Which U.S. state contains the Alexander Archipelago?

The U.S. state containing the Alexander Archipelago is Alaska. The island group lies off southeastern Alaska in the Pacific Ocean and forms part of the sheltered Inside Passage along North America’s northwestern coast.

The archipelago contains about 1,100 islands, many of them the partially submerged peaks of coastal mountains. Deep channels and fjords separate the islands, producing the rugged geography associated with the Alaska Panhandle. Most of the islands are heavily forested, and much of the area belongs to the Tongass National Forest.

Important islands include Prince of Wales, Chichagof, Admiralty, Baranof, Revillagigedo, and Kupreanof. Ketchikan sits on Revillagigedo Island, while Sitka is on Baranof Island. Parts of Juneau also extend onto Douglas Island, which is within the archipelago, although Juneau’s main urban area is on the mainland.

The name honours Tsar Alexander II of Russia. Russian exploration and control shaped the region before the United States acquired Alaska from Russia in 1867. Tlingit and Kaigani Haida peoples are Indigenous to the area, which remains important for fishing, tourism, and forestry.