# Alaska is bigger than all but 18 countries **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 29, 2019, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-is-bigger-than-all-but-18-countries/834737 "2019-05-29T21:23:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-is-bigger-than-all-but-18-countries/834737/21 "2019-05-29T23:02:23Z")
Yes, but until then Watch Out!! A medium-sized mosquito landed at Lake Hood seaplane base and the attendants put 50 gallons of avgas into it before they discovered it wasn’t a Cessna. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-is-bigger-than-all-but-18-countries/834737/22 "2019-05-29T23:16:59Z")
I’ve read in Reader’s Digest that mosquito swarms in Alaska can suck 1 liter of human blood if enough of them attack you, no exaggeration/lie. They are a serious danger and not merely a nuisance. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-is-bigger-than-all-but-18-countries/834737/23 "2019-05-29T23:30:37Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > A couple of them are correct, such as Juneau having the largest area of any state capital. Hence the phrase “the more Juneau”. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-is-bigger-than-all-but-18-countries/834737/24 "2019-05-29T23:43:04Z")
And you can see Russia from Sarah Palin’s house. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-is-bigger-than-all-but-18-countries/834737/25 "2019-05-30T01:56:00Z")
True story. I was in northern BC, where the mosquitoes are very similar to those of Alaska, planting trees as a summer job. It rained nonstop for two weeks, and when the sun finally came back out the mosquitoes swarmed like I’d never seen. One day I was walking back to camp when I heard a drone like an approaching plane, but when I looked up the sky was dark with mozzies. Well, I started running, and the drone got louder and louder. Fortunately there was a wash tub next to one of the tents, and I pulled it over top of me just before the swarm got to me. They were some pissed off that I’d escaped, and the tub was practically ringing as they bounced off of it. Then I felt a bite and I’ll be damned if one of the fuckers hadn’t drilled right through the galvanized steel. I took off my boot and hammered the damn thing’s beak over. And another, and another. I was feeling smug about things right up until the tub suddenly lifted off of me and was flown halfway across camp by the bastards. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-is-bigger-than-all-but-18-countries/834737/26 "2019-05-30T02:05:27Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > And you can see Russia from Sarah Palin’s house. you can see Russia from this small island in Alaska. Only 2.3 miles to Russia. [Little Diomede Island - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Diomede_Island) also Alaska has a town where pretty much everyone lives in 1 building [Begich Towers - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Begich_Towers) ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-is-bigger-than-all-but-18-countries/834737/27 "2019-05-30T10:45:15Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > And it’s more than 2x the size of Texas, the 2nd biggest state. And Western Australia is bigger than Alaska and Texas combined. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-is-bigger-than-all-but-18-countries/834737/28 "2019-05-30T13:38:12Z")
And Australia also starts and ends with A. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-is-bigger-than-all-but-18-countries/834737/29 "2019-05-30T13:51:51Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > True story. I was in northern BC, where the mosquitoes are very similar to those of Alaska, planting trees as a summer job. It rained nonstop for two weeks, and when the sun finally came back out the mosquitoes swarmed like I’d never seen. One day I was walking back to camp when I heard a drone like an approaching plane, but when I looked up the sky was dark with mozzies. Well, I started running, and the drone got louder and louder. Fortunately there was a wash tub next to one of the tents, and I pulled it over top of me just before the swarm got to me. They were some pissed off that I’d escaped, and the tub was practically ringing as they bounced off of it. Then I felt a bite and I’ll be damned if one of the fuckers hadn’t drilled right through the galvanized steel. I took off my boot and hammered the damn thing’s beak over. And another, and another. I was feeling smug about things right up until the tub suddenly lifted off of me and was flown halfway across camp by the bastards. The Alaskan mosquito has been falsely compared to an F-18, but it’s obvious that the tail structure is completely different. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-is-bigger-than-all-but-18-countries/834737/30 "2019-05-30T15:01:20Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > And Western Australia is bigger than Alaska and Texas combined. and about 50 people live there outside of the capital city. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-is-bigger-than-all-but-18-countries/834737/31 "2019-05-30T15:14:57Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > And Western Australia is bigger than Alaska and Texas combined. And the Sakha Republic in Russia is larger still. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-is-bigger-than-all-but-18-countries/834737/32 "2019-05-30T16:45:12Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > If it is true about the mosquitoes it’s time to nuke Alaska. From orbit. It’s the only way to be sure. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-is-bigger-than-all-but-18-countries/834737/33 "2019-05-30T17:10:56Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > and about 50 people live there outside of the capital city. 🙂 And that’s more than Alaska has outside Anchorage… ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-is-bigger-than-all-but-18-countries/834737/34 "2019-05-30T19:14:52Z")
Two Alaska mosquitoes killed a moose. “Shall we eat him here or take him down by the river?” “Let’s eat him here. If we take him down to the river, the big guys will take him away from us.” ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-is-bigger-than-all-but-18-countries/834737/35 "2019-05-30T21:01:24Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > If all the rivers in Alaska were laid end to end, they would reach the moon. > Alaska has more coastline that all the rest of the U.S. combined. > Juneau is the largest state capital by area, and the only state capital without road access. > The biomass of Alaska’s mosquitoes exceeds the total biomass of all mammals in the U.S. > Alaska has about 3 bears for every human. > Alaska is the only state that begins and ends with a. > [@Riemann](#): > > Did you believe everything else? You lost me at number 1. There is no way for even all the rivers in the world laid end to end to reach the moon. If the rivers were oriented in that direction all the water would run out the bottom well before Earth exit. Heh, I said “well” before… ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-is-bigger-than-all-but-18-countries/834737/36 "2019-05-30T22:51:29Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > **Alaska is bigger than all but 18 countries** My quickie research indicates that this isn’t even close to being true. I believe the number should be 46, not 18. mmm ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-is-bigger-than-all-but-18-countries/834737/37 "2019-05-30T23:16:37Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > And it’s more than 2x the size of Texas, the 2nd biggest state. > [@dtilque](#): > > And Western Australia is bigger than Alaska and Texas combined. > [@Telemark](#): > > And the Sakha Republic in Russia is larger still. Compensating for something? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-is-bigger-than-all-but-18-countries/834737/38 "2019-05-31T00:10:27Z")
> [@Yodalicious](#): > > Alaska is also the most western and most eastern state. By what definition? If I start in Virginia, West Virginia is the easternmost state. It’s as far east as I can go before I end up where I started. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-is-bigger-than-all-but-18-countries/834737/39 "2019-05-31T02:37:58Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > If all the rivers in Alaska were laid end to end, they would reach the moon. > Alaska has more coastline that all the rest of the U.S. combined. > Juneau is the largest state capital by area, and the only state capital without road access. > The biomass of Alaska’s mosquitoes exceeds the total biomass of all mammals in the U.S. > Alaska has about 3 bears for every human. > Alaska is the only state that begins and ends with a. Alaska has so much land that it’s bigger than the entire United States, including Alaska. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-is-bigger-than-all-but-18-countries/834737/40 "2019-05-31T02:40:45Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Alaska has so much land that it’s bigger than the entire United States, including Alaska. But smaller than a breadbox. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-is-bigger-than-all-but-18-countries/834737.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-is-bigger-than-all-but-18-countries/834737.md?page=3)