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Anchorage (officially called the Municipality of Anchorage) is a consolidated city-borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. With 282,813 municipal residents, (359,180 residents within the Metropolitan Statistical Area), it is Alaska's largest city and constitutes more than 40 percent of the state's total population. Anchorage has been named All-America City four times, in 1956, 1965, 1984/85, and 2002, by the National Civic League.

Geography

Anchorage is located in Southcentral Alaska. It lies slightly farther north than Oslo, Helsinki and St. Petersburg. It is northeast of the Alaska Peninsula, Kodiak Island, and Cook Inlet, due north of the Kenai Peninsula, northwest of Prince William Sound and Alaska Panhandle, and nearly due south of Mount McKinley/Denali.

The city is on a strip of coastal lowland and extends up the lower alpine slopes of the Chugach Mountains. To the south is Turnagain Arm, a fjord that has some of the world's highest tides. Knik Arm, another tidal inlet, lies to the west and north. The Chugach Mountains on the east form a boundary to development, but not to the city limits, which encompass part of the wild alpine territory of Chugach State Park.

The city's seacoast consists mostly of treacherous mudflats. Newcomers and tourists are warned not to walk in this area because of extreme tidal changes and sticky mud.

To the north is Matanuska-Susitna Borough (Mat-Su Valley, or just "the valley"), which is included with the MOA as a metropolitan area by the US Census Bureau. Although the Mat-Su is a "bedroom community" for Anchorage, the towns, exurbs, farms, and homesteads there have varied local cultures quite distinct from that of Anchorage proper. Between metropolitan Anchorage and the valley the communities of Eagle River and Chugiak, although part of the MOA, also have distinct identities.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the municipality has a total area of 1,961.1 square miles (5,079.2 kmÂ²), of which 1,697.2 square miles (4,395.8 kmÂ²) is land and 263.9 square miles (683.4 kmÂ²) is water. The total area is 13.46% water. The area of Anchorage is thus larger than that of Rhode Island.[4]

Climate

Anchorage has a subarctic climate (the KÃ¶ppen climate classification is Dfc) due to its short, cool summers. Average daytime summer temperatures range from approximately 55 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit (13 to 26 degrees Celsius); average daytime winter temperatures are about 5 to 30 degrees (-15 to -1 degrees Celsius). Anchorage has a frost-free growing season that averages slightly over 100 days.

Average January low and high temperatures at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (PANC) are 9 Â°F/22 Â°F (-13 Â°C/-5 Â°C) with an average winter snowfall of 70.60 inches (179.3 cm). The 1954-1955 winter had 132.8 inches (337.3 cm), which made it the snowiest winter on record. The coldest temperature ever recorded at the original weather station located at Merrill Field on the East end of 5th Avenue was -38 Â°F (-38.8 Â°C) on February 3, 1947.

Summers are typically mild (although cool compared to the contiguous US and even interior Alaska), though it can rain frequently. Average July low and high temperatures are 52 Â°F/66 Â°F (11 Â°C/19 Â°C) and the hottest reading ever recorded was 92 Â°F (33.3 Â°C) on June 25, 1953. The average annual precipitation at the airport is 16.07 inches (408 mm).

Due to its proximity to active volcanoes, ash hazards are a significant, though infrequent, occurrence. The most recent notable incident was an August, 1992 eruption of Mt. Spurr, which is located 78 miles west of the city. The eruption deposited about 3 mm of volcanic ash on the city. The clean-up of ash resulted in excessive demands for water and caused major problems for the Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility.

Because of Anchorage's latitude, summer days are very long and winter daylight hours are very short. Anchorage is often cloudy during the winter, which decreases the amount of sunlight experienced by residents.

