Tanana lies in Interior Alaska, about two miles west of the junction of the Tanana River and Yukon River. Due to its location, Tanana was a traditional trading settlement for Koyukon and Tanana Athabascans long before European contact. During WWII, an air base was established near Tanana as a refueling stop for the lend-lease aircraft program. The city was incorporated in 1961.
Traditional ways of life exist in Tanana - potlatches, subsistence, dances, and foot races are part of the culture. Tanana is accessible only by air and river transportation.