The population of Alaska is widely dispersed and fairly
small in numbers. The largest state in the union geographically is one of the
smallest population wise, with normally around 600,000 inhabitants in the
entire state. Anchorage, the state’s biggest city, is home to 40 percent of the
population with between 200,000-250,000 people.
They like to call Anchorage “The Gateway to Alaska.”
Anchorage in itself is a modern city, so it’s easy to forget you are in such a
rugged state. However, a thirty-minute ride outside of Anchorage will put you
dead smack in the wilderness again.
Still, Anchorage is fine travel destination, as the city is
a great home base for side trips to places like Denali National Park (home of
Mt. McKinley, the tallest peak in North America). Also, Anchorage has several
festivals throughout the year and is the starting spot for the world-famous
dogsled race, The Iditarod.
With theaters, restaurants, a modern convention center and
its central location, many travelers swear by Anchorage as a great tourist
location.
What Alaskans Say: The population of Alaska is constantly in
a state of flux as people decide to move there while others decide to move away
on a nearly daily basis. There is a popular term for some Alaskans, however:
Sourdough. The meaning: It’s a resident who is sour on Alaska, but doesn’t have
the dough to get out.