When the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act was signed into law on December 18, 1971, the largest land claims settlement in American history was concluded.

The federal government allotted mineral and surface rights on 44 million acres to the Native Americans of Alaska. ANCSA created regional corporations (12 within the state and one at-large for non-residents). These corporations were funded with many millions of dollars and designed to be profit-making.

• Ahtna, Inc.
• Aleut Corporation
• Arctic Slope Regional Corporation
• Bering Straits Native Corporation
• Bristol Bay Native Corporation
• Calista
• Chugach Alaska Corporation
• Cook Inlet Region, Inc.
• Doyon, Limited
• Koniag, Inc.
• Nana Corporation
• Sealaska Corporation
• Thirteenth Regional Corporation

Also, most of these corporations set up nonprofit arms and many village corporations were created by ANCSA.

Land selection by the State of Alaska under the Statehood Act and for the regional and village corporations has continued through 2001.