Next to Canada, it's the biggest thing of its kind (6)

I believe the answer is:

alaska

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'kind' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I don't see how one could define the other.

I cannot understand how the remainder of the clue works.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for alaska that I've seen before include "Sarah Palin's home state" , "49th US state" , "Most northerly state of America" , "Forty-ninth US state" , "Anchorage location" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.

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