Geography and Climate of Hawaii
Hawaii is an archipelago situated in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It's made up of 137 islands and atolls, approximately 1,988 miles southwest of the North American mainland. One of the only non-contiguous U.S. states, Hawaii is also the only state that does not share any borders with another and is completely surrounded by water.
There eight major Hawaiian Islands are as follows: Hawaii, or the Big Island, Maui, Oahu, Kauai, Lanai, Molokai, Kaho’olawe, which is uninhabited, and Niihau. Numerous smaller islands, atolls, reefs, islets and undersea seamounts make up the rest of the archipelago.
The islands formed by erupting volcanoes from a magma source on the sea floor, known as a hotspot. On the southern half of Hawaii, or the Big Island, there are active volcanoes such as Loihi Seamount. Mauna Kea is Hawaii’s tallest mountain at 13,796 feet. The Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument is the largest national park, covering 140,000 square miles of reefs and atolls out to 50 miles from shore.
Hawaii has a typical tropical climate. However, since trade winds blow from the east, the weather is less extreme than other islands. There are really only two seasons. Summers and winters hardly differ in temperature, with hot and humid days and warm to cool nights.
Local climates vary depending on the island and direction of the wind. Most resorts are located in leeward (Kona) areas due to the drier and sunnier climate.
As strange as it may seem, there is snowfall at the higher elevations of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa on the Big Island. Mount Wai’ale’ale in Kauai has the second highest average rainfall on the planet, at around 460 inches. Tropical cyclones, hurricanes and typhoons are a rarity, but they can and do affect the main islands.
History of Hawaii
Polynesian inhabitants of Hawaii came by boat from the Marquesas as early as the 4th century, followed in later centuries by immigrants from Raiatea, Tahiti and Bora Bora. Chiefdoms grew as the population grew and a steady stream of people entered the islands. Local chiefs, known as aliis, ruled their respective communities.
British explorer James Cook was the first recorded European contact with the Hawaiian Islands in 1778. When he went to visit a second time in 1779, he tried to abduct a Hawaiian chief for ransom in return for a stolen boat, ultimately resulting in his death.
European visitors, from explorers to traders, started to come to the islands. Diseases devastated much of the native Hawaiian population. By 1820, American missionaries converted the remaining tribal chiefs to Christianity.
During the 19th century, Chinese, Filipino and Japanese immigrants arrived on Western trading ships to work in sugar plantations. These Asian groups continued immigrating to Hawaii, whether by choice or familial obligation. They endured harsh treatment as virtual slaves working in the fields.
A series of battles between chiefs during the 1780s and 1790s resulted in the 1810 cession of Kauai. From 1810 to 1893, a monarchy ruled the Kingdom of Hawaii. King Kamehameha became the single ruler, uniting the islands under the House of Kamehameha dynasty. In 1874, the House of Kalakaua took over the kingdom.
Walter M. Gibson and a group of American and European businessmen, along with members of the Hawaiian government, tricked Kalakaua into signing the Bayonet Constitution. This document took away the king’s administrative authority, limiting the electorate to wealthy Americans by abolishing voting rights for Asians.
Queen Lili’uokalani assumed the throne after Gibson's death, but in 1893 was overthrown. When Lili’uokalani wanted to establish a new constitution to replace the Bayonet, a group of Americans and Europeans formed an opposition committee to stop the Queen and assembled a troop of U.S. Marines.
Upon removal the queen, a provisional government known as the Republic of Hawaii was set up, headed by the same members of the opposition group. Queen Lili’uokalani tried to regain power to the throne without success. In 1900, Hawaii became a U.S. territory.
In order to stop the cycle of imported workers for plantations, activist descendents of immigrant laborers effectively campaigned for U.S. statehood. In 1959, Hawaii was the last state added to the Union. Today, the Hawaii government has instigated several programs to attract visitors and promote Hawaiian indigenous culture, from its language to its customs.
Demographics of Hawaii
Hawaii’s estimated population as of 2005 is 1,275,194. However, Hawaii’s de facto population is over 1.3 million from tourists and military personnel. Oahu is the most populated.
Polynesians, or Native Hawaiians, only constitute 16 percent of the population. Asian-Americans comprise the largest percentage of the population. Japanese is the highest at 16 percent, with Chinese, Filipino and Korean following shortly behind.
A sizeable population of Portuguese and Puerto Ricans reside in Hawaii. Other ancestry groups include German, Irish, English, African, Italian, Mexican, French and Scottish.
