Switzerland's vegetation region is the tundra region. The tundra region is very cold and dry. It contains a layer of what is called permafrost. Permafrost is a frozen layer of soil that is thirty-six inches deep. About five inches of it thaws out in the spring and in the summer. There is a lot of sleet and snow here because it is so cold in the alps. The winters in the tundra are very cold with bellow freezing temperatures. In the summer it is fair weather like a normal one of our springs. That is what the vegetation region of Switzerland is.

Switzerland is almost completely covered by forest. The most common type is deciduous forest. This means there a lot of pine trees, evergreens, and hollies. All these trees have leaves that stay on all year. There are also some oak and birch trees as well. Those are the forests and trees of Switzerland.

There are many interesting facts about Switzerland. One cool thing is that the kids here only go to school four days a week. They go to school on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Another is that Switzerland is in the Guinness Book of World Records for the country that eats the most chocolate. They are the founders of Swiss cheese. In their Christmas Santa is not a big part of the day. They celebrate and think of it more as the birthday of Jesus than a day when you get gifts and give out gifts. Those are some interesting facts about Switzerland.

Swiss cheese comes from Switzerland. It is only made from the purest and best tasting milk from their best cows. It is very simple to churn and go through all of the steps. People wonder why there are holes in Swiss cheese. The real reason why is because that during churning the cheese fills with carbon dioxide. Then when the cheese comes out of the churner to harden and dry the carbon dioxide in the cheese expands and makes bubbles. Then the bubbles explode and make the holes. That is how Swiss cheese is made and where it comes from.

The history of Switzerland is very interesting. During the Roman Period (58B.C. -400A.D.) The Swiss people moved toward southern France. On their way they get stopped by Commander C. Julius Cesar. They got occupied by the Roman troops. This is what sparked the start of Swiss history. During the Middle Ages (400-1,500) The People of Switzerland set out to build new states and empires in Europe. This slowly starts to happen. Then feudalism takes in. Feudalism is a process where people called Serfs raised crops and gave them to their king. Fore this the serfs got protection from the King and enough food to survive on. If the serfs refused to work fore the king they would not be protected by the king. Then monasteries develop new agriculture methods. Switzerland became an independent nation by its neighbors through a peace treaty in 1291. Now the Swiss people celebrate a national holiday on August 1. During the Old Swiss Confederacy three valleys in central Europe and unite against counts of Habsburg and fought fore autonomy to join the confederacy. They conquer territories in northern and southern Switzerland. The Swiss Revolution happened in 1798.

Switzerland is thought of one of the first democracies in the world. If you look precisely at the country you see that the majority does not believe in this although many people did. They dominated minor democracy to a true democracy. This is one of the revolutions of foreign troops fail to conquer democracy and start parliamentary democracy. This is the fallback that started the periods of changes that happened little by little. From 1914-1918 Switzerland was neutral of World War One. Then in the 1930's-1940's many people in were Nazis. Some people fought in World War Two with the Germans under Aldolf Hitler's command. They worked at some of the concentration camps that tortured the Jews. This is because of the stock market crash there similar to ours in America. Many Germans blamed it on the Jews and took them against their will under Aldolf Hitler's command. That is what the history of Switzerland was like.

One very famous person who lived in Switzerland for a very long time is Albert Einstein. Albert was born in on March 14, 1879 in Ulm, Germany. Before Albert had his first birthday his family moved to Munich. This is where his very close sister, Maja, was born. There Albert started to enjoy books, music, and family outings. As he grew up he seemed a very slow learner. This fact had worried his mother and father. At five years old Albert's dad gave him a compass. He loved the compass and tried to learn how it worked. This triggered his lifetime love of science and geography.

