Honolulu is the capital and largest community of the U.S. State of Hawaii. In the Hawaiian language, honolulu means “sheltered bay” or “place of shelter.” The census-designated place (CDP) is located along the southeast coast of the island of O?ahu. The term also refers to the District of Honolulu . As of July 1, 2004, the U.S. Census Bureau estimate for Honolulu puts the population at 377,260 and that of the city and county (essentially, the Island of O?ahu) at 900,000. In Hawaii, local governments operate only at the county level, and the City and County of Honolulu encompasses all of the Island of Oahu (approximately 600 square miles).

History

It is not known when Honolulu was first settled by the original Polynesian migrants to the archipelago. Oral histories and artifacts indicate that there was a settlement where Honolulu now stands in the 12th century. However, after Kamehameha I conquered O?ahu in the Battle of Nu?uanu Pali, he moved his royal court from the Island of Hawaii to Waikiki in 1804. His court later relocated, in 1809, to what is now downtown Honolulu.

Captain William Brown of England was the first foreigner to sail, in 1794, into what is now Honolulu Harbor. More foreign ships would follow, making the port of Honolulu a focal point for merchant ships traveling between North America and Asia.

In 1845, Kamehameha III moved the permanent capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom from Lahaina on Maui to Honolulu. He and the kings that followed him transformed Honolulu into a modern capital, erecting buildings such as St. Andrew’s Cathedral, ?Iolani Palace, and Ali?iolani Hale. At the same time, Honolulu became the center of commerce in the Islands, with descendants of American missionaries establishing major businesses in downtown Honolulu.

Despite the turbulent history of the late 19th century and early 20th century, which saw the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy, Hawaii’s subsequent annexation by the United States, and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Honolulu would remain the capital, largest city, and main airport and seaport of the Hawaiian Islands.

An economic and tourism boom following statehood brought rapid economic growth to Honolulu and Hawaii. Modern air travel would bring thousands, eventually millions (per annum) of visitors to the Islands. Today, Honolulu is a modern city with numerous high-rise buildings, and Waikiki is the center of the tourism industry in Hawaii, with thousands of hotel rooms.

Geography and climate

Honolulu is located at 21°18′32″ North, 157°49′34″ West (21.308950, -157.826182)GR1. While this is clearly in the tropics, the climate (temperature and humidity) is moderated by the mid-ocean location and some cooling achieved by the California Current that passes through the islands much of year. The average daily low and high temperatures in January are 65/80 °F (18/27 °C) and in July are 74/88 °F (23/31 °C). Temperatures exceed 90 °F (32 °C) only rarely, with lows in the 50’s °F (15 °C) occurring perhaps once or twice in a year. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Honolulu was 95 °F (35 °C) on September 19, 1994 and the coldest temperature ever recorded was 53 °F (11.6 °C) on January 31, 1998, 1972 and 1948 and on January 20, 1969 and on February 1 and 2, 1976 and on February 9, 1981 and on February 12, 1983.

The Honolulu District is located on the southeast coast of O’ahu between Makapu?u and Halawa. The District boundary follows the Ko?olau crestline, so Makapu?u Beach is in the Ko?olaupoko District. On the west, the district boundary follows Halawa Stream, then crosses Red Hill and runs just west of Aliamanu Crater, so that Aloha Stadium, Pearl Harbor (with the USS Arizona Memorial), and Hickam Air Force Base are actually all located in the island’s ?Ewa District.

Most of the city’s commercial and industrial developments are located on a narrow but relatively flat coastal plain, while numerous ridges and valleys located inland of the coastal plain divide Honolulu’s residential areas into distinct neighborhoods: some spread along valley floors (like Manoa in Manoa Valley) and others climb the interfluvial ridges. Within Honolulu proper can be found several volcanic cones: Punchbowl, Diamond Head, Koko Head (includes Hanauma Bay), Koko Crater, Salt Lake, and Aliamanu being the most conspicuous.

Honolulu and Juneau, Alaska are the only 2 US state capitals that cannot be reached directly by road from the contiguous 48 States. Direct connections to these capitals require a boat or a plane.

