Art championship
The competition is based around ice sculptures. Various ice sculptors from
more than thirty countries come to take part in the competition. The contest
also attracts a lot of spectators. The intricate ice work done by the artists is
truly a vision to behold. The glistening ice sculptures are beautifully made.
There are many events that are conducted in the World Ice Art Championship.
You will also find ice mazes, and ice stages for performance. If you want to
experience an ‘icy’ vacation, then you should definitely pay a visit to the
festival.
Where: Fairbanks, Alaska
Date: February-March
8. Stikine River Birding Festival
All those who love bird watching, we have got an entire festival that is
dedicated to the birds! The Stikine River Birding Festival is celebrated to mark
the beginning of spring here in Alaska. The festival also celebrates the arrival of
many birds like eagles, shorebirds, snow geese and sandhill cranes. The birds
are seen in a large concentration. Apart from witnessing a large gathering of
the birds, you can also take part in contests and workshops that are conducted
here.
Where: Wrangell, Alaska
Date: April

16. 9. May Day Fly-In Air show
As a child, we all were in awe of watching a plane from land. It is now the time to
relive your childhood experience in the form of May Day Fly-In Air Show which is
one of the grandest and popular air show. It attracts a lot of spectators. The
aviation show has some of the best pilots from around the world. There are many
events that are indeed going to leave you awestruck. There is high flying acrobats,
flour bombing and much more that is a part of this grandeur festival.
Where: Valdez, Alaska
Date: May
10. Mount Marathon
Imagine running in a picturesque atmosphere of greenery, waterfalls, and cliffs!
The running experience is made a lot more beautiful if these elements are
added! And this image is a reality in the form of the Mount Marathon. The
Mount Marathon is conducted every year on the fourth of July wherein a lot of
people from around the world come and take part in the race. The marathon is
set in a very beautiful location; where one will get to witness some of the
spectacular views like waterfalls, cliffs. The festivity is celebrated with fireworks,
street parades, and much more. The marathon is 1.5 miles long, up the face of a
mountain.
Where: Seward, Alaska
Date: Fourth of July

17. 11. Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival
The Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival is conducted at the University of Alaska,
Fairbanks campus. The festival is a two-week long affair and has its visitors from all
over the world. There are many people who take part in the festival. There are also
many artists who get involved in workshops like art, theatre, music, culinary arts,
and much more.
Where: Fairbanks, Alaska
Date: end of July
12. Tanana Valley State Fair
The Tanana Valley State Fair was started more than a hundred years ago. It
makes it one of the oldest festivals in Alaska. At this festival, you will find a
host of things. The things that you will find here are unique and super fun.
There will be cute little babies who will be taking part in the baby shows and
talent shows. There will be people trying their luck (and stomach!) in the
watermelon eating competition. There are many other things that are
organized in this festival.
Where: Fairbanks, Alaska
Date: early August

18. Thank you.