HAWAII
Introduction
Hawai'i is the newest of the 50 U.S. states (August 21, 1959), and is the only state made up entirely of islands. It occupies most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of Australia. Hawai'i’s natural beauty, warm tropical climate, inviting waters and waves, and active volcanoes make it a popular destination for tourists, surfers, biologists, and volcanologists alike. Due to its mid-Pacific location, Hawai'i has many North American and Asian influences along with a vibrant native culture. Hawaii has over a million permanent residents along with many visitors and U.S. military personnel. Its capital is Honolulu on the island of O'ahu.
The state encompasses nearly the entire volcanic Hawaiian Island chain, which comprises hundreds of islands spread over 1,500 miles (2,400 km). At the southeastern end of the archipelago, the eight "main islands" are (from the northwest to southeast) Ni'ihau, Kaua'i, O'ahu, Moloka'i, Lāna'i, Kaho'olawe, Maui, and Hawai'i. The last is by far the largest and is often called "The Big Island" to avoid confusion with the state as a whole. The archipelago is physiographically and ethnologically part of the Polynesian subregion of Oceania.
Recently, Hawai'i has garnered additional attention as the location where U.S. President Barack Obama was born and spent much of his youth. Obama is the only president to hail from the state.
Geography
Hawaii is the southernmost state of the United States, and would be the westernmost, if not for Alaska. It is one of the only two states (Alaska being the other) that are outside the contiguous United States, and do not share a border with another U.S. state. Hawaii is the only state that: (1) lies completely in the tropics; (2) is without territory on the mainland of any continent; (3) is completely surrounded by water; and (4) continues to grow in area because of active extrusive lava flows, most notably from Kilauea (Ki-lauea). Except for Easter Island, Hawaii is the furthest from any other body of land in the world.
The Hawaiian Archipelago comprises eighteen islands and atolls extending across a distance of 1,500 miles (2,400 km). Of these, eight high islands are considered the "main islands" and are located at the southeastern end of the archipelago. These islands are, in order from the northwest to southeast, Niihau (Ni'ihau), Kauai (Kaua'i), Oahu (O'ahu), Molokai (Moloka'i), Lanai (La-na'i), Kahoolawe (Kaho'olawe), Maui (Maui), and Hawaii (Hawai'i). The latter is by far the largest, and is very often called the "Big Island" or "Big Isle". The use of that alternative name is often motivated by a desire to avoid ambiguity with "Hawaii" meaning the entire state (all of the islands), as opposed to only that one island.
All of the Hawaiian Islands were formed by volcanoes arising from the sea floor through a vent described in geological theory as a hotspot. The theory maintains that as the tectonic plate beneath much of the Pacific Ocean moves in a northwesterly direction, the hot spot remains stationary, slowly creating new volcanoes. This explains why only volcanoes on the southern half of the Big Island are presently active.
The last volcanic eruption outside the Big Island happened at Haleakala (Haleakala-) on Maui in the late 18th century (though recent research suggests that Haleakala's most recent eruptive activity could be hundreds of years older). The newest volcano to form is Loihi Seamount (Lo-ihi), deep below the waters off the southern coast of the Big Island.
The volcanic activity and subsequent erosion created impressive geological features. The Big Island is notable as the world's fifth highest island. If the height of the island is measured from its base, deep in the ocean, to its snow-clad peak on Mauna Kea, it can be considered one of the tallest mountains in the world.
Because of the islands' volcanic formation, native life before human activity is said to have arrived by the "3 W's": wind, waves, and wings. The isolation of the Hawaiian Islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and the wide range of environments to be found on high islands located in and near the tropics, has resulted in a vast array of endemic flora and fauna. Hawaii has more endangered species per square mile than anywhere else.
Areas under the control and protection of the National Park Service include:
* Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail on the Big Island
* Haleakala National Park in Kula
* Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island
* Kalaupapa National Historical Park in Kalaupapa
* Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park in Kailua-Kona
* Puuhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park in Honaunau (Pu'uhonua o Ho-naunau)
* Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site in Kawaihae (Pu'ukohola- Heiau)
* USS Arizona Memorial at Honolulu
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