ALASKATHE PROJECT UNDER DEVELOPMENTEnglish version/Russian versionHistory Geography Maps Alaska on WEB GEOGRAPHYThe geographic scope and variety of Alaska are astounding. One-fifth the size of the "Lower 48" and two-and-a-half times the size of Texas, Alaska covers some 586,400 square miles. It's coastline is longer than that of the continental United States, and it embraces five mountain ranges, one of which includes 20,320-foot Mount McKinley, the highest peak in North America.Arctic Alaska, populated almost exclusiv by Eskimos, is a barren region of tundra and mountains extending from the Arctic Ocean to the Brooks Range, the major east-west chain northern Alaska. Vast plateaus and lowlands scored by the Yukon River system span the Alaskan interior between the Alaska and Brooks ranges. The major population center in this region is Fairbanks. Coastal Alaska extends from the Alaska Range to the Gulf of Alaska. It is rich in mineral deposits, and its fertile lands include the Matanuska Valley, the Copper River Valley and the Kenai Peninsula. Warmed by the Japan Current the coastal waters support clams, cod, crab, halibut, herring, salmon, scallops and shrimp. Anchorage is the principal port in this area. The panhandle of southeastern Alaska is known for its copious rainfall and moderate temperatures. Precipitous mountains that rise from the sea to heights of more than 9,000 feet isolate the coastal settlements from the Canadian mainland. Among the settlements clinging to the coast of the Passage is the capital city, of Juneau. The fogbound Aleutian Islands, a barren 1,000-mile archipelago dividing the Bering Sea from the Pacific Ocean, are inhabited principially by the Aleuts. These islands are the meeting place of the icy arctic air and the warm, moist air of the Japan Current—a phenomenon that spawns much of the bitter winter weather strikking Canada and portions of the contigous United States. Aleutian Islands National Wildlife Refuge embraces all but seven of the islands. Travel is unrestricted in Alaska, with exception of some of the westernmost Aleutian Islands. Because of their isolation, the Aleutians are difficult to visit; scheduled air service reaches only a few towns. Areas not connected by road can be reached via the Alaska Marine Highway, a passenger/vehicle ferry system through the protected waters of the Inside Passage and Prince William Sound, or by scheduled or chartered planes. Visitors can enjoy unlimited travel on ferries, buses and trains in Alaska and the Yukon Territory with the purchase of the Alaskapass. The pass is is offered from May 15 through Sept.15 and allows unlimited travel for periods of 8, 15, 22 and 30 consecutive days. For more information contact Alaskapass, P.O. Box 351, Vashon, WA 98070-0351; phone (800)248-7598. Материалы взяты из каталога информации для путешественников Американской Автомобильной Ассоциации. |
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