Alaska

Alaska was inhabited for thousands of years by indigenous groups, including the Aleuts, Northern Eskimos, Southern Eskimos, Interior Indians and Southeast Coastal Indians, before European colonization in the 1700s. These and other native peoples faced severe smallpox outbreaks from the late 18th through the mid-19th centuries, which destroyed some and ruined other communities.

Secretary of State William Seward purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867 for $7.2 million, or about 2 cents an acre. Critics of the purchase, often referred to as "Seward's Folly," quickly changed their minds when gold was discovered in the Yukon and settlers flocked to the land in the 1890s. The Last Frontier became the 49th state in 1959.

Oil was discovered at Prudhoe Bay in 1968 and the Trans-Alaska Pipeline was completed in 1977, and the resource has since contributed to about 90 percent of the state's economy.

Alaska is home to some of the most stunning geography in the U.S., boasting 17 of the nation's 20 highest peaks, as well as the Tongass National Forest, which is the largest in the country. The state contains more untouched land than anywhere else in the U.S.

While Alaska is the largest state by area, it's among the smallest in population – only about 740,000 people call the state home. Alaska boasts the lowest population density in the nation, with just 1.3 people per square mile.

Anchorage is the state’s largest city, followed by Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Fairbanks, Kenai Peninsula Borough and the capital, Juneau. With just under 300,000 people, Anchorage accounts for about 40 percent of the state's population.