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The state flag,
adopted in 1927, was designed by a 13-year-old schoolboy. Seven
gold stars, representing Alaska's gold resources, form the Big
Dipper. An eighth star in the corner is the North Star,
symbolizing Alaska's location in the Far North. The state seal was
adopted in 1913. It has symbols, relating to Alaska's economy, for
agriculture, fishing, forestry, mining, and transportation. The
rays above the mountains represent the northern lights.
Alaska is the largest state of the United States in area. It is
almost a fifth as large as all the rest of the United States, and
more than twice the size of Texas, the second largest state. But
Alaska has a relatively small population. According to the 2000
census, Alaska ranks 48th among all the states in population. Only
Wyoming and Vermont have fewer people than Alaska. Alaska is often
called the Last Frontier because much of the state is not fully
settled. Juneau is Alaska's capital. Anchorage is the state's
largest city in terms of population. |