Government

Originally governed by a Board of Supervisors, the City and County of Honolulu is administered under a mayor-council system of governance overseeing all municipal services: civil defense, driver licensing, emergency medical, fire, parks and recreation, police, sanitation, streets, vehicle registration, voter registration, water, among others. One of the largest municipal governments in the United States, the City and County of Honolulu has an annual operating budget of $1 billion.

The current mayor of Honolulu is Mufi Hannemann (term ends January 2009).

Neighborhoods and special districts

Downtown Honolulu is the financial, commercial, and governmental center of Hawaii. On the waterfront is Aloha Tower, which for many years was the tallest building in Hawaii. Currently the tallest building is the 438-foot-tall (134 m) First Hawaiian Center, located on King and Bishop Streets .
The Capitol District is the eastern part of Downtown Honolulu. It is the current and historic center of Hawaii’s state government, incorporating the Hawaii State Capitol, ?Iolani Palace, Honolulu Hale (City Hall), State Library, and the statue of King Kamehameha I, along with numerous government buildings.
Kaka?ako is a light-industrial district between Downtown and Waikiki that has seen a large-scale redevelopment effort in the past decade. It is home to two major shopping areas, Ward Warehouse and Ward Centre. The John A. Burns School of Medicine, part of the University of Hawaii at Manoa is also located there. A Memorial to the Ehime Maru Incident victims is built at Kaka?ako Waterfront Park.
Waikiki is the world famous tourist district of Honolulu, located between the Ala Wai Canal and the Pacific Ocean next to Diamond Head. Numerous hotels, shops, and nightlife opportunities are located along Kalakaua and Kuhio Avenues. World-famous Waikiki Beach attracts millions of visitors a year. Just west of Waikiki is Ala Moana Center, the world’s largest open-air shopping center. A majority of the hotel rooms on O?ahu are located in Waikiki.

Manoa and Makiki are residential neighborhoods located in adjacent valleys just inland of downtown and Waikiki. Manoa Valley is home to the main campus of the University of Hawaii.
Nu?uanu and Pauoa are middle-class to upper-middle-class residential districts located inland of downtown Honolulu. The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific is located in Punchbowl Crater fronting Pauoa Valley.
Palolo and Kaimuki are neighborhoods east of Manoa and Makiki, inland from Diamond Head. Palolo Valley parallels Manoa and is a residential neighborhood. Kaimuki is primarily a residential neighborhood with a commercial strip centered on Wai?alae Avenue running behind Diamond Head. Chaminade University is located in Kaimuki.
Wai?alae and Kahala are the upper-class districts of Honolulu located directly east of Diamond Head, where there are many high-priced homes. Also found in these neighborhoods are the Wai?alae Country Club and the Kahala Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
East Honolulu includes the residential communities of ?Aina Haina, Niu Valley, and Hawaii Kai. These are considered upper-middle-class neighborhoods.
Kalihi and Palama are working-class neighborhoods with a number of government housing developments. Lower Kalihi, toward the ocean, is a light-industrial district.
Salt Lake and Aliamanu are (mostly) residential areas built in extinct tuff cones along the western end of the Honolulu District, not far from the Honolulu International Airport.

Moanalua is two neighborhoods and a valley at the western end of Honolulu, and home to Tripler Army Medical Center.

Demographics

As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 371,657 people, 140,337 households, and 87,429 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,674.4/km² (4,336.6/mi²). There were 158,663 housing units at an average density of 714.8/km² (1,851.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 19.67% White; 1.62% Black or African American; 0.19% Native American; 55.85% Asian; 6.85% Pacific Islander; 0.89% from other races; and 14.93% from two or more races. 4.37% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 140,337 households, 23.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.5% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size is 3.23.

In Honolulu in 2000 the population was spread out with 19.2% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 96.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city proper was $45,112, and the median income for a family was $56,311. Males had a median income of $36,631 versus $29,930 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $24,191. 11.8% of the population and 7.9% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 14.6% of those under the age of 18 and 8.5% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Transportation

Located on the western end of Honolulu proper, Honolulu International Airport (HNL) is the principal aviation gateway to the state of Hawaii.