It is very odd but, Albert absolutely hate school. When he went to his German school, the rules were strict and the teachers where as mean as a swarm of piranhas. He often got failing grades and did poorly on tests. Albert refused to study things that did not interest him. Albert liked math and so it was the only thing he did good in. One day when he was twelve he received a simple book on geometry. This was the thing that made him so fond of math. During this time his Uncle Jakob taught him algebra and how to do it. When Albert was just fifteen years old his father's business in Munich began to fail. His family moved to Milan, Italy while he stayed behind to earn his diploma in high school. Albert was unhappy without his family. He began to learn the violin and quit after only a small time playing it. Kids in school made fun of him because he was Jewish. His teachers hated that he asked so many questions and made him stop. He couldn't stand it anymore.

After only six months he left the school and moved to Milan, Italy with his family. He discovered Italy as one of his favorite places in the world. Einstein wanted to get into a university but, it was very difficult to do with no diploma. In 1895 he took a test that if he passed he would be accepted at the Swiss Polytechnic Institute of Zurich, Switzerland. He did very bad in biology, zoology, and languages, but did fantastic in math and physics. He did so good that one of the Swiss professors told him to study more and retake the test. So he did one more year of high school in Switzerland. In 1896 he passed the test and entered the institute. He had many troubles in this school again. Einstein graduated in 1900. Because he had a bad reputation in school, it was hard for him to find a teaching job. In 1901 Einstein became a citizen of Switzerland. In 1902 he worked as a clerk at the Swiss Patent Office. In 1903 he married a women named Mileva Maric, a classmate at the institute. They lived in Bern and had two sons, Hans Albert and Edward. In 1905 Einstein published a series of articles setting forth some of his ideas.

In these articles he made the equation E=MC. He also talked about the relationship between two physical properties, mass and energy. The University of Bern read the paper and liked it so they hired Albert a part time job there in 1908. In 1909 Albert Einstein became a professor in physics. Einstein became very close with the king and queen of Belgium and did many things with them. In 1905 Einstein published the first theory of relativity, the Special Theory of Relativity. In 1916 he published the General Theory of Relativity. This made Einstein come up with the idea of atomic energy. In 1911 Einstein moved to Prague. In 1912 Einstein accepted a high position at the Federal Institute of Technology in Switzerland. In 1914 Albert divorced his wife and married his cousin Elsa Lowenthal and had two girls. By 1918 Einstein was famous around the world. In 1921 Albert won the Nobel Prize for physics. . In his book, A Manifesto to Europeans stating that the war was insane and was slowing scientific progress. When Germany was defeated he move back there and started following he Jewish religion. Then in 1933 Einstein's life shattered when Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany. He could not go back to Germany because Hitler hated Jews and pacifists. He was both. One of the job offers in the U.S.A that he got was at the Institute of Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. He only asked for so little money that the institute insisted that they pay him three times as much.

President Roosevelt invited him to the White House. Einstein became an American citizen and never returned to Europe. The U.S government heard that the Germans were making an atomic bomb. So Einstein decided to help the U.S.A and make one for them first. Einstein insisted that it should not be used in violence but as a threat to the Germans. Military leaders did not agree with him. The United States dropped the first ever atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. It ended World War Two but horrified Einstein. More than 92,000 people died or were missing. Others died later from the affects of radiation. Einstein felt responsible for this. People asked him questions about bombs. He just said to use them responsibly. He was getting old and started sailing again. He took a peaceful life after all the things he did. He started playing the violin again. Then Einstein died in his sleep on April 18, 1955. He was one of Switzerland's most famous people.

Another one of the most famous people from Switzerland is Shania Twain. Shania Twain was born on August 28, 1965, in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. She grew up in Timmons. When she was born she was really named Eileen Edwards. Her father abandoned her family when she was very young. When she was a little older she planted trees with her step-father in a forest group. When she got just a little bit older than that she started a musicale career. Her parents supported her musical career. When she was just 22 her parents died and she was the legal guardian of her two half brothers and sister.