Wildlife

A diverse wildlife population exists in urban Anchorage and the surrounding area. Approximately 250 black bears and 60 grizzly bears live in the area. Bears are regularly sighted within the city. Moose are a common sight. In the Anchorage Bowl, there is a summer population of approximately 250 moose, increasing to as many as 1000 during the winter. They are a hazard to drivers, with over 100 moose killed by cars each year. Two people have been stomped to death by moose in recent years in Anchorage. Cross-country skiers and dog mushers using city trails are charged by moose on numerous occasions; the Alaska Dept of Fish and Game has to destroy some individual aggressive moose in the city every year. Dall sheep can be commonly sighted along the Seward Highway between Anchorage and Girdwood. Approximately 30 wolves live in the Anchorage area, in 2007 several dogs were killed by wolves while on walks with their owners. There are also beaver dams in local creeks, and it is common to see fox and kits in parking lots close to wooded areas in the spring.

History

Anchorage was established in 1914 as a railroad construction port for the Alaska Railroad, which was built between 1915 and 1923. Ship Creek Landing, where the railroad headquarters was located, quickly became a tent city; Anchorage was incorporated on November 23, 1920. The city's economy in the 1920s centered around the railroad. Between the 1930s and the 1950s, the city experienced massive growth as air transportation and the military became increasingly important. Merrill Field opened in 1930, and Anchorage International Airport opened in 1951. Elmendorf Air Force Base and Fort Richardson were constructed in the 1940s.

On March 27, 1964, Anchorage was hit by the magnitude 9.2 Good Friday Earthquake, which killed 115 Alaskans and caused $1.8 billion in damage (2007 U.S. dollars). The earth-shaking event lasted nearly five minutes; most structures that failed remained intact the first few minutes, then failed with repeated flexing. Rebuilding dominated the city in the mid 1960s.

In 1968, oil was discovered in Prudhoe Bay, and the resulting oil boom spurred further growth in Anchorage. In 1975, Anchorage merged with Eagle River, Girdwood, Glen Alps, and several other communities. The merger expanded the city, known officially as the Municipality of Anchorage. The city continued to grow in the 1980s, and capital projects and an aggressive beautification campaign took place.

Government

Anchorage is governed by an elected mayor and assembly, and a city manager. The city's current mayor is Mark Begich.

Demographics

As of the 2008 census, there were 360,283 people, 94 822 households and 64 099 families residing in the municipality; in all, the Anchorage Municipality is home to almost two-fifths of Alaska's population. The population density was 59.2/kmÂ² (153.4/sq mi). There were 100,368 housing units at an average density of 59.1/sq mi (22.8/kmÂ²). Anchorage is also the most ethnically diverse city in Alaska: the ethnic makeup of the municipality is approximately 72.23% White, 7.28% (apx. 19,000) Alaska Natives and American Indians, 5.55% (approximately 14,500 people) Asian Americans, 5.84% (apx. 15,200) African Americans, 0.93% Pacific Islanders, 2.19% are from other ethnic groups, and 5.98% were from two or more ethnic groups. 5.69% were Hispanic Americans or Latinos of any ethnic group. 4.00% reported speaking Spanish at home, while 1.49% speak Tagalog and 1.44% Korean.

There were 94,822 households out of which 38.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.4% were non-families. 23.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.19.

In the city the population was spread out with 29.1% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 33.9% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 5.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 101.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $55,546, and the median income for a family is $63,682. Males have a median income of $41,267 versus $31,747 for females. The per capita income for the city is $25,287. 5.1% of families and 7.3% of the population are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 8.8% of those under the age of 18 and 6.4% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Economy

Anchorage is a major port, receiving over 95% of all freight entering Alaska, as well as a hub of the Alaska Railroad. Major industries include government and military, petroleum, and tourism. There are two U.S. military bases bordering Anchorage on the north: Elmendorf Air Force Base and Fort Richardson. Nearly all Alaska Interior-bound tourists pass through Anchorage at some stage of their journeys in Alaska. Not surprisingly, summer is tourist season, and downtown Anchorage, as well as the highways leading north and south of town, are typically teeming with tourists.