Due to this eclectic mixture of ethnicities, Christians only make up around 30 percent of the population, which is low compared to other states. Hawaii is nine percent Buddhist due to heavy Asian influence. Other faiths that compose Hawaii’s religious makeup include Bahi’i, Hawaiian, Hindu, Shinto, Muslim and Jewish, as well as a large number of people who do not have any religious affiliation.
English and Hawaiian are the dual state languages. Hawaii Creole English, or Pidgin, is the dialect of many Hawaiian natives. Japanese and Tagalog are fluently spoken languages.
Economy of Hawaii
In 2003, Hawaii’s gross state product was $47 billion, with a per capita income of $30,441.
Tourism has been Hawaii’s most dominant industry since it became a state, contributing to around a quarter of its economy per year. Military is another big industry for Hawaii, along with education. Food processing and apparel also play a small role in the economy.
Despite its image as a tropical paradise, Hawaii has little land on which to grow food. As a result, there are select agricultural outputs Hawaii produces, including coffee, pineapple, sugarcane, seafood and macadamia nuts.
Hawaii Law and Government
Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle is Republican, but Senators Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka are both Democrats, along with congressional representatives Mazie Hirono and Neil Abercrombie. Honolulu is the state capital.
Generally, Hawaii is a liberal state. It has supported the Democratic Party in the last 10 out of 12 presidential elections. Native son Sen. Barack Obama is running in the 2008 U.S. presidential election.
Interestingly, Hawaii’s municipal governments divide at the county level, with the exception of Honolulu County. Instead, there are four mayors representing the highest populations, in Hawaii, Honolulu, Kauai and Maui.
Hawaii Transportation
Ironically, Hawaii has a few Interstates, all on the island of Oahu. H-1 runs east to west through Honolulu, while H-2 goes north to south, connecting Pearl City to Wahiawa. H-3 travels from Halawa to the Marine Corps Base Hawaii. Another system of state highways follows the scenic coastline.
Hawaiian Airlines is the main airline to fly in and around the islands. Honolulu International Airport is where most commercial planes land down from the mainland and other countries. Go! Jets travel within the Hawaiian island system, along with Pacific Wings and Island Air. Lihue, Kahului, Kona and Hilo also have smaller international airports.
TheBus is Hawaii’s bus system, stopping at over 4,200 locations in Oahu. Since 2007, a ferry service known as TheBoat runs from the Aloha Tower Marketplace to Barber’s Point.
Major Cities and Towns of Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii’s most populous city, is a rare blend of Polynesian, Asian and European influences melded into an easygoing culture set against spectacular ocean views. Go for a quick dip in the ocean at Ala Moana, or take a surfing lesson at Waikiki Beach, the largest dining and entertainment area of Oahu.
Visit the ‘Iolani Palace, where the Hawaiian monarchy resided, or the historic USS Arizona, which memorializes those lost during the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Hanauma Bay offers world-class snorkeling, whereas the Shangri La estate houses a huge Islamic art collection.
Hawaii Educational System
The University of Hawaii System consists of its flagship university at Manoa in Honolulu, several other campuses and seven community colleges. There are also four private universities in the islands, including Hawaii Pacific University.
Hawaii is the only state with a unified school system. This centralized organization allows equal school funding and resource distribution. It balances the inequalities between low-income and wealthy areas of the islands, as opposed to other states that fund schools through property taxes. There are more primary and secondary independent institutions for education that any other state.
Learn more at the Hawaii Department of Education.
Hawaii Sports Teams and Recreational Activities
Hawaii has no major sport franchises, although there are a few minor league teams for football and baseball. The University of Hawaii Warriors are a NCAA Division I football team and play at Aloha Stadium in Oahu.
The abundance of water and excellent waves make Hawaii one of the top surfing locales in the world. The North Shore at Oahu, especially the Banzai Pipeline, produces enormous swells during the winter season and calmer waves in the summer with clean breaks. Honolua Bay, Makaha, Richardson Beach, Sandy Beach and Maalaea are other renowned Hawaiian surfing sports. Hawaii is home to several world surfing championships, such as the prestigious Vans Triple Crown of Surfing and ASP World Tour.
Swimming is always popular, although certain beaches are much rockier or have treacherous waves. The reefs off Hawaii’s coasts are superb for snorkeling. Farther out, scuba diving shows off the wondrous world of the ocean beneath its azure surface. Boating and sailing are popular recreational activities, along with hiking, biking and camping.
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