This put her career to hold while caring for her siblings. Then after she settle everything down she got a singing job at a resort in Deer Hurst. She worked at the resort for three more years. She stopped because her siblings were old enough to live lives of their own. She put some of her songs that she sang at the resort on tape and arranged a showcase concert in Canada. After that she released her first album, “Eponymous Debut'' in 1993 but is wasn't a huge hit. So she launched two more singles, “What Made You Say That?” and “Dance With the One that Brought you.'' These two singles were huge hits in Europe. Country Music Television in Europe named her Rising Video Star of the Year. Shortly after this she fell in love with Robert John “Mutt” Lange. He worked with AC/DC, Pet Leopard, Foreigner, and Cars. He worked with her on making a new album. This formed the album, “The Women in Me.” It was released in 1995. It's first single, “Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?'' was rated number 11 there for that year. Then came her first number1 hit single, “Any Man of Mine.” Her second number 1 hit single was, “(If your not in it for love) I'm Outta Here!” In 1996, “No One Needs to Know” became her third number 1 hit single. In 1996 Shania sold over 6 million albums.

By late 1996 she sold more than 3 million more albums. She made the song, “Come on Over” in 1997. She spent the next two years traveling around the world. By 1999 she had sold 36 million copies of, “Come on Over.” Shania returned to her Swiss Home to have some down time with her family. The next summer, Shania had her first child. It was a boy that they named Eja. Eja was born on August 21, 2001. While balancing family with work she made a new album that appeared in 2002. Shania Twain is one of the most famous people from Switzerland.

In addition to the other to famous people in Switzerland is Roger Moore. Roger Moore was born in London, England on October 14,1927. He attended an art school in the 1940's. He was at the Royal Academy of Drama he was drafted to the British Army in Germany at the end of World War Two. So he did. After he did his time there he went to the U.S.A. to attend a job he got contracted for with MGM for the TV series Ivanhoe and Maverick. He rose to fame with his star role in The Saint. In 1972 he played James Bond in the movie Live and Let Die instead of former James Bond actor Sean Connery. This was the first of seven movies he stared in as James Bond. His last appearance was in 1985. Ian Fleming thought that Roger was perfect as James Bond in all those movies. His great acting career earner him a Medal of Honor from the British Government in 1999. After the death of one of his best friends Audrey Hepbun he took over as ambassador of UNICEF. During his breaks he skies in Gtsaad, Switzerland where he lives. You could see him at one of the mountains there in the Alps. Roger Moore was a great actor and a famous person of Switzerland.

The words "assassination" and "bump" were invented by Shakespeare.

The first country in the world to keep population statistics was Sweden.

The largest university in Europe with an enormous number of 184,000 students is La Sapienza University in Rome.

Ceuta is a Spanish place situated within Mainland Africa.

Macedonia has a lowest divorce rate per 1000 annually only 0.2.

Adolf Hitler wasn't German. He was born in Austria.

Ibiza, the most famous beach in the world, was the first place in Spain to offer nude beaches.

Living here in Canada all of my life I have learned many things about my country I would like to share with those of you who don't know much about Canada. Although its not totally informative and does give you a base idea on life here in our great country.

1. Life Expectancy

   The life expectancy here in Canada according to recent studies show men live to be to the average of 77 years where as the women have a longer life expectancy and live to be around 84 years.

2. Biggest Province

   Our biggest province here is Quebec which covers an area over 1,365,128 square kilometres.

3. Highest Populated Area

   Our province with the biggest population is Ontario with an outstanding 12.5 million people. Quebec is the second highest populated area with 7.6 million people.

4. Canadian Sports Inventor

   Did you know that basketball was invented by a Canadian named Dr. James Naismith. Dr. Naismith was originally from a small town in Ontario called “Almonte” in which I grew up. He invented the game while working in Boston with college students.

5. Canada's Size

   Canada is the second largest country in the world next to Russia. The area size of Canada is a whopping 9,984,670 square kilometres.