Airports

The Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, six miles (10 km) South from downtown Anchorage, is the airline hub for the state, served by many national and international airlines, including Seattle-based Alaska Airlines as well as a many intrastate airlines and charter air services. The airport is the primary international air freight gateway in the nation, by weight. Twenty-six percent of the tonnage of U.S. international air freight moves through Anchorage. Merrill Field, a general aviation airport on the edge of downtown, was the 86th-busiest airport in the nation in 2006.

Railroads

The Alaska Railroad offers year-round freight and passenger service along the length of its rail system from Seward (the southern terminus of the system) to Fairbanks (the northern terminus of the system), although passenger service is less frequent in winter than in summer, and some passenger terminals are not serviced in winter. Passenger terminals exist at Talkeetna, Denali National Park, Fairbanks, and other places. These communities are also served by bus line from Anchorage. The Ship Creek Shuttle connects downtown with the Ship Creek area, including stops at the Alaska Railroad Depot.

Public Mass Transit

Anchorage also has a bus system called People Mover, with a central hub in downtown Anchorage and satellite hubs at Dimond Center and Muldoon Mall. The People Mover provides carpool organization services. The public paratransit service known as AnchorRides provides point-to-point accessible transportation services to seniors and those who experience disabilities.

Major Highways

There is one numbered state highway in Anchorage; Alaska Route 1. In Anchorage and southward it is known as the Seward Highway, it connects Anchorage to the Kenai Peninsula. Northerly from Anchorage it is known as the Glenn Highway. There is no other road access to Anchorage.

A portion of the Seward Highway, approximately 10 miles (20 km) long (known as the New Seward Highway), is built to freeway standards. The six-lane Glenn Highway carries commuter traffic to and from Eagle River, Chugiak, and the Matanuska Valley towns of Palmer and Wasilla. The highway reduces to four lanes north from Eagle River to the junction with the two-lane Parks Highway (Alaska Route 3), approximately midway between Wasilla and Palmer, where the Glenn reduces to a two-lane highway.

Part of Alaska Route 1, as well as parts of other Alaska state highways, are eligible for federal funding as part of the Interstate Highway System. The Glenn Highway is designated as Interstate A-1, and the Seward Highway is designated as Interstate A-3. The Highway to Highway Connection is a $575 million plan for a limited-access highway link between the Glenn and Seward highways, to pass through the Fairview, Mountain View, and Midtown neighborhoods.

Venues

The city of Anchorage currently provides three municipal facilities large enough to hold major events such as concerts, trade shows and conventions. Downtown facilities include the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts, William A. Egan Civic & Convention Center and the soon to be completed Denaâ€™ina Civic and Convention Center, which will be connected via skybridge to form the Anchorage Civic & Convention District. The Sullivan Arena hosts sporting events as well concerts and annual trade shows. The Anchorage Football Stadium and Mulcahy Stadium are also noteworthy sports venues.

Education

Public education in Anchorage, Eagle River, Fort Richardson and Elmendorf Air Force Base is managed by the Anchorage School District, the 87th largest district in the United States, with nearly 50,000 students attending 88 schools. There are also a number of choices in private education, including both religious and non-denominational schools.

Anchorage has four higher-education facilities that offer bachelor's or master's degrees: the University of Alaska Anchorage, Alaska Pacific University, Charter College, and the Anchorage campus of Texas-based Wayland Baptist University. Other continuing education facilities in Anchorage include the Grainger Leadership Institute, Nine Star Enterprises, CLE International, Nana Worksafe, and PackBear DBA Barr & Co.

Ninety percent of Anchorage's adults have high-school diplomas, 65 percent have attended one to three years of college, and 17 percent hold advanced degrees, placing Anchorage among the top metropolitan cities in educational attainment.

Medical centers and hospitals

Providence Alaska Medical Center on Providence Drive in Anchorage is the largest hospital in Alaska and is part of Providence Health & Services in Alaska, Washington, Oregon and California. It features the state's most comprehensive range of services. Providence Health System has a history of serving Alaska, beginning when the Sisters of Providence first brought health care to Nome in 1902. As the territory grew during the following decades, so did efforts to provide care. Hospitals were opened in Fairbanks in 1910 and Anchorage in 1937.

