Land ownership

Alaska has more public land owned by the federal government than any other state.[21]
According to an October 1998 report by the United States Bureau of Land Management, approximately 65% of Alaska is owned and managed

by the U.S. federal government as public lands, including a multitude of national forests, national parks, and national wildlife refuges.[22] Of these, the Bureau of Land Management manages 87 million acres (35 million hectares), or 23.8% of the state.

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. It is the world’s largest wildlife refuge, comprising 16 million acres (6.5 million hectares).

Of the remaining land area, the state of Alaska owns 101 million acres (41 million hectares), its entitlement under the Alaska Statehood Act.

A portion of that acreage is occasionally ceded to the organized boroughs presented above, under the statutory provisions pertaining to newly formed boroughs. Smaller portions are set aside for rural subdivisions and other homesteading-related opportunities. These are not very popular due to the often remote and roadless locations. The University of Alaska, as a land grant university, also owns substantial acreage which it manages independently.