6. Immigrants In Canada

   A little over 16% of Canada's population are immigrants which equals to roughly 5.5 million people. The total population of people in Canada is nearly 32 million people if not more.

7. Boundary Line/Boarder

   The boundary line or boarder that separates Canada and the United States is 8890 kilometres long.

8. Trans-Canada Highway

   The Trans-Canada Highway is over 7604 kilometres in length and is the longest national highway in the entire world.

9. Deepest Lake In Canada

   The deepest lake we have here in our country is Great Slave Lake. This lake is located in the Northwest Territories and is a little over 614 metres deep.

10. Largest City

    The largest city here in Canada is Toronto. This city is home to over 5 million people and Toronto residents hold more university educations than any other country in the world.

11. Best City To Live In

    According to studies and research, Vancouver in British Columbia is tied with Zurich Switzerland for having the highest quality of life of any other city in the world.

12. Quality Of Life

    According to the United Nations Human Development Index, Canada has got the highest quality of life in the world making it an ideal place to live and raise a family.

Baseball was first brought to Japan by an American in 1873. There are little leagues in Japan for younger kids to play baseball. Japanese baseball is mostly like American baseball but a little different. Baseball is very competitive at all levels.

There are two professional baseball leagues with six teams in each league. Teens like to watch the games on TV. There is a central league and a pacific league. Many high schools and colleges have baseball teams. The finals are even on TV!

Sumo wrestling is a traditional sport that is more than 2,000 yrs old. At age 15 some teens train for sumo wrestling. They go to a special school that teaches sumo wrestling. At the school they follow a special diet and training routine to put on weight. Some people can way up 440 pounds!

Each match begins on a ritual, where they put salt on the ring to purify it. Sumo wrestling was performed to please Shinto gods. They fight on a straw mat known as a ring. Sumo matches are normally one minute long. To win, the opponent must fall down or go out of the ring. The sumo wrestlers wear loin cloths and tie their hair in a traditional Japanese topknot. There are six tournaments each year. There are 50 wrestlers in each tournament. The wrestler that has the best record through 15 matches wins. Many teens watch these matches on TV.

Some types of martial arts are Judo, Karate, Kendo, Kyudo, Aikdio, and Samurai. Judo, Karate, and Aikidio are performed without weapons. Kendo, Kyudo, and Samurai are performed with weapons. Kyudo is a form of archery where you shoot arrows at targets. Kendo is where you use bamboo sticks or wooden sticks as swords. Samurai uses regular swords.

Golf is very expensive to play. Many teens go to the driving ranges to hit golf balls. In 2002, Japan held the soccer world cup with South Korea. Many teens went to the games or watched them on TV. The J-League is professional soccer league that started in 1993. Since 1999 it has had two divisions, J-1 and J-2.

Many teens like winter sports such as ice hockey, snowboarding, and skiing. In Neagon, Japan, they hosted the Winter Olympics. Many teens go to the Tokyo marathon because many people participated in it.

There are many different kinds of food. The traditional breakfast is fish, rice, and vegetables. Rice is served with many meals. They use rice for many things like rice cakes, rice wine, rice flour, and rice vinegar. Fish and soybeans is where they get most of there protein.

For lunch they eat lots of noodles. They use chopsticks to eat a lot of their food. Japan even has fast food now! Teens also go to vending machines for snacks. They like to put many spices on there food.

Some Japanese types of Sushi are nigiri-zushi and norimaki. Teens like to go to the street vendors that sell food. They normally have longs lines because they are very popular.

Most of the time they will eat there dinner with family. Before they eat they say, “Itadckimasu” which means, I receive. After the meal they say, “Gochiso-sama-deshita” which means, it was a magnificent feast. They have three types of seaweed they eat and six types of mushrooms they eat.

Some similarities U.S. teens have with Japanese teens are we both have gym classes. Also baseball is the most popular sport. Some differences are they call soccer football and we call it soccer. They do sumo wrestling and we do wrestling.