Two freeways serve Honolulu:

Interstate H-1, which, coming into the city from the west, passes Hickam Air Force Base and Honolulu International Airport, runs just north of Downtown and continues eastward through Makiki and Kaimuki, ending at Wai?alae/Kahala. West of the city proper, H-1 connects to Interstate H-2 from Wahiawa and Interstate H-3 from Kane?ohe.

Interstate H-201-also known as the Moanalua Freeway and formerly numbered Hawaii State Rte. 78-connects two points along H-1: at Aloha Stadium and Fort Shafter. Close to H-1 and Aloha Stadium, H-201 has an exchange with the western terminus of Interstate H-3 to the windward side of O?ahu (Kane?ohe). This complex of connecting ramps, some directly between H-1 and H-3, is in Halawa.

Other major highways that link Honolulu proper with other parts of the Island of O?ahu are:
Pali Highway, State Rte. 61, crosses north over the Ko?olau range via the Pali Tunnels to connect to Kailua and Kane?ohe on the windward side of the Island.
Likelike Highway, State Rte. 63, also crosses the Ko?olau to Kane?ohe via the Wilson Tunnels.
Kalanianaole Highway, State Rte. 72, runs eastward from Wai?alae/Kahala to Hawaii Kai and around the east end of the island to Waimanalo Beach.
Kamehameha Highway, State Rte. 99, runs westward from near Hickam Air Force Base to ?Aiea and beyond, paralleling the H-1.

Like most major American cities, the Honolulu metropolitan area experiences heavy traffic congestion during rush hours, especially to and from the western suburbs of Kapolei, ?Ewa, ?Aiea, Pearl City, Waipahu, and Mililani. Land for expanding road capacity is at a premium everywhere on O?ahu.

Established by former Mayor Frank F. Fasi, Honolulu’s public transit system has been twice honored by the American Public Transportation Association bestowing the title of “America’s Best Transit System” for 1994-1995 and 2000-2001. O?ahu Transit Services’ “TheBus” operates 93 routes with a fleet of 525 buses.

Currently, there is no fixed-rail mass transit system in Honolulu. However, in 2004, the City and County of Honolulu and the State of Hawai’i approved development of an action plan for a fixed rail mass transit system to be built in several phases. The initial line could link Kapolei in West O?ahu to Iwilei near Downtown Honolulu (port area). Several attempts had been made since the 1980s and 1990s to construct a fixed rail mass transit system but stalled during Honolulu City Council hearings.

Also in 2004, construction had started on a bus rapid transit (BRT) system using dedicated rights-of-way for buses. The system, proposed by former Mayor Jeremy Harris, was expected to link the Iwilei neighborhood with Waikiki. However, current Mayor Mufi Hannemann has largely dismantled the BRT system and deployed its buses along other express bus routes.

Cultural institutions

Performing arts

Established in 1900, the Honolulu Symphony is the oldest US symphony orchestra west of the Rocky Mountains. Other classical music ensembles include the Hawaii Opera Theatre. Honolulu is also a center for Hawaiian music. The main music venues include the Neal Blaisdell Center Concert Hall, the Waikiki Shell, and the Hawaii Theatre.

Honolulu also includes several venues for live theatre, including the Diamond Head Theatre and the Manoa Valley Theatre.

Visual arts

Located near downtown Honolulu, the premier venue for visual arts in Hawaii is the Honolulu Academy of Arts. The Honolulu Academy of Arts features the largest collection of Western and Asian art in Hawaii and also hosts a year-round film and video program dedicated to the presentation of arthouse and world cinema in the museum’s Doris Duke Theatre. The Contemporary Museum in Makiki is the main museum of contemporary art in the state.

Other museums, aquariums, zoos, and cultural centers
The Bishop Museum is the largest museum in the State of Hawaii and houses millions of natural history specimens and cultural artifacts relating to Hawaii and the Pacific.
The Honolulu Academy of Arts has steadily grown to become Hawai’i’s largest private presenter of visual arts programs, boasting a permanent collection of over 40,000 works of art from cultures around the world.
The Waikiki Aquarium and the Honolulu Zoo are both located at the eastern end of Waikiki in Kapi?olani Park.
The Hawaii State Art Museum (HISAM) (official site) is located in the downtown district in the old YMCA building and features local artists. Blessed with both a great collection and a competent house staff.

