Alaska has a small background for agriculture which ranks it last in the United States for farms and farm products.   Since Alaska does not have a big agriculture background and is cold throughout the year and surrounded by water, residents rely on commercial fishing for revenue.  A majority of what they catch consists of Crab, Shrimp, Salmon, Herring, Cod, and Halibut.

The towns of Anchorage and Dutch Harbor are major fishing ports of Alaska.  These ports are key for keeping the fish frozen, and canning and processing of the fish take place at these ports.  These two ports are the largest manufacturing towns in Alaska.

Along with fishing as a revenue source, the community within Alaska also relies on logging.  Logging is of great importance in Alaska although great disputes of logging in the state’s national forest are going on.  The most profitable industry in Alaska involves mining of petroleum and natural gas.  In 1968, it was discovered that Alaska had a petroleum reserve twice the size of any other in North America.

During the period between 1970 and 1980 oil began to dominate the state economy.  This domination brought with it the Trans-Alaska pipeline which crosses over 800 miles.  The Alaska Permanent Fund, created in 1977, receives 25% of Alaska’s royalty income.  These funds are designed to provide the state with income once the oil reserves are depleted.