Southeast economy remains stable: not growing, not declining.

• Author: Barbour, Tracy
• Position: REGIONAL REVIEW

Southeast Alaska is one of the state's most distinctive regions, boasting miles of glaciers, dense rainforest and myriad islands scattered about the water.

Also called the Alaska Panhandle or simply "the Panhandle," Southeast Alaska is essentially an archipelago--a broad watershed interspersed with groups of small and large islands. The largest of these islands include Chichag of Island, Admiralty Island, Baran of Island, Kuprean of Island, Revillagigedo Island and Prince of Wales Island.

In terms of its location, Southeast Alaska sits just west of the northern half of the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is one of the last ports of the Inside Passage, a deep, natural waterway used by vessels traveling along the coast. With a land area of about 35,100 square miles, Alaska's Southeastern region is larger than the state of Maine. As of the 2000 Census, it had 73,000 inhabitants--slightly more than 40 percent of whom were concentrated in Juneau. The region is home to Tlingit and Haida Native groups, who are famous for their monumental totem poles and rich culture.

Most of Alaska's Southeastern region is part of the Tongass National Forest, the largest national forest in the United States. In the northern section of Southeast, are the Saint Elias Mountains featuring one of the highest peaks in North America. At the foot of Mount Saint Elias, sits the expansive Malaspina Glacier featuring multiple valley glaciers. Malaspina Glacier is up to 40 miles wide and extends up to 28 miles from the mountain front nearly to the sea. Larger than the state of Rhode Island, it is the largest glacier of its type in North America.

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Southeast Alaska encompasses Glacier Bay National Park, Admiralty Island National Monument and Misty Fjords National Monument. Major bodies of water of the region include Glacier Bay, Lynn Canal, Icy Strait, Chatham Strait, Stephen Passage, Frederick Sound, Sumner Strait and Clarence Strait.

The largest cities in Southeast are Juneau, with about 30,900 residents; Sitka, with a population of 9,000; and Ketchikan, with 7,500. Other towns in the region are Petersburg, Wrangell, Metlakatla, Haines, Hoonah, Angoon, Kake, Craig, Klawock, Yakutat, Skagway and Gustavus. Tiny villages and communities include Pelican, Tenakee Springs, Port Protection, Port Frederick, Port Alexander, Baranof Warm Springs, Elfin Cove, Excursion Inlet, Hyder and Meyers Chuck.

Because of their rural nature, many of the communities...