Sports

Currently, Honolulu has no professional sports teams. However, Honolulu hosts the NFL’s annual Pro Bowl each February in addition to the NCAA football Hawaii Bowl. Fans of spectator sports in Honolulu generally support the football, volleyball, basketball, and baseball programs of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. High school sporting events, especially football, are especially popular. Venues for spectator sports in Honolulu include:
Aloha Stadium (football)
Les Murakami Stadium at UH-Manoa (baseball)
Stan Sheriff Center at UH-Manoa (basketball and volleyball)
Neal Blaisdell Center Arena (basketball)

Honolulu’s mild climate lends itself to year-round fitness activities as well. In 2004, Men’s Fitness magazine named Honolulu the fittest city in the U.S. Honolulu is also home to three large road races:
The Great Aloha Run is held annually on Presidents’ Day.
The Honolulu Marathon, held annually on the second Sunday in December, draws more than 20,000 participants each year, about half to two thirds of them from Japan.
The Honolulu Triathlon held its first race in 2004, when it hosted the US Olympic Triathlon Trials, and is billed as Hawaii’s premier Olympic-distance triathlon. No sprint course is offered during the event, which is held in May.

Media

Newspapers

Honolulu is served by two daily newspapers: the Honolulu Advertiser and the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. It is one of the few remaining cities of its size in the U.S. to have more than one daily newspaper.

Television

Full power TV channels

2 KHON (Fox)
4 KITV (ABC)
5 KFVE (The WB)
9 KGMB (CBS)
11 KHET (PBS)
13 KHNL (NBC)
14 KWHE (independent)
20 KIKU (UPN and Asian programming, Mainly Japanese and some Filipino, Vietnamese, Korean)
26 KAAH (TBN)
32 KBFD (Korean programming)
38 KALO (Religious)
44 KWBN (Daystar)
50 KKAI (TBA)
56 KMGT (New, TBA)
60 New (TBA)
66 KPXO

Low-power TV channels

42 K42CO
46 KHLU-LP (Univision)
48 KHHI-LP (HSN)
56 K56EX
64 K64FN

Digital TV channels

8 KGMB
18 KHET
19 KIKU
22 KHON
23 KFVE
27 KAAH
31 KWHE
33 KBFD
35 KHNL
39 KALO
40 KITV
41 KPXO
43 KWBN

Radio stations

17 AM radio stations
590 KSSK Adult Contemporary
650 KRTR Asian
690 KORL Ethnic
760 KGU Religious
830 KHVH News/Talk
870 KAIM Country
940 KKNE Ethnic
990 KHBZ Talk
1040 KLHT Religious
1080 KWAI Talk
1130 KRUD New;TBA
1170 KHCM Country
1210 KZOO Japanese Pop
1270 KNDI Ethnic
1370 KUPA Ethnic
1420 KKEA Sports
1460 KHRA Asian
1500 KUMU Talk
1540 KREA Asian

20 FM radio stations

88.1 KHPR Classical, News (National Public Radio)
89.3 KIPO News, Information, Jazz (National Public Radio)
90.3 KTUH Modern Rock, Progressive music
92.3 KSSK Adult Contemporary
93.1 KQMQ Top 40
93.9 KIKI Rhythmic Top 40
94.7 KUMU-FM Adult Contemporary
95.5 KAIM-FM Contemporary Christian
96.3 KRTR-FM Adult Top 40
97.5 KHNR Talk
98.5 KDNN Hawaiian Contemporary
99.5 KHUI Hawaiian Adult Contemporary
100.3 KCCN Hawaiian Top 40
101.1 KLHI Modern Rock
101.1 KXRG-LP Dance (Broadcasting daily from 2pm to 2am; one of nine full-time dance stations in the US)
101.9 KUCD Modern Rock
102.7 KDDB Rhythmic Top 40
104.3 KPHW Rhythmic Top 40
105.1 KINE Traditional Hawaiian
105.9 KPOI Classic Rock
107.9 KGMZ Oldies
Cable and satellite television

Oceanic -Time Warner Cable (a division of Time Warner Cable) is the primary cable television carrier in the Honolulu metropolitan area. Satellite television (DIRECTV, Dish Network, some C-Band) is also available as an alternative.

