The official state nickname is "The Last Frontier" - and the name Alaska is derived from the Aleut word "Alyeska," meaning "great land." Two basic forms of local government exist in Alaska: the city and the borough. The borough is similar to the county in many other states. Alaska is unique because most of it has not been organized into political units. Currently, thirteen organized boroughs cover about one-third of the state.

Source: State of Alaska