Which U.S. state is the largest by total area?

Alaska is the largest U.S. state by total area.

Alaska covers about 663,268 square miles, making it more than twice the size of Texas, the second-largest state. Its area includes extensive mainland regions, islands, glaciers, rivers, and coastal waters. Alaska’s geography stretches across the far northwest of North America, separated from the contiguous United States by Canada.

The United States purchased Alaska from the Russian Empire in 1867 for 7.2 million dollars. The territory became the 49th state on January 3, 1959, followed by Hawaii as the 50th state on August 21 of that year.

A frequent mix-up concerns population and area. Alaska is the largest state geographically but has a relatively small population compared with many smaller states. It also contains Denali, whose summit is the highest point in North America.