Tourist attractions

Bishop Museum
Honolulu Academy of Arts
Diamond Head
Lyon Arboretum
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
Waikiki Beach
See also: Oahu

Colleges and universities

University of Hawaii Manoa - Students: 21,000 (Manoa Campus)2
Chaminade University - Students: 1,130; Tuition: $13,380/yr2
Hawaii Pacific University - Students: 8,500; Tuition: $10,922/yr2
Brigham Young University-Hawaii (La?ie) - Students: 2,400; Tuition: $15,000/yr

Sister Cities

Honolulu currently has 24 sister cities. They are:
- Baguio, Philippines
- Baku, Azerbaijan
- Bruyeres, France
- Caracas, Venezuela
- Cebu City, Philippines
- Funchal, Portugal
- Hainan Island, China
- Hiroshima, Japan
- Hue City, Vietnam
- Incheon, South Korea
- Kaohsiung Municipality, Taiwan
- Laoag, Philippines
- Manila, Philippines
- Mombasa, Kenya
- Mumbai, India
- Naha City, Okinawa, Japan
- San Juan, Philippines
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Santiago, Philippines (Illocos Sur)
- Seoul, South Korea
- Sintra, Portugal
- Tokyo, Japan
- Uwajima, Japan
- Vigan, Philippines
- Zhongshan City, China

Golf courses are numerous and scenic. Deep-sea fishing is very popular off Hawaii’s Big Island. The Hawai’ian islands are particularly good for watersports. For would-be yachtspeople, one-week yachting charters are available, with or without crews.

All boats are equipped with Coast-Guard-approved safety equipment and are under Coast Guard supervision. Surfing is, of course, a very popular sport - for both participants and spectators. Waikiki Beach is probably the most famous surfing beach in the world; learners are welcome here.

Near the Molokini Crater off Maui, as well as at various sites around each of the islands. Increasingly popular is the hair- and dust-raising sport of downhill biking, particularly so on the 64km (40 miles) of Haleakala volcano’s slopes in Maui.

In addition, there are some exciting international events such as the Canoe Races, in which outrigger canoes race against each other. One particularly grueling race course runs from Molokai to Waikiki. Races take place from autumn to spring.

Oahu Island

When Captain James Cook landed here in the 18th century, Oahu had been untouched by the West. It achieved prominence when the volume of Honolulu’s commercial traffic increased and the US Navy acquired rights to Pearl Harbor. Oahu has four divisions from a tourist’s point of view: Honolulu, the metropolitan center; Waikiki Beach, 5km (3 miles) from Honolulu’s downtown area; Oahu’s famous North Shore, stretching from Kahuku to Kaena Point; and the Windward Coast, notable for its beaches. The Leeward Coast, on the western side, is more desolate, though in recent years a certain amount of development has taken place and new residential areas, golf courses, parks, a shopping center and an amusement park (Hawaiian Waterways Adventure Park) have sprung up.

Honolulu

The cultural, commercial and political center of the island group is the starting point for most visitors. The Waikiki Beach area is a particularly popular resort region of the city, and is currently undergoing a US$300 million rejuvenation program, including construction of new walkways, traffic calming measures, and picnic and entertainment areas. Some of the older high-rise hotels in the district have been demolished and replaced by new low-rise hotels and public walkways, as part of an extensive redevelopment project, which will encompass nearly 3 hectares (8 acres) of Waikiki land.

The first phase, which will create the Waikiki Beach Walk and a low-level retail complex, pedestrian areas, meeting space and entertainment areas around an open-air plaza, was completed in 2005. Some 436 hotel rooms will be lost during phase one alone; phase two, which is slated for commencement in 2006, will spell the end for three of Waikiki’s hotels, to be replaced by a single 890-room venue.