Alaska Regional Hospital on DeBarr Road in Anchorage opened in 1963 as Anchorage Presbyterian Hospital, located at 8th and L Street downtown. This predecessor to Alaska Regional was a joint venture between local physicians and the Presbyterian Church. In 1976 the hospital moved to its present location on DeBarr Road, and is now a 254-bed licensed and accredited facility. Alaska Regional has expanded services and in 1994, Alaska Regional joined with HCA, one of the nation's largest healthcare providers.

Alaska Native Medical Center located on Tudor Road, provides medical care and therapeutic health care to Alaska natives - 229 tribes - at the Anchorage site and at 15 satellite facilities throughout the state. ANMC specialists also travel to clinics in the Bush to provide care. The 150-bed hospital is also a teaching center for the University of Washington's regional medical education program. ANMC houses an office of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and Southcentral Foundation jointly own and manage ANMC.

Public safety in Anchorage, Alaska

With an authorized strength of 544 sworn and civilian positions, the Anchorage Police Department is the largest police department in the state, serving an area of nearly 200 square miles (500 kmÂ²) with a population of over a quarter million people. The Fire & EMS Operations Division of the Anchorage Fire Department (AFD) includes thirteen fire stations with over 300 personnel covering three rotating 24-hour shifts. Additionally, there are volunteer fire departments in Girdwood and Chugiak and fire departments on Elmendorf Air Force Base and Fort Richardson, as well as the Airport Police and Fire Department.

In 2005, the latest year for which data is available, Anchorage reported 735.6 violent crimes per 100,000 population and 4,116.1 property crimes per 100,000 population (see table). Anchorage's crime rate, both for violent and property crimes, is higher than for Alaska as a whole or for the U.S. as a whole. When compared with U.S. cities of similar size, Anchorage has a comparable rate of violent crime and a lower rate of property crime. Anchorage, and Alaska in general, have very high rates of sexual assault in comparison with the rest of the country, with Anchorage's annual rate of forcible rapes over twice as high as for the U.S. as a whole. Alaska Natives are victimized at a much higher rate than their representation in the population.

The Anchorage Community Survey, a public survey conducted in 2004-2005 by the Justice Center at University of Alaska Anchorage, found that overall, Anchorage residents are fairly satisfied with the performance of the Anchorage Police Department. Most survey respondents perceived the justice system to be "somewhat effective" or "very effective" at apprehending and prosecuting criminal suspects, bringing about just outcomes, and reducing crime

Arts

Located next to Town Square Park in downtown Anchorage, the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts is a three-part complex, hosting numerous performing arts events each year. The facility can accommodate more than 3,000 patrons. In 2000, nearly 245,000 people visited 678 public performances. It is home to eight resident performing arts companies and has featured mega-musical performed by visiting companies. The center also hosts the International Ice Carving Competition as part of the Fur Rendezvous festival in February.

The Anchorage Concert Association brings 15 to 20 events to the community each winter. The Sitka Summer Music Festival presents an "Autumn Classics" festival of chamber music for two weeks each September on the campus of Alaska Pacific University.

Museums

* Alaska Museum of Natural History
* Anchorage Aviation Heritage Museum
* Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center
* Imaginarium: Science Discovery Center
* Oscar Anderson House Museum
* Wells Fargo Alaska Heritage Library & Museum

Media

Anchorage's leading newspaper is the Anchorage Daily News, a statewide daily newspaper. Other newspapers include the Alaska Star, serving primarily Chugiak and Eagle River, the Anchorage Press, a free weekly covering mainly cultural topics, and The Northern Light, the student newspaper of the University of Alaska Anchorage .

Anchorage's major network television affiliates are KTUU 2 (NBC), KTBY 4 (FOX), KYES 5 (MyNetworkTV), KAKM 7 (PBS), KTVA 11 (CBS), and KIMO 13 (ABC). The city's only cable television provider is General Communication, Inc. (GCI).