Alaska Flashcards
Alaska’s size?
2 million km2
What country does Alaska border to the East?
Canada
What Ocean does Alaska border to the North?
The Arctic ocean
What ocean does Alaska border to the South?
The Pacific Ocean
What is to the West of Alaska?
Bering strait
What does the Bering strait separate at its narrowest and by what distance?
USA from Russia by 82km
What is the largest US state?
Alaska
What is Alaska ranking among the states for lowest populous?
3rd
Is it highly or sparsely populated?
sparsely populated
What is Alaska’s population?
710,000
What is Alaska’s major city?
the City of Anchorage
What is Alaska’s household median income?
$73,000
For what does Alaska rank 7th highest among the American states?
for household median income
What other valuable minerals are found in Alaska?
silver, zinc and lead
What is a significant contributor to rural employment and economic prosperity?
employment in the mining industry
What is the value of the mining industry anually?
over $1bn annually and growing rapidly
What is driving growth in the mining sector and how?
technological advances help overcome physical environmental challenges
What is mining damaging to?
the environment
What toxic material can be used in mining?
arsenic
What can arsenic do and what does it impact?
pollute local water sources and impact fishing and indigenous people’s health
What does development come hand in hand with?
the building of infrastructure
What does open cast mining do?
leave huge scars on the natural environment
What does open cast mining clear?
swathes of forest
How must the roofs be designed?
steep to allow snow to slide off
Example of initiative to limit development of mining?
‘No Dirty Gold’ which shut down Pebble Gold mine in 2013
What happens when the top layer of permafrost thaws in the summer?
it destabilises foundations causing buildings to tilt and be damaged
What also causes buildings to tilt?
the ‘urban heat island effect’ as the heat from the buildings causes the permafrost to melt
How can the tilting of buildings be managed?
constructing buildings on raised columns that can lift the structures above the ground allowing them to expand and contract with the changing conditions
How are domestic services such as freshwater and sanitation designed and why?
provided above ground to minimise the risk of freezing pipes cracking in case of water and thawing permafrost in case of heating
What do the cold nutrient rich water provide?
excellent supply of fish stocks
How much did the fishing industry bring in in 2017?
$12.8bn
What is the challenge of fishing?
Commercial fishermen must endure:
-isolated fishing grounds
-high winds, seasonal darkness
-very cold waters
-long days at sea
What attracts tourists to Alaska?
unique wilderness
What environmental features does Alaska have?
mountains, glaciers, rivers and wildlife
Example of a ski resort
Girdwood
What is the amount of direct visitor spending?
$1.8 bn annually
How do many people arrive to Alaska and what is the impact?
By air which creates a larger carbon footprint
What does creating ski resorts often involve?
deforestation, pollution and waste generation
What does proving all the facilities for tourism create?
the same issues with building infrastructure found in mineral extraction
What percentage of taxes are created by the oil industry?
90%
How many barrels does Prudhoe bay contain?
25 million
What does its steep terrain and plentiful river make viable ?
Hydro electric power
What percentage of energy is provided by 50 HEP plants?
20 %
What type of region is Alaska?
tectonically active
What type of plant is producing enough energy for 400 homes?
geothermal power plant
What implications on climate change does the melting of permafrost have?
methane in released which is a green house gas that is 25x more powerful than CO2
What is the challenge of repairing damaged foundations?
the extreme climate makes it difficult
How low do temperatures get from Oct-Jan?
-30 degrees Celsisus
What happened in 1989?
the Exxon-Valdez tanker ran into rocks
What are oil fields in Alaska already in?
decline
Where is oil exploration looking into?
protected areas like the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve
What is the US looking to improve?
energy security
What might large oil companies start to put pressure on?
further exploitation in protected areas