The old harbor area here (known as Aloha Tower Marketplace) is now an attractive and modern waterfront development, and is one of the major attractions in the area, with shopping plazas, restaurants and pavement entertainers. Other attractions include: Kalakaua Avenue, Kilohana Square, the Ala Moana Center and the Kahala Mall (all noted for their shopping); the Honolulu zoo near Kapiolani Park (where the Honolulu Marathon is concluded annually); the National Cemetery of the Pacific, or Punchbowl, a memorial and cemetery for US military veterans; central Honolulu, including Chinatown; the fine collection of Asian art at the Honolulu Academy of Arts; Bishop Museum; the new Hawaii State Art Museum; Iolani Palace and the spectacular Nuuanu Pali. There are also many other parks, plus aquaria, museums and theaters in the city and its environs.

Oahu’s most visited attraction is Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial (open daily 0730-1700), the scene of Japan’s surprise attack which brought the USA into World War II. Free tours take visitors by boat to the memorial spanning the wreck of the Battleship Arizona where 1177 men died; the last boat leaves at 1500 and arriving early is recommended.

Excursions

A variety of excursions is available. At least a day should be allowed for the Circle Island Tour, which takes in the whole of Oahu. Attractions en route include Waimea Falls Park, Pearl Harbor, the Polynesian Cultural Center, Sea Life Park, the Waialua Coffee Visitors’ Center (on a former plantation), the Sacred Birthstones and Sunset Beach.

Hawaii

‘The Big Island’ encompasses over 10,000 sq km (4000 sq miles) and holds more attractions than initially meet the eye. Towns like Kailua-Kona and other resorts lie along the Kohala Coast on the west side of the island. Over on the east coast lies the town of Hilo as well as Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, one of the natural wonders of the world. At 4103m (13,677ft), Mauna Loa is the largest single mountain mass in the world, while at 1200m (4000ft), the still-active Kilauea’s steaming vents and frequent eruptions provide an unusual (and safe) spectator sport. The volcano is continuously erupting, and can be seen entering the ocean at sea-level.

Maui

Hawaii’s second-largest island is popularly known as ‘The Magic Isle’ and attracts a multitude of tourists every year. Luxury resorts and budget condos abound, but there are isolated spots of raw beauty. Attractions include the town of Wailuku; the more bustling town of Kahului; the Iao Valley; the historic whaling town of Lahaina; Mount Haleakala, a massive volcanic crater whose name translates as ‘The House of the Sun’; the tranquil beauty of Hana on the Eastern Shore; the East Mountain range with its native ecosystem; the waterfalls at Wailua Cove; and Ka’eleku Caverns, which are located beneath the Hana Rainforest, and now open to the public for guided tours.

Lanai

Once known as ‘The Pineapple Isle’ (pineapples have dominated the plantation economy since the early 1900s), beautiful Lanai now offers two 5-star resorts. Spectacular natural attractions include the dramatic Shipwreck Beach or Kaiolohia with its petroglyph rock carvings and the mystical Garden of the Gods at Kanepu’u. Other attractions include the ruins of Kaunolu Village (a complete archaeological site) and the Munro Trail, which leads to the Hauola Gulch, a truly spectacular view of the neighboring islands. From November to April, Lanai is the perfect place for whale watching, as humpback whales make the waters around the island their winter breeding and calving grounds.

Molokai

A 15-minute flight east of Honolulu, Molokai, ‘Hawaiian by Nature’, offers wide open vistas, an easygoing ambience and a lively local community. Attractions include the harbor town of Kaunakakai, with its quaint and colorful shops; Mount Kamakou; the Moaulu Falls; the beautiful Halawa Valley; Molokai Ranch; and Father Damien’s Community at Kalaupapa.

Kauai

‘Hawaii’s Island of Discovery’ is breathtakingly beautiful (some say it is the most outstanding in the archipelago), with staggering mountains and miles of sandy beaches. Located at the northwestern end of the curve of islands, Kaua’i is small (1400 sq km or 552 sq miles), with a laid-back pace and discreet tourist facilities; ideal for the visitor who does not care for crowded beaches or high-rise hotels.

