Fairbanks is the second-largest city in Alaska, the northern-most city in the United States, and one of only a few communities in the entire world where a concentration of people is living at such an extreme northern latitude. Despite being the trade, transportation, and cultural center of the Alaskan Interior, Fairbanks has maintained much of its frontier character. Mining camps, swinging-door saloons, and unpaved roads mingle with modern hotels and restaurants, a symphony orchestra, and an internationally known research university. Fairbanks has almost continuous daylight from the middle of May through the end of July; on June 21st, the longest day of the year, Fairbanks has more than 20 hours of sunlight. The most distinctive feature of the city, however, is its weather: with long winter nights, snow covering the ground six months of the year, Fairbanks is quintessentially Alaska.