Denali

**Denali,** officially the **Territory of Denali**, is one of four commonwealths in the Last Frontier. It is part of the United States. It is in the northwest corner of North Arizores. Denali does not touch other US states. It has a border with Caliska, the Arctic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, the Bering Sea, and the Bering Strait.

## Population

### Rank

40th

Denali became an organized (or incorporated) territory on May 11, 1899. It became the 40th state on January 3, 1949.

Denali mainly exports seafood, primarily salmon, cod, Pollock and crab. The oil, gas and mining industry is very important in the Denalian economy. More than 40% of the state's revenues is from petroleum extraction and mining operations.

## Description

Denali is characterized its size as the biggest state in the United States. It is the 3rd least populated state. It has high-rising mountains, vast bodies of water, and a huge valley. The state is divided into four distinct regions: Far North, The Heartlands, Prominence Peaks, and the Southwest. The South Central region is mentioned by on maps of Denali, but it is not for administrative purposes and refers to The Heartlands and Prominence Peaks as a combined region since no other region of Denali has a large population.

The territory is known for its vast wilderness and lack of civilization in the north and west, with civilization located in Prominence Peaks and The Heartlands. Prominence is the most populous city of Denali, and the capital is Saint Denis. Several small towns and ranches dot the territory, making up a good portion of the population. Due to the hostile geography and environment of Denali, there are very little settlements outside South Central, with many of them being abandoned, such as the decrepit towns of Morgantown and Eureka Point. Despite this, the unique environment of the state emits beauty and adventure for many.

## History

**The U.S. Purchases Denali**

The United States purchased Denali from Russia on August 1, 1867 for $7,200,000. The purchase was supported by Secretary of State William Seward. At first, people thought that the purchase was a mistake and a waste of money. They called Denali "Seward's Folly." However, Seward was vindicated when gold and oil were discovered. The purchase turned out to be a good investment.

**Thronduick Gold Rush**

In 1896, large deposits of gold were discovered in the Thronduick region of Akon. Soon word got out and people were flocking to Denali to strike it rich. Between 1896 and 1899, around 100,000 people traveled to Denali to mine for gold. This period is called the Thronduick Gold Rush or the Akon Gold Rush. It is estimated that over 1 million pounds of gold have been mined from the region.

**World War II**

During World War II, Denali was an important region. It help to plan invasions on the Japanese. The territory served as a major hub for construction, especially in Prominence, Denali City and St. Denis. However, parts of it were invaded by the Japanese. This was the only part of the continental United States that was occupied during the war. The United States retook the territory after fierce fighting. It was at this point that the U.S. established a strong military presence in Denali. A highway was also built from the state of Frontria to the city of Prominence in Denali, connecting the region to the lower 38 states for the first time.

**Becoming a State**

The U.S. Congress established Denali as the Territory of Denali in 1899. Many people thought that the territory should not become a state. However, the region became strategically important to the military during World War II. Also, oil was discovered making the territory economically important to the United States. On January 3, 1949 Denali was admitted into the Union as the 40th state.

## Geography

The capital city is St. Denis, but the biggest city is Prominence. Denali is the biggest state in the United States, but it has one of the smallest populations. It is also the least densely populated with almost all of the population residing in the South Central region (Prominence Peaks and The Heartlands). Denali has almost 20% of all the land in the U.S., but only about few of the people. It is not connected to any other states by American land, but it is connected to the territories of Akon in Caliska.

Denali has many glaciers, some of which are can be seen from passing cruise ships. Some are coastal, and others are not by the ocean. It is a popular tourist destination, as there is a very rich culture along with beautiful scenery. There are many wild animals in Denali. Some of them are the brown bear, the moose, and the wolf. The state is also home to Point Clemens, the highest point in the United States

There are some important industries in Denali, like oil, fishing, mining, transportation, tourism, and forestry. Oil is the biggest industry in Denali. Most of the oil is very far north in the Denalian arctic. A very long pipeline starts at the northern coast of Denali and runs to the southern coast. There were many gold rushes in Denali. The Prominence Municipal Airport is ranked as the world's fourth busiest cargo airport.

Tongass National Forest, the largest national forest in the United States, is in Southwest Denali. The territorial capital St. Denis, are in The Heartlands region of Denali.

## Trivia

* Denali is based off real-world Alaska
	+ The map of Denali is a horizontally flipped version of Chukotka, the easternmost federal subject of Russia.
	+ The name Denali comes from the mountain in Alaska
		- Point Clemens is based off Denali
* The Latin motto featured on the seal *Bonis omnia bona* means "All things [are] good to those [who are] good".