Alaska Has the Longest Coastline of Any U.S. State: 6,640+ Miles
Yes. Alaska's coastline is the longest in the United States by a massive margin.
The Numbers
- General Coastline (NOAA): 6,640 miles (10,686 km).
- Tidal Shoreline (includes inlets, islands, bays): 33,904 miles (54,563 km) – **more than the rest of the U.S. combined**.
Why So Long?
- Glacial Fjords: Deep, intricate inlets (Inside Passage, Prince William Sound, Glacier Bay).
- Archipelagos: Alexander Archipelago (1,100+ islands), Aleutian Chain (2,500+ islands stretching 1,200 mi).
- Deltaic Coasts: Yukon-Kuskokwim, Copper River – vast, shifting wetlands.
Comparison
| State | General Coastline (mi) | Tidal Shoreline (mi) |
|---|
| Alaska | 6,640 | 33,904 |
| Florida | 1,350 | 8,436 |
| California | 840 | 3,427 |
| Hawaii | 750 | 1,052 |
| Louisiana | 397 | 7,721 |
Ecological & Economic Impact
- Habitat for salmon, crab, whales, seabirds, kelp forests.
- Critical for subsistence, commercial fishing, shipping (Northern Sea Route potential), oil/gas, tourism.
- Climate change: Rapid erosion, permafrost thaw, village relocation (Newtok, Shishmaref).
Wanderlust World