• Which time zones does Alaska observe?
    • Alaska is one of several states that observe multiple time zones.
    • The majority of the state follows Alaska Standard Time (AKST).
    • The westernmost parts, including some Aleutian Islands, observe Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (HAST).
  • What is Alaska known for?
    • Alaska is the least populated state in the United States.
    • It is the largest U.S. state by land area and is nicknamed "The Last Frontier."
  • Where is Alaska located?
    • Alaska is located in the northwestern section of North America.
    • It is geographically separated from the continental U.S. and borders Canada to the east.

This post may include affiliate links. Click here for Affiliate Disclosure.

1. Alaska History and Time Zone

Alaska History and Time Zone

© Martina/stock.adobe.com

  • What is the capital of Alaska?
    • The capital of Alaska is Juneau, which has a population of around 30,000 people.
  • What is the largest city in Alaska?
    • The largest and most well-known city in Alaska is Anchorage.
    • Anchorage has a much larger population than Juneau, with over 400,000 residents.
    • The city is well-known for its large military base.
  • What makes Alaska geographically unique?
    • Alaska is the largest state by landmass in the United States.
    • Despite its size, it has the lowest population of all U.S. states.
  • Why does Alaska have a low population?
    • The low population is primarily due to Alaska’s climate and location.
    • The state is situated on the northwestern edge of the North American continent.
    • It has an oceanic climate with low temperatures and heavy snowfall.
  • What is the history of indigenous groups in Alaska?
    • Various indigenous groups occupied the region for many millennia before European colonists arrived.
  • Which European nations attempted to colonize Alaska?
    • Both Russian and Spanish settlers made attempts to colonize the area.
  • Why was Alaska important to Europe in the 19th century?
    • Alaska became hugely important to Europe during the late 19th century due to the Klondike Gold Rush.
    • Tens of thousands of miners rushed to the region in search of gold.
  • When did Alaska become part of the United States?
    • By the time of the Klondike Gold Rush, Alaska had already been purchased from Russia by the U.S.
    • The purchase price was just over seven million dollars.
    • Eventually, Alaska would go on to become a U.S. state.

2. History of Alaska Time Zones

History of Alaska Time Zones

© Elizabeth/stock.adobe.com

  • When was Alaska purchased by the United States?
    • Alaska was purchased by the U.S. from Russia in 1867.
  • When did Alaska become a U.S. state?
    • After being regarded as a territory for many years, Alaska officially became a U.S. state in 1959.
  • Did Alaska originally follow Russian dates and times?
    • Yes, before 1867, Alaska used Asian dates and times because it belonged to Russia.
  • When did Alaska switch to American dates?
    • In 1867, after the U.S. purchased Alaska, the state switched to American dates.
    • This meant that the entire area went back a day on the calendar to synchronize with the rest of the U.S.
  • How many time zones did Alaska originally have?
    • For many decades, Alaska had four different time zones used in various cities and regions.
    • These ranged from UTC -8 to UTC -11.
  • When were Alaska’s time zones simplified?
    • In 1983, two of the time zones were removed.
    • After that, the state continued using just Alaskan Time and Aleutian Time.

3. Alaska Time Zones

Alaska Time Zones

© chaolik/stock.adobe.com

  • What time zones does Alaska use?
    • Most of the state is in the Alaska Time Zone (AKT).
    • The western Aleutian Islands follow the Hawaii-Aleutian Time Zone.
    • Uniquely, the small town of Hyder observes Pacific Time (PT) because it has stronger ties to Canada than to the rest of Alaska.
  • What is the Alaska Time Zone?
    • The majority of Alaska follows the Alaska Time Zone (AKT).
    • AKT has two distinct variants:
      • Alaska Standard Time (AKST) – nine hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC-9).
      • Alaska Daylight Time (AKDT) – eight hours behind UTC (UTC-8) during daylight savings time.
  • What is the Aleutian Time Zone?
    • The Aleutian Islands, a group of several dozen islands split between Russia and Alaska, use the Hawaii-Aleutian Time Zone.
    • This time zone also covers the U.S. state of Hawaii.
    • It is ten hours behind UTC (UTC-10) but moves to nine hours behind (UTC-9) during daylight savings time.
  • Does Alaska observe Daylight Savings Time?
    • Yes, the entire state of Alaska, including the Aleutian Islands, follows Daylight Savings Time.
  • When does Daylight Savings Time occur in Alaska?
    • During the summer months, most of the state follows Alaska Daylight Time (AKDT), which is eight hours behind UTC (UTC-8).
    • During this same period, the Aleutian Islands shift to nine hours behind UTC (UTC-9).
  • When was Daylight Savings Time introduced in Alaska?
    • Daylight Savings Time was introduced to Alaska in 1967, along with the rest of the U.S.

Plan Your Trip


Table of Contents: