Everything about The Alaska Peninsula totally explained
The
Alaska Peninsula is a
peninsula extending about 800 km (500 miles) to the southwest from the mainland of
Alaska and ending in the
Aleutian Islands. The peninsula separates the
Pacific Ocean from
Bristol Bay, an arm of the
Bering Sea.
Geography
The
Aleutians are a highly active
volcanic mountain range which runs along its entire length. It contains several U.S. National Parks and Wildlife Refuges, including the
Katmai National Park and Preserve, the
Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve and the
Becharof National Wildlife Refuge, the
Alaska Peninsula National Wildlife Refuge, and
Izembek National Wildlife Refuge.
The southern-most side of the Alaska Peninsula is rugged and mountainous, created by the uplifting tectonic activity of the North
Pacific Plate subsiding under a western section of the
North American Plate; whereas the northern side is generally flat and marshy, a result of millennia of
erosion and general
seismic stability.
The differences between the northern and southern shores of the Alaska Peninsula are a study in contrasts. While the northern
Bristol Bay coastal side is generally turbid and muddy, experiences tidal extremes, and is relatively shallow, the
Pacific side has relatively small tidal activity and is very deep and clear.
Climate
In the south coast of the peninsula temperatures fluctuate between 0 ºC to -2.0 ºC (28 ºF - 32 ºf) in winter and 11º C (52 ºF) in Summer. Rainfalls are fairly steady. The climate of the south coast is only comparable to those of:
Aleutian Islands,
Iceland, and
Tierra del Fuego
Flora and Fauna
The peninsula is devoid of trees.
The Alaska Peninsula and
Bristol Bay are home to the world's largest
sockeye salmon runs in large part because the Alaska Peninsula is host to so many large lakes, which are an important element in the lifecycle of
Oncorhynchus nerka, sockeye salmon. These salmon, after returning from their short life at sea, swim into the lakes and their contributing streams to spawn. Their offspring, or
fry, overwinter in the deep and food-abundant depths of these lakes until their migration to the sea in one or two years.
The Alaska Peninsula is also home to some of the largest populations of native and undisturbed wildlife in the United States. Besides the famous
McNeil River and
Katmai brown bear populations, large herds of
caribou,
moose,
wolves and waterfowl inhabit the area.
Demographics
Besides the communities on the
(see: Bristol Bay) coast, the Alaska Peninsula also is home to several well-known villages:
Cold Bay,
King Cove,
Perryville,
Chignik,
Chignik Lake,
Chignik Lagoon, and
Port Moller. Each is primarily inhabited by
Alaska Natives and each, likewise, is mostly dependent on the fishing industry for sustinence.
The village of
Sand Point should be included here, despite its location on Popof Island, an island of the Sumagin Islands, just off the southern coast of the Peninsula.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Alaska Peninsula'.
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