Alaska Native Language Center

The Alaska Native Language Center, started in 1972 in Fairbanks, Alaska, is a special place where people learn and protect the languages of Alaska’s Native peoples. It studies and writes down how people in Alaska speak, including many different groups.

The Center makes books about grammar, dictionaries, and old stories. It also has a large collection of papers and writings about languages such as Eskimo, North Athabaskan, and others.

It helps teachers, scientists, and anyone who wants to learn more about Alaska Native languages. There is also a program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks where students can study Central Yup'ik and Inupiaq. This program works to keep these important languages alive for everyone.

Language map

In 1974, Michael Krauss made a map showing the languages spoken in Alaska. He updated it in 1982, and people have used it since then. In 2011, the Alaska Native Language Center changed the map because some language names were different. The new map is digital, which makes it easier to use.

Alaska Native languages

Information in this table was retrieved from the Alaska Native Languages Center.

Language	Population	Speakers	Percent Speakers
Ahtna	500	80	%16.00
Aleut	2,200	300	%13.64
Alutiiq/Sugpiaq	3,000	400	%13.33
Dena'ina	x	x	x
Deg Xinag	275	40	%14.55
Eyak	50	0	%0.00
Gwich'in	1,100	300	%27.27
Haida	600	15	%2.50
Hän	50	12	%24.00
Holikachuk	200	12	%6.00
Inupiat	13,500	3,000	%22.22
Koyukon	2,300	300	%13.04
Tanana	380	30	%7.89
Tanacross	220	65	%29.55
Tlingit	10,000	500	%5.00
Tsimshian	1,300	70	%5.38
Upper Kuskokwim	160	40	%25.00
Upper Tanana	x	x	x
Yup'ik, Central Alaskan	21,000	10,000	%47.62
Yupik, Siberian	1,100	1,050	%95.45

Language map

Alaska Native languages

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