The
U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government . Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile...
of
AlaskaAlaska is the largest state of the United States of America by area; it is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
is not divided into
countiesA county is a land area of local government within a country. A county may have cities and towns within its area. Originally, in continental Europe, a county was the land under the jurisdiction of a count .Counts are called earls in post-Celtic Britain, Ireland and France—the term is from Old...
, as are 48 other states (
LouisianaThe State of Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state divided into parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
having
parishes instead), but it is divided into boroughs. Many of the more densely populated parts of the state are part of Alaska's eighteen boroughs, which function somewhat similarly to counties in other states. However, unlike county-equivalents in the other 49 states, the boroughs do not cover the entire land area of the state. The area not part of any borough is referred to as the
unorganized boroughThe Unorganized Borough is that part of the U.S. state of Alaska not contained in any of its 18 organized boroughs. It encompasses over half of Alaska's area, 323,440 square miles , an area larger than any other US state...
.
For the 1970 census, the
U.S. Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, in cooperation with the state, divided the unorganized borough into 11
census areaA census tract, census area, or census district is a geographic region defined for the purpose of taking a census. Usually these coincide with the limits of cities, towns or other administrative areas and several tracts commonly exist within a county...
s, each roughly corresponding to an election district. However, these areas exist solely for the purposes of statistical analysis and presentation. They have no government of their own. Boroughs and census areas are both treated as county-level equivalents by the Census Bureau.
Some areas in the unorganized borough receive limited public services directly from the Alaska state government, usually law enforcement from the
Alaska State TroopersThe Division of Alaska State Troopers is the state police agency of Alaska. It is a division of the Alaska Department of Public Safety.-History:...
and educational funding.
Five
consolidated city-countyIn American local government, a consolidated city–county is a city and county that have been merged into one unified jurisdiction. As such, it is simultaneously a city, which is a municipal corporation; and a county, which is an administrative division of a state...
governments exist—Juneau City and Borough,
City and Borough of HainesHaines is a census-designated place in Haines Borough, Alaska, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population of the area was 1,811. Haines was formerly a city but no longer has a municipal government...
,
Sitka City and BoroughThe City and Borough of Sitka is a unified city-borough located on the west side of Baranof Island in the Alexander Archipelago of the Pacific Ocean , in the U.S. state of Alaska...
,
Yakutat City and BoroughYakutat City and Borough is a unified city-borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. As of the 2000 census, the population was 808. The name is Tlingit, Yaakwdáat, meaning "the place where canoes rest," but it may originally derive from an Eyak name which has been lost...
as well as the state's largest city,
AnchorageAnchorage is a consolidated city-borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. With an estimated 279,243 municipal residents in 2008 , it is Alaska's largest city and constitutes more than 40 percent of the state's total population; only New York has a higher percentage...
. Though its legal name is the
Municipality of Anchorage, it is considered a consolidated city-borough under state law.
The
Federal Information Processing StandardFederal Information Processing Standards are publicly announced standards developed by the United States Federal government for use by all non-military government agencies and by government contractors...
(FIPS) 55-2,3,4 codes, which are used by the
United States Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
to uniquely identify states and counties, is provided with each entry. Alaska's code is 02, which when combined with any county code would be written as 02XXX. The FIPS code for each county links to census data for that county.
List of boroughs
|}
Census areas in the Unorganized Borough
The
Unorganized BoroughThe Unorganized Borough is that part of the U.S. state of Alaska not contained in any of its 18 organized boroughs. It encompasses over half of Alaska's area, 323,440 square miles , an area larger than any other US state...
is that part of the
U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government . Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile...
of
AlaskaAlaska is the largest state of the United States of America by area; it is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
not contained in any of its 18 organized boroughs. It encompasses over half of Alaska's area, 970,500 km² (374,712 mi²), an area larger than any other US state. As of the 2000 census 13% of Alaskans (81,803 people) reside in it.
Unique among the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Alaska is not entirely subdivided into organized
countyA county is a land area of local government within a country. A county may have cities and towns within its area. Originally, in continental Europe, a county was the land under the jurisdiction of a count .Counts are called earls in post-Celtic Britain, Ireland and France—the term is from Old...
equivalents. In 1970, the
United States Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
divided the unorganized borough into 11 census areas to facilitate census taking in the vast unorganized area.
|}
General References
- Division of Community and Regional Affairs, Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development
The Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development is a department within the government of Alaska. The Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development mission statement is to: "Promoting a healthy economy and strong communities."-External links:*...
- Local Government On-Line, Division of Community and Regional Affairs, Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development
The Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development is a department within the government of Alaska. The Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development mission statement is to: "Promoting a healthy economy and strong communities."-External links:*...
-
-
-
-
-
See also
- List of Alaska borough and census area name etymologies