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Non-Continental: Alaska, Hawaii

Ocean. The Bering Sea is to the west. The eastern and part of the southern part of Alaska is bordered by Canada’s Yukon Territory and British Columbia. Alaska’s geography can be catego- rized into four main areas: two moun- tain ranges, a central plateau, and the

Water surrounds most of Alaska, which has approximately 6,640 miles of coastline. Alaska is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, which includes the Beaufort Sea and the Chukchi Sea. The south is bordered by the Gulf of Alaska and the Pacific

Words to Understand in This Chapter

Athabaskan— A speaker of a family of North American Indian languages. Eskimo— member of an indigenous people inhabiting Alaska, as well as northern Canada, Greenland, and eastern Siberia; the term is commonly used in Alaska to refer to all Inuit and Yupik people. Eyak— an indigenous group of people traditionally located on the Copper River Delta and near the town of Cordova, Alaska. Inuit— group of culturally similar indigenous peoples found in the Arctic regions of North America and Greenland. migration— movement of people or animals from one region or country to another. negligence— failure to take proper care when performing an action; can result in a court case when resulting in damage or injury. permafrost— a thick layer of soil below the surface that remains frozen year round; occurs primarily in polar regions. plain— a large area of land that is flat or rolling and has no trees. plaintiff— a person or group who brings a court case against another person or group. spawn— in the animal world the release or deposit of eggs. Tlingit— indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America. tributary— a river, creek, or stream flowing into a larger lake or river.