Editing Contiguous United States (section)

=== Alaska ===
The vast territory of [[Alaska]] became the 49th state of the United States on January 3, 1959. Alaska is the northwest extremity of the North American continent, separated from  the [[West Coast of the United States|U.S. West Coast]] by the [[Provinces and territories of Canada|Canadian province]] of [[British Columbia]]. The term ''Lower 48'' has, for many years, been a common Alaskan equivalent for "contiguous United States";<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.princesslodges.com/tips-language.htm|title=Learn to Speak Alaskan - Alaskan Language Tips - Princess Lodges|work=princesslodges.com|access-date=March 2, 2009|archive-date=September 14, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090914131733/http://www.princesslodges.com/tips-language.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100126095610/http://election.nationaljournal.com/states/ak.htm | url=http://election.nationaljournal.com/states/ak.htm | title=ALASKA: State Profile | archive-date=January 26, 2010 | access-date=December 6, 2013}}</ref> some Alaskans may use the term ''[[Outside (Alaska)|Outside]]'' for those states, though some may use ''Outside'' to refer to any location not within Alaska.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findingmyalaska.blogspot.com/2017/06/speaking-alaskan-words-alaskans-say.html|title=Speaking Alaskan: Words Alaskans Say|first=Copper River Country|last=Journal|access-date=August 20, 2018|archive-date=August 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180820105843/http://findingmyalaska.blogspot.com/2017/06/speaking-alaskan-words-alaskans-say.html|url-status=live}}</ref>