Alaska Map

About Alaska Map

Explore Alaska borough map to see all the boroughs / counties of the state of Alaksa with their county seats.

List of Boroughs and Census Areas in Alaska

Boroughs

Census Areas

About Alaska

Alaska is the largest of the 50 states by land area. It is known as the “Last Frontier” because of the vast wilderness and low population. Alaska is 49 stars, the last state to join the Union (January 3, 1959). It is the largest state by land area, and is situated on the northwest corner of the North American continent. Canada borders Alaska to the east, and the lower 48 states border it to the south. Alaska also borders the Arctic Ocean to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Some parts of the state are known for their natural beauty, while other parts are significant for international relations and global politics.

Location, Area, and Physical Geography

So just how big is this place? Well, at about 663,268 square miles (1,720,813 square kilometers), Alaska is the largest state in the U.S. — by a factor of two: it’s more than twice as big as Texas, the second biggest state. Some 59,000 miles of rivers crisscross the land, and much of the ground is mountain, tundra, or forest. Alaska has more than 3 million surface lakes and some 100,000 glaciers. “The global centerpiece for fresh water and glaciers” is how one recent NASA video introduces the state.

Home to some of the highest mountains in the world, Alaska features 18 mountain peaks that reach over 13,800 ft. (6,194m) with the tallest, 20,310 ft. (6,190 m) high Denali, formerly known as Mount McKinley. In addition to Denali, Alaska has three National Parks with over 6 million acres of wilderness. Denali National Park and Preserve, Glacier Bay National Park and Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve. Denali features wide-open spaces and breathtaking views of tundra and mountain peaks. Glacier Bay is a large wilderness area surrounded by fjords and 16 major glaciers. Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve is the largest National Park in the U.S. and has the highest concentration of mountains over 14,500 ft. (4,400m) in the world.

Population and Demographics

It's often stated that Alaska is large - at 663,300 square miles, it is the largest state - but, at just under 730,000 residents, the total population is relatively small. As the least densely populated state, the entire population is spread out - at less than two people per square mile - which means residents live in several cities and towns, primarily Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau, the state capital.

Alaska's sprawling landscape of mountains, rivers, tundra and coastal regions is home to many different cultures and ethnic groups. Perhaps no single ethnic or cultural group is as diverse as Alaska's Native populations, who have lived in this vast territory for thousands of years. The Inupiat, Yupik, Aleut and Tlingit, among others, have developed their own customs, languages and methods for dealing with and preserving Alaska's vast natural and cultural resources.

Capital, Major Cities, and Administrative Structure

Juneau is the capital of Alaska and the only state capital in the country that cannot be reached by car. Travelers to Juneau generally come by air or sea. The state’s largest city is Anchorage, the economic and transportation hub of Alaska. That is where most of North America’s incoming cargo from Asia is unloaded for distribution to the rest of the huge state. Fairbanks, in the middle of the state, is known as Alaska’s “First City of the Interior” and is the chief center of scientific research in Alaska as well as the state’s energy capital.

Alaska is divided between boroughs and unorganized boroughs, unlike the 50 states which are divided between states and counties. Much of Alaska is governed as a borough. The unorganized borough includes all of Alaska not within an organized borough.

Economy and Key Industries

The economy of Alaska is primarily based on natural resources. The discovery of oil in Prudhoe Bay in late 1960s opened up the state's oil and gas resources for development. Today, petroleum revenues continue to play a leading role in funding the development of Alaska, supplying Alaskans with revenue to build roads, schools, and other necessary community services. A portion of these revenues are deposited into the Alaska Permanent Fund and distributed annually to all Alaska residents.

While energy production is a major industry in Alaska, other significant industries in the state include commercial fishing, tourism, mining, and over-the-road trucking. Alaska represents nearly 90% of US seafood production, and King crab, snow crab, and pollock are three of the largest value species caught in the state. Millions of people visit Alaskan national parks and wildlife refuges every year to experience glacier fjords and incredible up close views of native wildlife.

Extractive industries remain core to the economies of many countries in the region, but there is a growing trend towards diversification into renewable energy, as well as other emerging sectors such as logistics and technology, with cities becoming hubs.

Climate and Natural Environment

Alaska has great climate variations. The coastal regions are generally milder than the interior areas with greater seasonal variations. The northern Arctic region of Alaska has long winters and brief cool summers.

The state also has a subarctic and Arctic environment, with both temperate rainforest to the south and Arctic tundra to the north. Alaska's vast wilderness contains many different species of birds and mammals, including grizzly bears, black bears, brown bears, polar bears, Dall sheep, musk oxen, wolves, wolverine, mink, sea otter, seals, sea lions, whales, sea birds, and many species of fish. These natural features and resources support many local communities and ecosystems.

Historical Background

There have been for decades a strong presence of various groups of Alaska Natives in the area. Prior to the United States’ 1867 purchase of Alaska from Russia, various Russian explorers established forts and settlements. For a long time the Alaska Purchase was regarded as another in a long list of government frittering away taxpayers’ dollars on a seemingly endless piece of irrelevant land – Russian America — that was little more than a wide strip of land stretching down from the Arctic Circle. That the Alaska Purchase turned out to be such a bargain for the U.S. government, coming in at less than $25 million for a vast amount of land that was at the time hardly populated at all, would change dramatically in World War II and especially the Cold War.

Long before the Americans arrived to this vast territory, Alaska had been settled by the Russians and Native peoples. Later, gold and then oil were discovered, transforming the state and its pattern of settlement. Today, Alaska's history is preserverd in museums, historic sites, and cultural practices.

