Alaska Travel

Anchorage

Anchorage, Alaska is a consolidated city-borough (officially called the Municipality of Anchorage) in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the largest city in the state of Alaska, with 275,043 residents, comprising more than two-fifths of the state's total population.

Anchorage Alaska is a vibrant, eclectic metropolis with a frontier sprit, located in the heart of great Alaska wilderness. Embraced by six mountain ranges and warmed by a maritime climate, Anchorage Alaska is alive year round with culture, adventure, recreation, and wildlife and sightseeing opportunities making it the ideal base camp for Alaska adventures. more...

Location:Elevation: 101 feet above sea level. Land Area: 1,697.7 Square Miles. Water Area: 263.9 Square Miles.
Capital: Alaska
Mayor: Mark Begich (D)
Area:
- City 5,079.2 km² (1,961.1 sq mi)
- Land 4,395.8 km² (1,697.2 sq mi)
- Water 683.4 km² (263.9 sq mi)
Elevation: 115 m (377.3 ft)
Time zone: AKST (UTC-9)
- Summer (DST) AKDT (UTC-8)
Population (year 2000): 260,283. Estimated population in July 2005: 275,043 (+5.7% change)
Males: 131,668 (50.6%), Females: 128,615 (49.4%)
Zip codes: 99501, 99502, 99503, 99504, 99507, 99508, 99513, 99515, 99516, 99517, 99518, 99695.

Geography of Anchorage

Anchorage is located in South Central Alaska, at 61 °13'06" North latitude (slightly farther north than Oslo, Helsinki and St. Petersburg), 149 °53'57" West longitude, northeast of the Alaska Peninsula, Kodiak Island, and Cook Inlet, due north of the Kenai Peninsula, northwest of Prince William Sound and Alaska Panhandle, and nearly due south of Mount McKinley/Denali.

The city is situated on a triangular peninsula bordered on the east by the Chugach Mountains, on the northwest by the Kink Arm, and on the southwest by the Turn again Arm, upper branches of the Cook Inlet, which itself is the northernmost reach of the Pacific Ocean. The Chugach Mountains to the east have a general elevation of 4,000 to 5,000 feet, with peaks from 8,000 to 10,000 feet. more...

An overview on Anchorage's Economy

Employment: 156,548 in 2003; 130,804 in 1999; and 121,853 in 1995
Unemployment: 5.7% in 2003; varied 4.1% to 7.4% from 1991-2000
Adults Not In Labor Force: 30.4% in 2000; 26.7% in 1990
Per Capita Wealth: $27,852 in 1999; $26,452 in 1995 (in 1999 dollars)
Transfer Payments: $4,000/person in 1999; $3,3 00/person in 1995
Population: 274,003 people in 2003 or 42.2% of Alaska's population
Net Migration: Average in-migration of .4 people/year/1,000 population (1990-2003)
Ethnicity: 7.8% of total population was all or part Alaska Native in 2002
Below Poverty Level: 7.4% of population in 2000; 7.0% in 1990
Race: White: 72%, African American: 6%, Native American: 7%, Asian: 6%, Hawaiian: 1%, Other/Mixed: 8%

History of Anchorage

Anchorage was laid out by city planners in 1914, originally as a railroad construction port for the Alaska Railroad, which was built between 1915 and 1923. Ship Creek Landing, where the railroad headquarters was located, quickly became a tent city; Anchorage was incorporated on November 23, 1920. The city's economy in the 1920s centered on the railroad. Between the 1930s and the 1950s, the city experienced massive growth as air transportation and the military became increasingly important. Merrill Field opened in 1930, and Anchorage International Airport opened in 1951. Elmendorf Air Force Base and Fort Richardson were constructed in the 1940s.

On March 27, 1964, Anchorage was hit by the magnitude 9.2 Good Friday Earthquake, which killed 115 Alaskans and caused $1.8 billion in damage (2007 U.S. dollars). Rebuilding dominated the city in the late 1960s. In 1968, oil was discovered in Prudhoe Bay, and the resulting oil boom spurred further growth in Anchorage. In 1975, Anchorage merged with Eagle River, Girdwood, Glen Alps, and several other communities. The merger expanded the city, known officially as the Municipality of Anchorage. The city continued to grow in the 1980s, and capital projects and an aggressive beautification campaign took place. more...

Facts for Travellers

Sports in Anchorage

The Sullivan Arena is home to the Alaska Aces of the ECHL (formerly East Coast Hockey League). The city's only other professional franchise, the Alaska Wild, an arena football team, is scheduled to begin playing with the Intense Football League in April 2007.

The Anchorage Bucs Baseball Club is a summer collegiate baseball team, attracting players from universities throughout the world. The Anchorage Glacier Pilots are a member of the National Baseball Congress. Both baseball clubs play at Mulcahy Stadium. more...

Also Read: Demographics of Anchorage | Economy of Anchorage | Climate of Anchorage | Transportation in Anchorage | Getting in Anchorage | Getting Around in Anchorage | Arts and Culture of Anchorage | Medical centers and hospitals in Anchorage | Colleges and universities in Anchorage | Sports in Anchorage | Parks and gardens in Anchorage | Museums in Anchorage

Cities in Alaska
Anchorage
Fairbanks
Juneau
Wasilla
Palmer
Sitka
Kenai
Ketchikan
Homer
Honeymoon in Alaska
Alaska
South Central
Insider Passage
Interior
Far North
South West