I know I learned a lot by doing my research for this paper. I learned that Japan has a great variety of foods. They have many sports that keep them physically active. The most interesting thing I learned was that a person could way up to 440 pounds and could still be considered an athlete.

1. Clearwater has more lightning strikes per capita than any other city in the nation.
2. Gatorade was named after the University of Florida Gators football team, who first tested the drink.
3. More than 70 species of mosquitoes live in Florida.
4. The biggest bald eagle nest in the United States was found in Florida. It was 10 feet (3 m) wide and more than 20 feet (6 m) deep!
5. Walking catfish in Florida got their name because they can breathe out of water and can “walk” from one pond to another.
6. Florida has more than 40 plant species that can't be found anywhere else in the world.
7. In 1981, a sinkhole in Winter Park grew to more than 1,000 feet (305 m) wide. When it sunk, it took a house, part of the neighborhood pool, and several Porsches with it.
8. The Biltmore Hotel's swimming pool is the largest hotel pool in the United States. Located in Coral Gables, the pool holds 600,000 gallons of water.
9. In Everglades National Park, a 13-foot (3.9-m) Burmese python swallowed a 6-foot (1.8-m) alligator whole and then exploded!

1. Approx. 89% of Canada is not habitable, because of extreme climate conditions.
2. Newfoundland is the only province that does not have an Indian reserve.
3. Yonge Street in Toronto is the longest street in the World. (It also goes far past Toronto. I live 45 min. North of T.O and live on Yonge St)
4. Canada has six time zones.
5. With over 2 Million lakes, Canada has the largest amount of freshwater in the world
6. The oldest program in Canadian broadcasting history is" Hockey Night In Canada". At first it was on the radio in 1931, and in the Fall of 1952 the first TV ice hockey game was broadcast nationally on CBC. It is still being produced weekly in both English and French .
7. The coldest temperature ever recorded was -63C (-81.4F) in Snag, Yukon on Feb 3, 1947.
8. Basketball: now a favourite in the U.S. - was invented by Canadian James A. Naismith , who was born in Almonte, Ontario in November 1871. After studying at McGill University in Montreal,Quebec he became an instructor at the International YMCA Training School in Massachusetts, USA. where he came up with the idea for basketball. The first basketball game was played in 1891.
9. Canada is the world's second largest country , but houses only 27 million people - making it rank only 28th in population.
10. Five pin bowling was invented in 1909 by Canadian T.E. Ryan.

One thing I like about Louisiana is the chance to go camping on the river. This past February I went camping on the Bogue Chitto River. We went with my Uncle Alan, Uncle James, and a friend of ours named Jeff Bush. We had to dodge trees that had fallen in the river after the storm as we were riding down the river. Once we arrived we set up camp. My cousin Scott and I went fishing. Then I went exploring. I just followed the river. At meal time, I learned how to cook jambalaya, biscuits, and fajitas in a Dutch oven with coals from the fire. Later we set out fishing lines. We only caught one catfish out of 50 lines we set. The next day we went fishing and caught two perch and one catfish.

There is much more to do in Louisiana. Every year we celebrate the food, music, and culture of the state through the festivals. One of the music festivals I have enjoyed is the Jazz Festival. But no matter which festival you attend there is music. When I lived in Lafayette I went to the Rice Festival, Frog Festival, and Crawfish Festival. At every stage you can see a different band playing jazz, zydeco, or “Cajun” music. And at every booth you can sample a different food.

Holidays in Louisiana, I spend with my family. When we lived in Lafayette we enjoyed going to the Acadian Village to see the Christmas decorations. There were lights and all kinds of decorations. There were cabins with different things in each one. They had a cabin with a Santa. Outside they had a merry go round over a little pond. They had a train ride that went around the village. Every cabin had a Christmas theme on the front porch. You did not have to worry about the dark. The place is covered in beautiful Christmas lights. A special Louisiana Christmas spirit is all around in the Acadian Village.