Local attractions include Mount Waialeale; the capital town of Lihue; Waimea Canyon; the tropical rainforest in the center of the island; the Wailua River; the Fern Grotto; the awesome Na Pali Coast and the nearby temple of Holoholoku Heiau. Hanakapiai Beach is 2 miles inland and there is a stupendous waterfall 2 miles up in the Hanakapiai Valley.

The Hawaiian Islands, once known as the Sandwich Islands, form an archipelago of nineteen islands and atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts trending northwest by southeast in the North Pacific Ocean between latitudes 19° N and 29° N. The archipelago takes its name from the largest island in the group and extends some 1500 miles (2400 km) from the Island of Hawai’i in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll. Politically, they form the U.S. State of Hawaii.

This archipelago represents the exposed peaks of a great undersea mountain range known as the Hawaiian-Emperor seamount chain, formed by volcanic activity over a hotspot in the earth’s mantle. At about 3,000 km (1,860 miles) from the nearest continent, the Hawaiian Island archipelago is the most isolated grouping of islands on Earth (Macdonald, Abbott, and Peterson, 1984).

Islands and reefs of the Hawaiian archipelago
A total of 19 islands and atolls comprise the Hawaiian Islands, with a total land area of 16,636 km2 (6,423.4 square miles).

The eight main Hawaiian islands (all inhabited except for Kaho’olawe) are, listed here from south to north:
Hawai’i (also known as the Big Island)
Maui
Kaho’olawe (uninhabited; temporary residential facilities)
Lana’i
Moloka’i
O’ahu
Kaua’i
Ni’ihau

Smaller islands, atolls, and reefs (beyond Ni’ihau and all uninhabited); called the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands:
Ka’ula
Nihoa
Necker (Mokumanamana)
French Frigate Shoals (Mokupapapa)
Gardner Pinnacles (Puhahonu)
Maro Reef (Nalukakala)
Laysan (Kauo)
Lisianski Island (Papa’apoho)
Pearl and Hermes Reef (Holoikauaua)
Midway (Pihemanu) (temporary residential facilities)
Kure (Kanemiloha’i)

Islets

Some information sources state that there are 137 “islands” in the Hawaiian chain. This number includes all minor islands and islets offshore of the main islands (listed above) and individual islets in each atoll. (Hawai’i state government, undated). Following is a list of islets and small offshore islands that make up the total count beyond 19:
Ford Island (Moku’ume’ume)
Kaohikaipu
Manana Island
Mokolea Rock
Na Mokulua
Molokini

Except for Midway, which is an unincorporated territory of the United States, these islands and islets are administered as the State of Hawaii - the 50th state of the United States of America.

Geology

The chain of islands or archipelago formed as the Pacific plate moves slowly northwestward over a hotspot in the earth’s crust at about 52 km (32 miles) per million years. Hence the islands in the northwest of the archipelago are older and typically smaller (have been eroding far longer).

Because of the composition of the magma in the hotspot, the composition of Hawaiian volcanoes is basaltic. The majority of eruptions in Hawai’i are Hawaiian-type eruptions because basaltic magma is relatively fluid compared with andesitic eruptions.

Hawai ‘i (the Big Island) is the largest and youngest island in the chain, built from seven different volcanoes. Mauna Loa, comprising over half of the Big Island, is the largest shield volcano on the planet. The measurement from the base locally depressing the sea floor in the Hawaiian Trough to its peak is about 17 km (56,000 feet; USGS)

Ecology

The Hawaiian Islands are home to a large number of endemic species. The plant and animal life of the Hawaiian Islands developed in nearly complete isolation over about 70 million years.

Human contact, first by Polynesians, introduced new trees, plants and animals. The growing population also brought deforestation, forest degradation, treeless grasslands, and environmental degradation. As a result, many species which depended on forest habitats and food went extinct. Agriculture began to increase, with monocultual crop production replacing multi-species systems.

The arrival of the Europeans had a significant impact, with the promotion of large-scale single-species export agriculture and livestock grazing. In turn, this led to the increased clearing of forests, and the development of towns, driving more species to extinction. Today, many of the remaining endemic species are considered endangered.
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