Hawaii is a US state on the Hawaiian Islands in the central Pacific Ocean. The area is 16.8 thousand sq. km, the population is 1.2 million people (2004). The administrative center is Honolulu on the island of Oahu (international airport, naval base of the US Pacific Fleet). Major cities: Hilo, Kailua, Kaneohe. Airport (Hilo). See counties in Hawaii.
The main part of the state is occupied by tropical rainforests and savannah. On the island of Hawaii there are active volcanoes Mauna Loa, Kilauea, extinct volcanoes Mauna Kea, Diamond Head (Diamond), Punchbowl (Punchbowl). The climate is humid and tropical. The average annual temperature is 18-25 o C. Precipitation is up to 4000 mm per year. Tourism, services. Food industry. Agriculture: bananas, nuts, coffee, floriculture. Pineapple and sugarcane plantations.
In the 4th-3rd centuries BC. e. The islands were settled by Polynesians. In 1778, the islands were discovered by the expedition of J. Cook, who named them the Sandwich Islands. Until the end of the 19th century, the Hawaiian Islands were ruled by a royal dynasty, but in 1893 the queen was overthrown, and in 1894 the Republic of Hawaii was formed, which fell under the control of the United States.
- AbbreviationFinder: Introduction to the state of Hawaii, covering commonly used acronyms and the list of main cities and town in Hawaii.
In 1898, the United States annexed Hawaii, granting it “territory” status in 1900. Since 1908, the port of Pearl Harbor has been the base of the US Navy. On December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japanese aircraft; after the raid, the United States announced its entry into World War II. In 1959, Hawaii became the 50th (last) US state. Among the attractions: Hawaiian Volcanic National Park, Waikiki Beach (on the island of Oahu), Kapiolani and Moana parks, the palace of the Hawaiian kings Iolani with a statue of Kamehameha, the founder of the royal dynasty, the Lyman Museum (in Hilo, an exposition of Hawaiian art), the military memorial museum (Pearl -Harbor).
Waikiki Beach
Waikiki beach is a beautiful Pacific beach that borders the Hawaiian capital Honolulu, or rather its suburb bearing the same name Waikiki. Located on the south coast of the island of Oahu, it is almost constantly besieged by tourists. Although there are much nicer and unspoiled beaches in the Hawaiian Islands, Waikiki beach has become known all over the world.
Waikiki Beach, which is about 3 kilometers long, is about half reserved for surfers. In some places, it is quite shallow and scattered with relatively sharp volcanic rocks. It is made up of beautiful white sand that contrasts wonderfully with the azure water of the Pacific Ocean. However, the sand is not original, it is imported here in large quantities at a relatively high cost from quite distant places, for example from California. It is washed away by the constant cycle of tides and sea waves. Recently, however, the Honolulu administration is beginning to stop importing sand and is trying to supply the beach with sand from local sources.
The word “Waikiki” means “bursting salt water” in the native Hawaiian language. In ancient times, there was probably a geyser or spring here. The city itself was then built in an area where vast wetlands once spread. These were drained by a series of canals, the most famous of which is the Ala Wai Canal. In the 1880s, the first hotels began to be built along Waikiki beach, of which there are already more than enough today. In fact, you won’t find any buildings near the beach other than multi-storey accommodation facilities and various recreational facilities, everything is adapted to tourists and their comfort. The beach is separated from the development of hotel complexes by a pleasant park full of palm trees. Waikiki thus became the main center of stay tourism not only on the island of Oahu, but on the entire Hawaiian Islands.