Hawaii and its capital Honolulu became a U.S. territory in 1900 and the 50th state in 1959. It consists of 132 islands with a total area of 6,470 square miles and a population of 1,211,537. The Hawaiian Islands are filled with breath taking mountains, waterfalls, lush gorges, pristine beaches of white and black sand, tropical jungles and crystal clear water. Hawaii is the largest island and Oahu is the most populated.
      Steeped in tradition, the native Hawaiians, or Kama’aina, preserve the old ways through language, the hula dance and reverence to gods worshipped by their ancestors. Aloha ‘aina, meaning “love for the land,” is a familiar phrase for natives and one that non-native residents and visitors experience when they are here.
      The islands of Hawaii, Maui, Kauai and Molokai are the most mountainous. Kilauea is part of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Within the national park are the dormant volcanoes, Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, which is referred to as White Mountain and offers downhill skiing and snowboarding.

Did You Know...

State Nickname: The Aloha State State Capital: Honolulu State Flower: Hibiscus State Bird: Nene (Hawaiian Goose)

      The Marine Life Conservation Districts off Oahu and Kealakekua Bay have excellent scuba diving as does Molokini Island, which is a seabird sanctuary uninhabited by people. Coral beds teeming with fish and sea turtles can be seen by snorkelers at Hanauma Bay and you can walk on the reef at Shark’s Cove at Pupukea Beach Park when the tide is low. Surfing is a way of life for many in Hawaii where good swells are found on Oahu’s North Shore and Waikiki Beach. Trails are the best and sometimes the only way to see Hawaii’s magnificent rain forests, volcanic craters and cliffs along the ocean. The Kalalau Trail on Kauai’s Na Pali Coast rises over cliffs up to 2,700 feet high and down into five valleys, passing secluded beaches.

Grand views can be had at the top of Diamond Head in Oahu and there are 65 miles of bicycle paths crossing the Ko’olau and Wai’anae ranges on Oahu.
      Tourism-related businesses are, not surprisingly, the leading employers in Hawaii. Agriculture also contributes to the state’s economy, with flowers, papayas and macadamia nuts as the leading products. Other industries include aquaculture, manganese nodule mining and film and television production. The per capita income in Hawaii is $29,034.

The median home value in Hawaii is $291,576. 51 percent of housing units are single-family detached homes and 20 percent are in buildings of 20 or more units. More than half of the homes are owner-occupied at 56 percent.
      Hawaii has the highest percentage of Asian residents in the nation, just over 41 percent. Approximately 7 percent of the state’s population is Hispanic, 2 percent is African-American and about 17 percent of the population is foreign-born.
      Hawaii is the only state to have one public school system. There are also 21 colleges and universities, including six community colleges. The University of Hawaii is the largest with campuses in Manoa, Hilo and West Oahu. There are three private colleges: Brigham Young University–Hawaii Campus, Chaminade University of Honolulu and Hawaii Pacific College.
     Arts and culture are strong in Hawaii, led by the Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA). The Hawaii State Art Museum features works from the State Art Collection of the SFCA and the Hawaii Council for the Humanities supplies resources for programs throughout the state. Some of the annual festivals are the Cherry Blossom Festival, featuring Japanese cultural events and the Aloha Festival, celebrating the music, dance and history of the various cultures represented in the state. Some of Hawaii’s most popular museums and cultural sites include the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, Polynesian Cultural Center and the Honolulu Academy of Arts to name a few.
     Although Hawaii does not have any professional sports teams, the state hosts such annual events as the NFL’s Pro Bowl, the NCAA Football’s Aloha Bowl, the Duke Kahanamoku and Makaha Surf Competitions, the PGA Tour and the Ironman Triathlon. The Transpac Yacht Race runs every other year from California to Honolulu and collegiate sports include football, baseball and basketball.