More than 300 small, volcanic islands make up this chain, which
stretches over 1,200 miles (1,900 km) into the Pacific Ocean. The
International Date Line was drawn west of 180° to keep the whole
state, and thus the entire North American continent, within the same
legal day. However, because some of these islands fall in the Eastern
Hemisphere, this makes Alaska the northernmost, easternmost and
westernmost state in the union, with the southernmost state being
Hawaii. Two of the islands, Attu and Kiska, were occupied by Japanese
forces during World War II.
