Alaska case study

• Alaska


  The most northern state in the USA, covering 2 million square kilometres
• Alaska


  • The southern half experiences relatively mild conditions, whereas a tundra environment overlaying permafrost is found to the north
  • One of the most sparsely populated places on Earth, with nearly half its 750,000 residents living in the city of Anchorage
• Indigenous people of Alaska


  Inupiat and Yup'ik tribes, part of the larger ethnic group called the Inuit
• The ancestors of the Inuit spread throughout the Arctic into Scandinavia, Alaska, Russia and Canada during the last ice age
• Since the 19th century, mainly European temperament settlers joined the 100,000 Inuit bringing the total population to nearly 750,000
• In addition, temporary economic migrants have travelled north to work for mining and oil companies
• Alaska's development opportunities


  • Mineral extraction (coal, copper, silver, gold, zinc, gravel)
  • Energy (vast reserves of oil and gas, transported by the trans-Alaskan pipeline)
  • Fishing (employs 80,000 people, worth $8 billion to the economy)
  • Tourism (over 2 million tourists every year, including cruise ships)
• Trans Alaskan pipeline


  1. Oil is transported from Prudhoe Bay in the north to Valdez in the south

  2. Oil is heated as it travels along the pipe to stop it from freezing

  3. Pipeline is raised above the land to avoid melting the permafrost
• Alaska's fisheries are a successful example of sustainable management
• Alaska's development challenges


  • Extreme temperatures (winter temperatures below -30°C, freezing sea and dangerous roads)
  • Permafrost creates challenges for buildings and infrastructure (roads, domestic services)
  • Inaccessibility (remote region, reliance on planes, ships and dangerous winter roads)
• Runways are painted white to reflect the energy and reduce heat transfer from the sun
• Locals rely on snowmobiles and 4x4s in the winter due to the inaccessibility