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Forklift Masts Fairbanks - The city of Fairbanks, Alaska is a home-rule city. The city of Fairbanks also serves as the borough seat of the Fairbanks North Star Borough. With a population of 31,535, the city of Fairbanks is the second biggest city within the state of Alaska, next to Anchorage. It is the main city of the Fairbanks, Alaska Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a population of 97,581.
Fairbanks is located at the convergence of the Chena and Tanana Rivers and is nestled in the Tanana Valley. The northern border of Fairbanks is a chain of hills, that extend to the White Mountains and the Yukon River. The Tanana River forms the southern border of the city. South of the Tanana River is a 160 km stretch of marsh and bog which rises into the Alaska Range. On clear days these mountains are visible from the city of Fairbanks. Towards the west and east are low valleys and ridges up to 910 m above sea level.
Throughout its history, the city of Fairbanks has been susceptible to serious flooding which have been caused by heavy rainfalls or by ice jams in spring breakup. During August 1967, a heavy rainfall caused the Chena River to flood practically the entire Fairbanks township. This devastating overnight flood started the creation of the Chena River Lakes Flood Control Project. A 15 m dam and 13 km spillway were built in the Chena River. The purpose of the project was to divert the Chena upstream from Fairbanks into the Tanana River, and protect Fairbanks City from a future flood.
The city of Fairbanks is the home of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The city of Fairbanks has a diverse economy. Government provides significant employment because of the fact that borough, city, state and federal government services are situated here. Roughly 33 percent of the population is employed in government services. Industries comprise mining, transportation, communication, manufacturing, medical and financial services. The area is home to Eielson Air Force Base and Fort Wainwright. Tourism is a strong sectors with roughly 325,000 people visiting the city every year.
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