Hawaii

Hawaii, fiftieth state of the United States, a chain of 8 major and more than 100 minor islands in the central Pacific Ocean, about 2,100 mi (3,380 km) from the U.S. mainland.

Land and climate

Hawaii's islands are of volcanic origin, although all but the 8 major islands at the southeastern end of the chain have been reduced to coral atolls and small rock outcroppings. The largest island, Hawaii, which has given its name to the entire chain, has 5 volcanoes, including the extinct Mauna Kea (13,796 ft/4,025 m) and the active Mauna Loa (13,677 ft/4,169 m). Haleakala (10,023 ft/3,055 m), one of the world's largest extinct volcanic craters, is located on Maui. Oahu is home to 80% of the state's population and is the site of Honolulu. One of the largest natural harbors in the world, Pearl Harbor, is located on the south coast of Oahu. Located on Kauai, the garden island, is Mt. Waialeale (5,080 ft/1,548 m), one of the rainiest spots on earth, with an average yearly rainfall of 460 in (1,170 cm).

Kahoolawe, Molokai, Lanai, and Ni-hau are the other principal islands. The Hawaiian islands are in the path of cooling trade winds that give the subtropical state a mild climate throughout the year.

Economy

Tourism and military spending are the mainstays of the economy. Industry is largely devoted to food processing, the most important products being refined sugar and canned pineapple. Sugar cane is Hawaii's most important crop, and the state is one of the world's leading producers of pineapples.

Government

Hawaii's constitution, adopted in 1950, calls for a governor serving a 4-year term. The state legislature comprises 25 senators serving 4-year terms and 51 representatives serving 2-year terms. Hawaii sends 2 representatives and 2 senators to the U.S. Congress.

History

Polynesians settled the islands over 2,000 years ago. An Englishman, Capt. James Cook, was the first European to discover the islands, in 1778. In 1795, King Kamchamcha I united the islands under his rule. The arrival of U.S. missionaries in 1820 began the process of westernization, and the first permanent sugar plantation in Hawaii was started by a U.S. company in 1835. As many as 300,000 native Hawaiians were living on the islands when the Europeans first arrived, but by 1853 the population was reduced to less than 75,000, due mainly to diseases brought by traders throughout the 1800s. Hawaii's monarchy fell in 1893, and the islands became a U.S. territory in 1900. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, a U.S. naval base, on Dec. 7, 1941, brought the country into World War II (1939–45). Since the end of the war and statehood, Hawaii has continued to grow.