Anchorage, Alaska

Anchorage is the largest city in Alaska, United States. With a population of 285,634 residents, it makes up more than two-fifths of the state's population.

Anchorage
Municipality of Anchorage
Downtown Anchorage and Bootleggers Cove as photographed from Point Woronzof Park on an April evening.
Downtown Anchorage and Bootleggers Cove as photographed from Point Woronzof Park on an April evening.
Flag of Anchorage
Flag
Official seal of Anchorage
Seal
Nickname(s): 
The City of Lights and Flowers
Motto(s): 
Big Wild Life
Location of Anchorage within Alaska
Location of Anchorage within Alaska
Coordinates: 61°13′05″N 149°53′33″W
CountryUnited States
StateAlaska
BoroughAnchorage
Settled1914
IncorporatedNovember 23, 1920 (City of Anchorage);
January 1, 1964 (Greater Anchorage Area Borough);
September 15, 1975 (current Municipality of Anchorage, which combined the two)
Named forthe anchorage at the mouth of Ship Creek
Government
 • MayorDan Sullivan
Area
 • City1,961.1 sq mi (5,079 km2)
 • Land1,697.2 sq mi (4,396 km2)
 • Water263.9 sq mi (683 km2)
 • Urban
78.8 sq mi (204 km2)
 • Metro
26,312.5 sq mi (68,149 km2)
Elevation
102 ft (31 m)
Population
 (2010)[1]
291,826 (64th in U.S.)
 • Density171.9/sq mi (66.4/km2)
 • Urban
225,744
 • Metro
374,553
Time zoneUTC-9 (AKST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-8 (AKDT)
ZIP code
99501–99524, 99530
Area code(s)907
Geocode1398242
FIPS code02-03000
Websitewww.muni.org

History

Anchorage was originally a construction camp during the building of the Alaska Railroad. By 1920 it had grown to the point where it was decided to officially make it a city. Being at the head of Cook Inlet it became an important place for shipping in Alaska because ships could load and unload cargo to and from the new railroad. In the 1940 an both the army and the air force built bases near Anchorage, and it got even bigger. In 1964 Anchorage was hit by the Good Friday Earthquake, the second strongest earthquake ever recorded. Over a hundred people died and a lot of buildings in and around Anchorage were destroyed. Over the next few years a lot of work went into rebuilding the city and making the buildings better in case there was another earthquake. In 1968 oil was discovered up in the Arctic region of Alaska, and Anchorage again got bigger quickly and merged with other towns in the area. Today it is a modern city with a very large international airport, a large sea port that is very busy, and all the other things you would expect to find in a big city.

Utilities

Water for the city comes from Eklutna Lake.

The city's electricity comes from power plants in the city and from a dam also fed by Eklutna Lake.

Heat for homes comes from natural gas provided by Enstar Natural Gas Company.

Climate

Anchorage has a subarctic climate (Dfc in the Köppen climate classification).

References
  1. "Anchorage, AK Metropolitan Statistical Area - ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates: 2006". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2020-02-11. Retrieved 2011-05-22.
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