Geography of Alaska and Hawaii

[music] [music] [music] >> This is Juneau, capital of Alaska. This is Honolulu, capital of Hawaii. Alaska and Hawaii, our 49th and 50th states, extended the boundary of the United States to south of the Tropic of Cancer and north of the Arctic Circle. Alaska has a rich and colorful history. State William Seward negotiated the purchase of Alaska from Russia for $7,200,000. Alaska was facetiously nicknamed Seward's Folly and Seward's Icebox. But after big strikes of gold were made in Northwestern Canada in 1896 and then in Alaska in 1898, attitudes quickly changed. Americans came in a great gold rush. Many mining camps became towns and cities that today include Nome, Fairbanks, and Juneau. The gold rush brought thousands of Americans to Alaska. In 1912, Alaska became a territory with Juneau the capital. Almost a half century later in 1958, Alaska entered the Union as the 49th state. What is this new state like? Who are the people that live here? These are people who live in the largest state. Alaska is 1/5 as large as all the 48 states it joined. Within this great area is a variety of landforms, including three main mountain ranges. The Brooks Range, the Alaska Range, and the Pacific Coast Range. In the Alaska Range is majestic Mount McKinley, the highest mountain in all of North America. Glaciers, giant rivers of ice, wind down from many of Alaska's mountains. Along with the mountains, Alaska is also a land of valleys and tablelands. The Tanana Valley and the Matanuska Valley are two of Alaska's most fertile areas. Much of Alaska's farming is done here. Alaskans don't produce very much of the food they need, so they have to import most of it. The Alaskan growing season is short, but the summer days are long with as much as 20 hours of daylight. So, vegetables sometimes reach enormous size. These soils also produce lush grasslands. Dairy cattle thrive here. Many of the products of the Matanuska Valley are shipped to nearby Anchorage, the largest city of Alaska. Most Alaskans live in cities and towns. Like Anchorage, most of these cities are located along Alaska's coastline. North of the Brooks Range is Barrow on the banks of the Arctic Ocean, the northernmost community in the United States. Barrow is a trading center above the Arctic Circle. Most of the children at this school in Barrow are Eskimos. This northern region of Alaska is a vast and mostly unpopulated tundra land. In 100,000 square miles of tundra, only about 4,000 people live. Most of them are Eskimos. They live and work mainly in towns like Barrow. Nome is southwest of Barrow on the Bering Sea. Farther along the coast are the Aleutian Islands. The chain divides the Bering Sea from the Pacific Ocean. Most of Alaska's main cities lie on its southern or Pacific coast, including Juneau, the capital of Alaska. The climate in Juneau is mild. The winters are not severe and the summers are cool and pleasant. Winds blowing across the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean help to temper the climate in this part of Alaska. But the waters off Alaska's southern coast are even more important for another reason. Salmon. During the salmon runs in the spring and fall, the fishing fleets are busy hauling in the catch. Although the 1964 earthquake severely damaged the fishing industry, it recovered quickly and regained its importance in Alaska's economy. >> The damaged canneries also recovered soon afterward. The canning and fishing industry is Alaska's second main source of income. Alaska's main industry is based on its mineral wealth. Gold mining, once important in Alaska, is only of minor significance now and declining. The more common minerals, gravel, sand, and clay have become more important than gold because of their use in construction. Today, oil is Alaska's main resource along with natural gas. Major strikes of oil have drawn prospectors to Alaska as gold once did. Coal is also mined in Alaska in large strip mines. Most of the coal is used in military bases in the state. Lumbering is another growing industry. Alaska's vast timberlands are a potential source of wealth for the future. But many of Alaska's resources have not been fully developed because of the state's main problem, transportation. Rail transportation and roads are still very limited. To travel the great distances in their state, Alaskans depend on planes. Almost every town in Alaska has a landing strip. The major cities and towns are serviced by the commercial airlines. Land and sea routes connect Alaska with the other states. The Alaska Highway is the main land route into and out of Alaska. Travel by water is possible through the Inside Passage along Alaska's sheltered Pacific coast. A trip here offers one of the world's most scenic cruises. But because the distances involved, travel along land and water routes takes a great deal of time. Most Americans go by air to Alaska, as they do to Hawaii, the island state. Located in the central part of the Pacific Ocean, the Hawaiian Islands are actually the tops of huge volcanic mountains rising from the ocean floor. There are five main islands. Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, and Hawaii, the largest island. All the islands were formed by volcanic action, and today the island of Hawaii still has two active volcanoes. The largest is snow-capped Mauna Loa. This is Kilauea, the more active of the two. Eruptions occur frequently. When the lava cools and hardens, it gradually adds to the size of the volcanic island. Although most of the state of Hawaii lies south of the Tropic of Cancer, the tropical climate is mild and pleasant throughout the year, moderated both by the cool northeast winds and the warm ocean. Ties to the United States, 2,300 mi away, began in the late 1700s with the immigration of missionaries and other Americans. Economic ties began with sugarcane. It had been grown in the rich volcanic soil of the islands since earliest times. By the 1870s, large quantities of sugar were being shipped to refineries in the United States, and relationships strengthened, even though European countries tried to take over the islands. They had first been unified into a country by King Kamehameha, whose reign began in 1795. The last ruler of Hawaii was overthrown in 1893. Queen Liliuokalani. In 1900, her country became a United States territory. And in 1959, her home, Iolani Palace in Honolulu, became the seat of the state legislature as the Hawaiian Islands joined the Union as the 50th state. And the people celebrated. The new capital building was completed 10 years later in 1969. Its open design symbolizes Hawaii's volcanic origins and island character. This is part of modern Hawaii. In modern Hawaii, sugarcane is still important. Labor-saving devices have reduced the workforce while increasing production. The cane is grown and harvested all year long. Pineapples, Hawaii's second largest crop, are grown on large plantations. Hawaii is the world's leading producer of this fruit. Almost all of the pineapples raised here are canned in the islands for shipment. The pineapple and sugarcane industries required many workers over the years. For generations, people came to Hawaii mainly from Asian lands to work in the fields, canneries, factories, and warehouses. They came from Japan and the Philippines and China. Their descendants make up a large part of Hawaii's present-day population. Both pineapples and sugar are exported to the mainland from ports such as Honolulu. Hawaii exports these agricultural products and imports most of the goods it requires. Near Honolulu Harbor is Pearl Harbor, an important part of United States history. Pearl Harbor is still a major naval base. Many civilians are employed at the Navy, Army, and Air Force bases on the islands. National defense is Hawaii's main source of income. But income from the tourist trade is second and rapidly growing. Waikiki Beach in Honolulu is probably the most famous of Hawaii's many beaches. Here, a favorite attraction for many tourists is the luau, a traditional Hawaiian feast. Others may prefer horseback riding along mountain trails. In the mountains, the beauty of the islands can be fully appreciated. Honolulu, center of the tourist industry, is also the largest commercial city in the islands. Life here is much like life in any medium-sized American city. And like other American cities, Honolulu is changing and growing rapidly. Agriculture is becoming less important. New construction is bringing roads, motels, and other commercial buildings. This is all part of the continuing development in Hawaii, the island state. Both Hawaii and Alaska, the two westernmost Pacific states, are major transportation links for shipping and air travel, connecting the East and Asia with the Western world. Both states export their main products while importing the goods they require. Alaska is a vast state with resources that have not yet been fully developed. While Hawaii, although much smaller, is being rapidly developed, mainly to service tourists. And population is growing in both states. In Alaska, the largest state, and in Hawaii, the island state. >> [music]