We spend a lot of time a lot of time with my Uncle Jim. On Saturdays we get together and barbecue. The temperature is just right for grilling or doing something outdoors. When it is warm enough we go water skiing on the Tchefuncte River. If it is cold or damp, there is plenty of left over wood from Katrina for a fire. And then there are the family birthday parties. My aunt has a country place with 300 acres in Amite. It is always a blast to go for a cook out and fish on the lake.

Another thing we all love is sports, especially football. It is a really cool experience to see a football game in person. I have been to a couple Saints games in the Super Dome. What is really fun is that you can scream and yell and just go crazy. Even when you cannot go in person, watching the Saints this year has been especially cool. The first game in the Super Dome after Katrina was a great game. They were playing Atlanta, and everyone was very excited about the game.

Louisiana has many things you will not find anywhere else like the food, the festivals, community fairs, and crawfish boils. It is a privilege living in Louisiana. I get to live close to my aunts, uncles and cousins. It is a good opportunity to grow up in a non-urban area. With all of the wild life, culture, food, and music around, it is a great atmosphere to live. Louisiana has especially great food and good spirits even in hard times. As much as I enjoy the outdoors, Louisiana is the best place for me.

• Though Costa Rica has its own currency (the Colon), most stores list prices in terms of U.S. dollars since there are so many U.S. tourists and access to U.S. dollars is easy. However, in order to exchange money, travelers must visit an official exchange, as illegal exchange of currency is forbidden. Head's up: most banks close at 3p.m.
• Costa Rican travelers: be wary; Costa Rica is a stopping point along the well-known drug route through Central America. Though drugs and drug trafficking are illegal and punished quite severely, many tourists do get caught up in drug-money schemes, so tourists are warned upon arrival to guard their personal safety.
• There are about 52 species of hummingbirds in Costa Rica, making Costa Rica a true North American hummingbird capitol. The Costa Rican hummingbirds are most often found in the rain forest, as they pollinate flowers in the area where bees cannot travel.
• Monkeys are one of the most common mammals in Costa Rica - next to bats. There are about four common species of monkeys in Costa Rica, including the Howler money, Spider money, white-faced capuchin, and the squirrel monkey. Most monkeys live in groups of 10 to 40 with other animals.
• There are four kinds of toucans in Costa Rica, including the keel-billed toucan, chestnut-mandibled toucan, collared aracari, and the fiery-billed aracari. Toucans are found almost entirely in or around the rain forest. There are also over 332 species of parrots, but only about five live in Costa Rica, including the scarlet macaw, great green macaw, red-lored parrot, white-crowned parrot and the barred parakeet.
• Bug-phobists look out! There are about 750,000 species of insects that live in Costa Rica, including about 20,000 different types of spiders!
• Guaro is the local alcoholic liquor of choice. The beverage is inexpensive and is made from sugar cane. Costa Rica also produces a fine coffee liquor - straight from the coffee bean.
• Though Costa Rica is the second smallest Latin American country (it's only about 30,100 square miles), it's one of the most culturally and geographically exciting. The country borders the Caribbean and Pacific waters and has a broad mix of low lands and hilly volcanoes. As such hikers and water-lovers will be equally as impressed.
• Vaccinations are not mandatory. However, there are Red Cross stations in just about every town throughout the country, making vaccinations readily available. Many hikers get vaccinated before traveling to the country, as Typhoid and Hydrophobia are common.

Costa Rica is one of the most valued environmental destinations in North America. Whether you're taking off for a backpacking trip, historic inquiry, or kayaking journey, Costa Rica is sure to provide an environment that cannot be replicated. Be sure to take your hiking boots and swimsuit - you never know when you'll hike to the top of a cliff only to jump into a crystal clear pool below!

