Unalaska is a town on Unalaska Island in the Aleutian Islands. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 4,283. The port area is on neighboring Amaknak Island and is known as Dutch Harbor. Dutch Harbor is within the city limts of Unalaska and is connected to Unalaska by a bridge.

The Aleut or Unangan have lived on Unalaska Island for thousands of years.

The Russian fur trade reached Unalaska when Stepan Glotov and his crew arrived on August 1, 1759.

Unalaska was named after Unalaska Island. Dutch Harbor was so named by the Russians because they believed that a Dutch vessel was the first European ship to enter the harbor.

Geography

Unalaska is located at .

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 549.9 km² (212.3 mi²). 287.5 km² (111.0 mi²) of it is land and 262.4 km² (101.3 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 47.71% water.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there are 4,283 people, 834 households, and 476 families residing in the city. The population density is 14.9/km² (38.6/mi²). There are 988 housing units at an average density of 3.4/km² (8.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 44.20% White, 3.67% Black or African American, 7.70% Native American, 30.63% Asian, 0.56% Pacific Islander, 9.32% from other races, and 3.92% from two or more races. 12.86% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 834 households out of which 36.9% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.1% are married couples living together, 4.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 42.9% are non-families. 32.0% of all households are made up of individuals and 1.6% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.51 and the average family size is 3.27.

In the city the population is spread out with 14.6% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 50.9% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 1.6% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36 years. For every 100 females there are 194.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 218.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $69,539, and the median income for a family is $80,829. Males have a median income of $41,352 versus $29,766 for females. The per capita income for the city is $24,676. 12.5% of the population and 2.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 2.8% of those under the age of 18 and 15.8% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

History

Unalaska and Amaknak Islands contained 24 settlements with more than 1,000 Aleut inhabitants in 1759. In 1768, Unalaska became a Russian trading port for the fur seal industry. In 1825, the Russian Orthodox Church of the Holy Ascension of Christ was built in Unalaska. The founding priest, Ivan Veniaminov, composed the first Aleut writing system with local assistance, and translated scripture into Aleut. By this time, (between 1830 and 1840), only 200 to 400 Aleuts lived in Unalaska.

In 1880, after the Alaska Purchase, the Methodist Church opened a school, clinic and a for orphans in Unalaska. On June 3, 1942, during World War II, Unalaska was attacked by the Japanese. Almost all of the native residents of the island were sent to Southeast Alaska for the duration of the war.

The current population of Unalaska is mostly non-Aleut. The industries of the area include commercial fishing and fish processing.

External links

• http://arctic.net/~updhcvb/
• Unalaska Directory