 The Alaska Panhandle is the northern terminus of the Inside Passage, a protected waterway of convoluted passages between islands and fjords, beginning in Puget Sound in Washington state. This was an important travel corridor for native canoeists, as well as gold-rush steam ships, and in modern times is an important route for ferries and cruise ships. The Panhandle has a land area of 91,008.18 km2 (35,138.46 square miles), comprised of four entire boroughs and three census areas, in addition to the part of Yakutat Borough lying east of 141° West longitude. Although it has only 6.14 percent of Alaska's land area, it is larger than the state of Maine, and almost as large as the state of Indiana. The 2000 census population of the Panhandle was 72,954 inhabitants, about 42 percent of whom were concentrated in the city of Juneau.
  Alaska's Inside Passage is the area that makes up the Southeast Region of Alaska. Approximately 1,000 miles North of Vancouver, it was the center of activity during Alaska's 19th century Gold Rush. Also known as the "Panhandle," the Inside Passage is popular for spectacular scenery, abundant wildlife, vivid Native cultures, astounding history and exceptional hospitality.
The Alaska Panhandle is ... home to tidewater glaciers and huge areas of forest land. The economy of this region is centered on these natural attributes, and tourism, fishing and outdoor adventuring are major attractions.
  The Alaska Panhandle is a land of forests. The mild climate and heavy rainfall promote dense tree growth. The huge Tongass National Forest is an area where young saplings compete for space with trees that are centuries old. Trees found there include the western hemlock, Sitka spruce, canoe cedar, and yellow cedar (... called Alaska cedar), which are all conifers. The forest floor is carpeted with berry-producing plants and moss.
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