Explore the map of Alaska and Canada showing all Canada provinces and U.S. state Alaska with major cities, major roads, national parks, province capitals and a national capital.
Alaska and Canada
Rich in natural riches, cultural legacy, and economic connection, Alaska and Canada share a great northern frontier. With an area of around 1.72 million square kilometers (663,268 square miles), Alaska is the biggest state in the United States by area almost one-fifth the size of the whole country. With an estimated 733,000 population as of 2023, it is the least densely inhabited state. Comprising around 9.98 million square kilometers (3.85 million square miles) and a population of almost 39 million, Canada is the second-largest nation in the world. Geography, commerce, environmental issues, and Indigenous populations that have lived in the two areas for thousands of years all help to bind them together.
With Alaska bordering the Canadian provinces of Yukon and British Columbia, Alaska and Canada have a lengthy, about 1,538 mile (2,475 kilometer) border. Unique in nature, this border divides the United States from Canada without direct access to the contiguous United States. Built during World War II, the main overland route from Alaska to the lower 48 states via Canada is the Alaska Highway. It runs from Dawson Creek, British Columbia, 1,387 miles (2,232 kilometers) to Delta Junction, Alaska. With thousands of users every year, this path is very vital for commerce and travel.
Economically, natural resource sectors like oil, gas, mining, and forestry define both Alaska and Canada most of all. Major crude oil producer Alaska has the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System moving oil from Arctic Prudhoe Bay to the southern port of Valdez. The state also has plenty of coal, natural gas, and valuable metals such gold and zinc. Likewise, Canada is among the top crude oil producers in the world; the Alberta oil sands are a major source of petroleum exports to the United States. Especially in British Columbia, Yukon, and Alberta, Canada has sizable mining and forestry sectors as well.
Another important sector of both economies is fishing. With commercial fishing making a major share of Alaska's economy, the state has some of the wealthiest fisheries worldwide. Salmon, crab, halibut, and pollock abound from the Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska, and North Pacific Ocean. With salmon, herring, and shellfish among main exports, Canada—especially British Columbia—has a similarly strong fishing sector. Between the United States and Canada, the Pacific Salmon Treaty controls fishing rights and conservation initiatives meant to guarantee sustainable fish numbers.
For both Alaska and Canada, environmental and climatic problems rank highly in importance. Long winters and short summers define both areas' Arctic and sub-Arctic climates. Rising temperatures resulting from climate change have caused glaciers to melt, coastal erosion to occur, and habitat loss for species like polar bears, caribou, and Arctic foxes. In northern Canada and Alaska, permafrost melting compromises infrastructure and adds to greenhouse gas emissions. In response, both governments have promised to reduce carbon emissions and fund renewable energy projects like Alaskan wind and solar projects and Hydroelectric power in Canada.
The social and cultural fabric of Alaska and Canada depends critically on indigenous people. Native people from Alaska include the Inuit, Tlingit, Aleut, and Athabaskan have spent thousands of years on their homeland. Likewise, Indigenous people living in Canada—including First Nations, Métis, and Inuit—keep strong customs and self-governance systems. Legal frameworks supporting Indigenous land rights, economic growth, and cultural preservation abound in the 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) of Canada and elsewhere. Efforts to correct past injustices and increase economic possibilities for Indigenous people in both areas still abound.
Another major economic engine is tourism; Alaska and Canada draw millions of people yearly. Denali National Park and Glacier Bay National Park among Alaska's national parks lure visitors looking for gorgeous settings, recreational activities, and wildlife. Given hundreds of cruise ships passing the Inside Passage annually between Alaska and British Columbia, cruise tourism is especially significant. With sites like Banff National Park, Jasper National Park, and the Yukon wilderness providing outdoor recreation chances, Canada's tourist sector is also strong. Visible in both northern parts of Alaska and Canada, the northern lights are a main draw for tourists.
Particularly in the Arctic, United States and Canada have extensive military cooperation and security coordination. Members of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), which monitors marine and airspace activity, both countries are Rising geopolitical relevance of the Arctic resulting from melting ice and new trade routes has resulted in more cooperation on military operations, monitoring, and infrastructure building. Together, the United States and Canada also help to preserve Arctic sovereignty and handle any security concerns arising from other world powers.
Alaska and Canada have experienced sporadic disagreements over fishing rights, energy policy, and border rules notwithstanding their close relationship. Unresolved is the long-standing conflict over the Beaufort Sea maritime border, which comprises conflicting claims to an area of the Arctic Ocean rich in oil. Nonetheless, accords like the Arctic Council and the Pacific Salmon Treaty as well as diplomatic involvement provide means of collaboration and dispute resolution.
Alaska and Canada's relationship is marked generally by common economic interests, cultural ties, and environmental issues. Their close proximity and shared issues about climate change, Indigenous rights, and resource management guarantee ongoing cooperation in many spheres. Alaskan and Canada will become more and more important in determining policies on environmental sustainability, economic growth, and regional security as worldwide interest in the Arctic rises.
Provinces of Canada
Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador
Nova Scotia
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Quebec
Saskatchewan
