Alaska Facts and Trivia
Many symbols of Alaska can be found in our Alaska coloring pages section. This includes state map outlines, the flag, state flower, famous landmarks, state animals and other symbols of the region. These printables make a great resource for student reports.
Check out the Alaska Unit of Study for all coloring pages, information, interactive puzzles, word jumbles, word searches, worksheets, and thematic book reviews. We even included a state quarter observation sheet! |
State Name: Alaska |
State Nickname: Land of the Midnight Sun
also known as The Last Frontier |
State Capital: Juneau |
State Governor: Bill Walker |
State Abbreviation: Alaska |
2 letter Postal Code: AK |
Area: 586,400 square miles |
Date Entered the Union: January 3, 1959 |
State #: 49 |
Borders: Pacific Ocean, Canada, Bering Strait |
Flag Meaning: The flag was designed by a 13 year old Native American student, Benny Benson. Seven gold stars represent Alaska's gold-mining industry and form the shape of the Big Dipper on a field of blue. An eighth star, represents the North Star and symbolizes Alaska's far north location. The gold color of the stars represents the state's enormous mineral resources. The flag was adopted in 1927. |
Number of U.S. Representatives: 1 |
State Motto: North to the Future |
State Flower: Forget-me-not |
State Bird: Willow Ptarmigan |
State Song: "Alaska's Flag" |
State Tree: Sitka Spruce |
State Mammal: Moose |
State Fish: King Salmon |
10 Largest Cities (in order of size): Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Sitka, Wasilla, Kenai, Ketchikan, Palmer, Kodiak, Bethel |
Famous Residents:
- Clarence L. Andrews author
- Margaret Elizabeth Bell author
- Benny Benson designed state flag at age 13
- Susan Butcher sled-dog racer
- Joe Juneau prospector
- Virgil F. Partch cartoonist
- Joe Redington, Sr. sled-dog musher and promoter
- Ferdinand Wrangel educator
- Samuel Hall Young founder of first American church |
Attractions: Whale watching, Fjords, Glaciers, Sled dog racing, Mt McKinley, Klondike, Glacier Bay National Monument |
Agriculture: dairy, livestock, fruits and vegetables |
Industries: tourism, fishing, fur, mining, transportation |
Natural Resources: lumber, coal, chromite, gold, lead, silver |