Alaska is the largest state of the United States of America by area; it is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, Russia is further west across the Bering Strait. Approximately half of Alaska's 683,478 residents reside within the Anchorage metropolitan area. As of 2007, Alaska remains the least densely populated state. The state's most populous city is Anchorage, home to nearly 300,000 people. Sitka, Juneau, and Anchorage are the three largest cities in the U.S. by area.