Alaska Counties
Alaska, Alaska is one of fifty states that make up the United States of America. Its capital is Juneau and its most populous city is Anchorage. It is located in the far northwest of North America, in the West region of the country, Pacific division. It borders the Arctic Ocean to the north, Canada to the east, the Pacific Ocean to the south, and the Bering Sea to the west. At 1,717,856 km² it is the largest state in the country and the seventh largest subnational entity in the world, behind the republic of Saja (Russia), Western Australia, Krai of Krasnoyarsk (Russia), Greenland (Denmark), Nunavut (Canada) and Queensland (Australia); 710,231 people in 2010,. There are 24 county in Alaska. You can find the list of these counties and detailed information from the links below.
Anchorage Municipality
Anchorage Municipality, population 287,095
Matanuska-Susitna Borough
Matanuska-Susitna Borough, population 110,213
Fairbanks North Star Borough
Fairbanks North Star Borough, population 95,651
As the largest state, Alaska contains vast counties that encapsulate the state’s rugged beauty and frontier spirit. Here are some notable counties:
Anchorage Municipality - Containing Anchorage and 40% of Alaska’s total population, this unified municipality functions as a consolidated city-county government. Anchorage is Alaska’s economic hub.
Fairbanks North Star Borough - Centered around Fairbanks in Alaska’s interior, this borough is home to Fort Wainwright and Eielson Air Force Base. The northern lights are a popular draw.
Matanuska-Susitna Borough - This borough north of Anchorage contains wilderness, mountains, and part of Denali National Park. Agriculture, mining, and tourism drive the economy.
Northwest Arctic Borough - Sparsely populated and not connected to the road system, this borough in northwest Alaska contains tundra, native villages, and coastal whaling communities.
Aleutians East Borough - Stretching across several Aleutian Islands, this borough offers dramatic volcanic scenery and unique wildlife. Fishing is an important industry.
Despite having less than 30 counties/boroughs, Alaska’s far-reaching landscape and isolation between communities creates vastly different county experiences from urban Anchorage to the remote Arctic Slope. The state’s hardy residents embrace the frontier spirit of their counties.
