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Is Alaska really that big?




A map of the continental US with the state of Alaska superimposed over it.
A map of the United States of America with the state of Alaska superimposed over it.

Is Alaska really that big? Lets find out....the acquisition of Alaska through the Alaska Purchase (aka Seward's Folly) on March 30, 1867 from Russia for $7.2 million (about 2 cents per acre) increased the land area of the United States by about 23%.


Alaska is massive when compared to the entire United States.

Here's how it stacks up:

  • Land Area of Alaska: 663,300 square miles, making it the largest state in the U.S.

  • Land Area of the Entire United States: Approximately 3,796,742 square miles (including Alaska).

  • This means Alaska accounts for about 17.5% of the total land area of the United States, yeah that includes Alaska, of course.

  • Making Alaska about 1/5 the size of the continental US.


To put this into further perspective:

  • If Alaska were divided into two states, each half would still be larger than Texas, which is the second-largest state (268,596 square miles).

  • You could fit California, Texas, and Montana all into Alaska, with room to spare.

  • Alaska is more than twice the size of the 22 smallest U.S. states combined.


Is Alaska really that big?

The sheer size of Alaska is even more impressive when you consider that much of it is untouched wilderness, contributing to its unique and vast natural beauty.

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