Why Does Alaska Have a Panhandle?

Canada's rivers reach the Pacific, but its coast doesn't. Why does a strip of the United States, about 800 km long, stand between Canada and the sea? The answer starts with sea otter fur. Russia and Britain drew a line in 1825 along mountains "parallel to the coast" that nobody had surveyed, never more than 10 marine leagues (about 56 km) inland. The US bought Alaska in 1867 with the same words. When the Klondike gold rush made the head of Lynn Canal worth fighting over, a tribunal in London decided the line in 1903, by 4 votes to 2. Which side do you think had the stronger case: the US or Canada? Chapters 00:00 Why does Alaska have a panhandle? 00:33 Soft gold 01:44 A line on paper 03:29 Sold 04:23 The race to the Klondike 06:16 One vote 07:59 Today 08:30 Why the panhandle? Notes The 10-marine-league line is computed from the Natural Earth coast (55.56 km), to show the rule; it is not either side's claim. The 1898 claim lines are approximate, drawn after the 1903 case maps. The Russian traders' route and the 1839 leased strip are approximate. The sea boundary in Dixon Entrance is still disputed between Canada and the US, so it is not drawn. "A British betrayal" is how many Canadians saw the ruling at the time, not a finding of this video. The sea otter photo was taken in California. #alaska #canada #maps #history #geography