News: The “Alaska Moment” between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin marked a critical diplomatic interaction with significant global ramifications
About Alaska
- It is located at the extreme northwest of the North American continent.
- The Alaska Peninsula is the largest peninsula in the Western Hemisphere.
- Alaska spans both the Eastern and Western Hemispheres, as the 180th meridian passes through the Aleutian Islands.
- Borders and Surroundings: Bounded by the Beaufort Sea and Arctic Ocean to the north, Canada’s Yukon and British Columbia to the east, Gulf of Alaska and Pacific Ocean to the south, and the Bering Sea and Chukchi Sea to the west.
- Capital: Juneau, is located in the southeast panhandle region.
- Alaska became the 49th state of the United States on January 3, 1959.
- Strategic Significance: Alaska lies at a central location for air and sea travel between North America, Asia, and Europe, making it militarily significant, especially during World War II.
- Natural Features:
- Mount McKinley (Denali), at 20,310 feet, is the highest peak in North America.
- About one-third of Alaska lies within the Arctic Circle, with vast regions of tundra and permafrost.
- Alaska has approximately 130 active volcanoes, mostly along the Aleutian Islands and Alaska Peninsula.
- It is located within the circum-Pacific seismic belt, with a history of powerful earthquakes, including the 1964 Alaska earthquake.
