Admitted to Union: August 21, 1959
Capital: Honolulu
Nickname: Aloha State
Motto: Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka Aina I Ka Pono, translated: "The Life of the Land is Perpetuated in Righteousness"
Total Area: 10,932 square miles
Total Land Area: 6,423 square miles
Total Water Area: 4,508 square miles
Length: 1600 miles
Highest Point: 13,796 feet (Mauna Kea)
Lowest Point: Sea level (Pacific Ocean)
Mean Elevation: 3,030 feet
Highest Temp: 100 degrees on April 27, 1931 at Pahala
Lowest Temp: 12 degrees on May 17, 1979 at Mauna Kea
Highest Monthly Avg Temp: 87.1 degrees
Lowest Monthly Avg Temp: 65.3 degrees
Population: (U.S. Census, April, 2000) 1,211,537

Discovered by Polynesian settlers between the 3rd and 7th centuries A.D. and later by British Captain James Cook in 1778.

Hawaii is the only state that is not part of the North American continent. It is also the southernmost of the states, lying about as far south as central Mexico. A chain of 132 islands make up the state we call Hawaii, though we generally only think of the eight main islands, each of which is the top of a submerged volcanic mountain. The remaining 124 islands together only comprise about three square miles and are not fit for human habitation. All of the main islands, with the exception of Kahoolawe, are inhabited.

Some of the coastline is comprised of tall cliffs rising straight up from the waters edge. In some places, large rocks of lava protrude from the water along the shore. Most of the beaches on the islands serve up beautiful white sand. Some beaches are covered with black sand, formed when molten lava met the ocean.

Hawaii Travel