Culture and Lifestyle

Life in Alaska is in many ways a life dependent on the natural world. For many, the main attraction to Alaska are the many outdoor recreational activities such as fishing, hunting, hiking and other wildlife viewing activities. The cultural mix of Alaska combines the native indigenous peoples and their customs and traditions along with those of settlers who came to the region. Beyond the quaint small towns and rural communities, many areas of Alaska have grown into full-fledged urban cities.

Life in many parts of Alaska is defined by self reliance and hardiness. Many rural Alaskans include subsistence activities in their daily life. Hunting and gathering of fish and wildlife may become part of a family's diet. Conversely, a city lifestyle with many amenities such as colleges and universities, festivals and concerts, and theatres are experienced in Anchorage and Juneau.

Alaska's Counties / Boroughs and Census Areas

Out in the wilds of Alaska, how towns get managed stands apart from most places. Built for vast spaces and few folks, it works because distant communities help one another when storms hit or roads freeze. By now - 2026 figures count - nineteen planned boroughs share space with eleven unserved census zones across the Unorganized Borough. These setups act much like counties elsewhere, handling key things such as schools, hospitals, roads, even election rules. Back when statehood began in 1961, this form was already taking shape. It bends easily, adapting wherever cities rise near mountains or tiny settlements sit far beyond reach. Support reaches everyone, no matter how far from help they seem. Covering more than 665 thousand square miles combined, each division handles management and access to supplies across landscapes - from frozen north to lush woodland - a testament to how Alaskans adjust when life shifts with the seasons. People living here find personal connection through their boroughs, building closeness amid distances so wide they often split towns into separate worlds.

Organized Boroughs

Across Alaska, nineteen boroughs run on their own, shaped by what communities actually require. From keeping roads clear to handling community safety, leaders handle matters while listening to nature’s rhythm. Running things locally means decisions flow from people deeply connected to the land. Anchorage handles most urban lives - it had 292,936 people counted in 2026. Spread across 1,706 square miles, one person per every 5.8 miles apart lives there now. That place thrives economically, pulling in work from oil fields, military bases, plus travelers drawn by nature. Elsewhere, far beyond city limits, Matanuska-Susitna hosts twice as many people but stretched over 24,700 square miles. Only about four and a half individuals show up per wide desert mile. Life moves slowly here, shaped by farming, hiking trails, wide open spaces - space to breathe. Out in Fairbanks North Star Borough, about 93,000 people live spread thin over nearly 7,300 square miles, giving a population spacing of just under one person for every square mile - about 13 folks on each square stretch, actually. Life here leans on higher education, thanks to the presence of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, while steady jobs also come from local military bases. Over on the Kenai Peninsula, another borough holds just under 61,000 residents across about 16,000 square miles, resulting in roughly 3.8 individuals shared per square area. Out here, folks make livings by fishing or working oil projects among dramatic coastline views. Life unfolds differently depending on location, yet both places show how communities adapt to local conditions without rushing development. Preserving wild spaces often comes first, shaping decisions more than expected.

Largest and Smallest Boroughs

What makes Anchorage stand out? It's home to 292,936 people, more than any other municipal area in Alaska. Because of its size, services like hospitals, schools, and job markets come within reach for families living there. On the flip side, look at Yakutat - spread across nearly 7,650 square miles but housing fewer than 700 souls. That tiny footprint brings neighbors closer together. Their survival often depends on what they catch in the sea or guests who visit each summer. Up north, beyond most travel paths, lies the North Slope Borough. Covering 88,824 square miles, it dominates land coverage even with just ten thousand inhabitants. Life here moves to a harsh beat shaped by frozen ground and fierce storms. Work tied to oil exploration defines daily routines, far from cities’ rhythms. Fewer folks mean more distance between them, yet survival demands resilience. With only 1,200 people calling it home yet covering 434 square miles, Skagway Municipality runs heavily on visitors drawn each year by cruise lines - proof that smaller land areas can still fuel lively local income streams. Because Alaska spans such different scales across its regions, shifts in population density highlight why rule systems must adapt carefully, recognizing specific realities while giving residents tools to overcome challenges tied directly to where they live.

Unorganized Borough and Census Areas

Far from cities, Alaska's unorganized territory holds 374,712 square miles - more than half the state - yet houses just under a tenth of its residents, around 75,790 by 2024 numbers. For recordkeeping and oversight, it splits into eleven census zones, making sure distant communities show up in statistics and get help they need. Even when density is low, such arrangement helps balance access across vast, isolated areas. In that vast stretch, the Bethel area stands out with 18,237 living there, stretching across 40,631 square miles while only about one person shares that space per mile. This place acts as a center for those rooted in Yup’ik life, relying on long-held ways to gather food and live off the land. Spread across 145,576 square miles, Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area holds the record for largest size by land - yet only 5,343 live within it. At just 0.04 individuals every square mile, settlement remains sparse across the terrain. Because rivers shape daily life, Athabascan groups move along them to reach homes, hunting spots, and trading posts. Even though vast distances separate villages, one governing structure still covers everything. This system exists because standard municipal rules fall short when land stretches endlessly without cities. Alaska chooses this path deliberately, recognizing small-scale inclusion matters as much as broad policy reach.

Characteristics of Census Areas

Out in the unorganized territories, land sizes differ sharply - Hoonah-Angoon Census Area packs just 2,312 individuals into 7,444 square miles, where roots run deep to Tlingit traditions beneath thick woods and island peaks. Over beyond the islands, Aleutians West Census Area holds five thousand two hundred twenty-three folks spread through four thousand three hundred ninety-three square miles, life shaped heavily by ocean resources stretching along the far-flung Aleutians. There, survival asks much of people who live far from shore, shaped by long stretches apart from wider worlds just to work the sea. Because these regions pay no borough taxes, money flows from state coffers instead - this shift keeps decision-making close to home. So day-to-day concerns stay rooted in heritage and nature, not tax offices.