Alaska

Alaska

Capital	Juneau
Nickname	The Last Frontier
Official Language	English
Governor	Sarah Palin, R
Senator	Lisa Murkowski, R 202-224-6665 [{{{s1email}}}]
Senator	Mark Begich, D 202-224-3004 [{{{s2email }}}]
Ratification of Constitution/or statehood	January 3, 1959
	Motto: North to the Future

Alaska became the forty-ninth state to enter into the United States of America in 1959. Alaska is not contiguous to the rest of the United States, bordering Canada's Yukon Territory and province of British Columbia to the east. Its capital is Juneau.

Alaska's territory was purchased from Russia in 1867 by the Johnson administration for 7.2 million USD; its vast oil and gold reserves have more than repaid the investment that was once ridiculed as "Seward's Folly.", after William H. Seward who was the Secretary of State that negotiated the purchase.

Although it is the largest state by area, it is the third smallest state by population (larger than only Wyoming and Vermont).

Elected Officials

Federal

• Senator Lisa Murkowski (R)
• Senator Mark Begich (D)
• Rep. Don Young (R)

Statewide

• Governor Sarah Palin (R)
• Lt. Governor Sean Parnell (R)

Notable People from Alaska

• Carlos Boozer (Utah Jazz basketball player)
• Jewel
• Valerie Plame

State Motto

“North to the Future” The motto was chosen in 1967 during the Alaska Purchase centennial and was created by Juneau newsman Richard Peter. The motto is meant to represent Alaska as a land of promise.

External Links

• Live image from Fairbanks, Alaska
• State of Alaska Home page
• State of Alaska Travel and Vacation Information