Are you planning a trip to Mexico? Then check out these interesting facts about the nation:

• Mexico is home to the largest city in the entire world, Mexico City. Mexico City is also the capitol of Mexico. Mexico City was built on an ancient city called Tenochtitlan, which was originally built by the Aztecs as far back as 1325. When the Spanish soldiers stormed into Mexico, they destroyed the city of Tenochtitlan, and it remained razed until Mexico City was built.
• You don't have to have a huge army to win battles in Mexico. In 1519, the Spanish military leader named Hernando Cortez moved his men into the Mexico Valley. Cortex took on the indigenous Aztec tribe with less than 200 solders and only a handful of horses. Cortez defeated the Aztecs in 1521 and took over the area. Henceforth, Spanish has been the official language in Mexico.
• Mexico is home to many volcanoes, including two that can be seen from the capitol city. North America had volcanoes throughout the West at one point, but the area of North America with the most active volcanoes is in Mexico. The two famous volcanoes that can be seen from Mexico City are called Popocatepetl and Ixtacihuatl. While neither is active, Popocatepetl will still emit streams of steam and smoke into the air, which can also be seen from Mexico City.
• Mexicans are known across North America for being corn people. Corn is, in fact, the main crop in Mexico and goes into just about every dish, from burritos and tacos, to salads and more. Of all of the cultivated farmland, corn is grown on at least half of it. The early inhabitants of Mexico are said to have started eating corn about 10,000 years ago when corn grew on wild plants. As far back as 5,000 B.C., the Aztecs and their ancestors cultivated corn so that they could grow it themselves in a controlled environment.
• When children are born in Mexico, they take on the last names of both of their parents so that lineage is maintained
• When a child is born, a father will weave a god's eye for the child. The father will weave an additional god's eye for the child on each of its birthdays for the first five years of the child's life.
• Mexico is the birthplace of the tortilla and the burrito.

Before you pack your bags, take a moment to read more about some interesting Alaskan facts!

• The flag of Alaska is unique from all other flags in North America: it has a blue background with eight stars laid-out in the shape of the Big Dipper. The shape also includes the North Star, which Alaskans hold dear as “a beacon bright”, according to the state song.
• Like its neighbor in North America, Alaska has a huge amount of lakes- about 3 million!
• Alaska is the only U.S. state to experience seasons that have 24 hours of daylight as well as 24 hours of darkness, depending on the season.
• Alaska is the largest U.S. state, pulling in nearly 600,000 square miles - or roughly an area that is twice the size of Texas.
• The state of Alaska is one of only a new states or provinces in North America that has volcanoes. Total, Alaska has 29 volcanoes!
• Talk about water sports! Alaska has about 33,000 miles of coast, making it the wettest of all the U.S. states and one of the most coastal territories or states in North America, along with the northern Canadian provinces.
• The entire state of Alaska spans almost 3,000 miles from the western border to the eastern border
• If it feels cold in Alaska, it is. The state hosts more than half of the world's glaciers. Get your ice picks and crampons out, climbers!
• Alaska is the only state to have coasts bordering three seas - the Arctic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Bering Sea. That makes Alaska a truly unique North American treasure!
• Alaska is host to the tallest mountain in North America - Mount Denali, which towers more than 20,000 feet above sea level
• One of Alaska's pride and treasures is the Kodiak Bear, which weighs an average of 1,400 pounds and stands as tall as 11 feet. The same size and height goes for the Polar Bear, which is also indigenous to Alaska.
• Alaska used to be Russian! The U.S. purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867 for just less than two cents per acre.
• Development on the horizon? Alaska's state motto is “North to the Future.”

Adventurers: buy those tickets and head north soon if you're looking for a location that's as unique as it is large. Be sure to sign up for dog sled racing lessons, or, if you're truly adventurous, it might be fun to rent a cabin in a far-off island for a look into what life was like for early Alaskan settlers or modern-say Inuits.