What is the capital city of Alaska?
Yes, as others have said, Juneau, Alaska is the capital.
Early growth was a direct result of the mining industry. Juneau prospered and was established as the capital of Alaska in 1906 when the government was transferred from Sitka. It's the only state capital that borders a foreign country.
The short answer to why Juneau is the capital of Alaska: Mining. Beginning in the late 1880s, Juneau saw a wealth of activity, all spurred by the discovery of gold in the area. Juneau became an important hub for gold prospectors as it was easily accessible to ships travelling to and from Seattle.
It soon become the primary settlement and colonial capital of Russian America. (After the United States purchased Alaska in 1867, Novoarkhangelsk was renamed Sitka and became the first capital of Alaska Territory.)
Alaska is a vast territory located in North America. Despite the vastness, Alaska is not a country as it is not an independent sovereign state. Alaska is instead the 49th State of the United States of America. On July 17, 1958, Alaska gained statehood leading to its proclamation as a state on January 3, 1959.
On October 18, 1867, the Russians handed over Alaska to the United States at a ceremony in Sitka. It had been the capital of Russian America since 1808. The town remained the capital of the new American territory until 1906.
Because of its great abundance of unsettled land, Alaska earned the nickname “The Last Frontier.” Its official motto, according to Alaska's official website is “North to the Future,” while the name “Alaska,” itself derives the Aleut word “aleyska,” meaning “great land.”
When Alaska became a state in 1959, the building began being used only for state government purposes. While there have been movements over the years to move the state capital to either Anchorage or Fairbanks, Juneau has remained the capital.
Juneau is a gender-neutral name of Latin origin. It is a variation of Juno, meaning "queen of heaven" or "young." Suitable for both boys and girls, Juneau offers you a worth of possibilities, from celebrating baby's angelic presence to the innocence of their youth.
Alaska is one of the two non-contiguous US states. It is located in the northwestern region of North America bordering Canada. In the past, the United States and the United Kingdom (which had control of Canada) had a dispute about the boundary of the state.
Why is Alaska part of the US?
Alaska belongs to the United States because it was purchased by the U.S. government from Russia in 1867. In 1725, Russia sent Vitus Bering on an expedition to explore the Alaskan coast. They claimed Alaska for Russia and took control of the area in the late 1700s.
When Alaska became a state in 1959, the building began being used only for state government purposes. While there have been movements over the years to move the state capital to either Anchorage or Fairbanks, Juneau has remained the capital.
Alaska isn't part of Canada because the US bought it from Russia in 1867. Before then, it was Russian territory while Britain controlled Canada. Even though it's closer to the US than Canada, Russia decided to sell it to the USA because its old rivals, Great Britain, controlled Canada at that time.
Russia offered to sell Alaska to the United States in 1859, believing the United States would off-set the designs of Russia's greatest rival in the Pacific, Great Britain.
You can't drive to all the way to Juneau without taking the ferry, but you can get much of the way along the 1,500-mile Alaska-Canadian Highway (ALCAN).