Did
you know ...
1. The state of Hawaii consists
of eight main islands: Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe
and the Big Island of Hawaii.
2.
Hawaii is the most isolated population center on the face of the earth.
Hawaii is 2,390 miles from California; 3,850 miles from Japan; 4,900
miles from China; and 5,280 miles from the Philippines.
3.
Hawaii is the only state that grows coffee.
4.
More than one-third of the world's commercial supply of pineapples comes
from Hawaii.
5.
There are only 12 letters in the Hawaiian alphabet.
Vowels: A, E, I, O, U
Consonants: H, K, L, M, N, P, W
6.
From east to west Hawaii is the widest state in the United States.
7.
The Hawaiian Islands are the projecting tops of the biggest mountain
range in the world.
8.
Honolulu's zenith star, (the star that rises directly above it) is Arcturus.
The Hawaiians called it Hokule'a. (Hoe koo lay uh.)
9.
Under-sea volcanoes that erupted thousands of years ago formed the islands
of Hawaii.
10.
The Hawaiian Archipelago consists of over 130 scattered points of land
stretching some 1,600 miles in length from the Kure Atoll in the north
to the Island of Hawaii in the south.
11.
The first Asian American in the United States Senate was Hawaii's Hiram
Fong. Descended from Chinese immigrants, Fong was elected to the Senate
in 1959.
12.
Hawaii was the 50th state admitted to the union on August 20th, 1959.
13.
Island flowers and colors used to represent each island.
Niihau - Pupu Shell - White
Kauai - Mokihana (Green Berry) - Purple
Oahu - Ilima -Yellow
Maui - Lokelani (Pink Cottage Rose) - Pink
Molokai - White Kukui Blossom - Green
Lanai - Kaunaoa (Yellow and Orange Air Plant) - Orange
Kahoolawe - Hinahina (Beach Heliotrope) - Grey
Big Island of Hawaii - Lehua Ohia - Red
14.
Hawaii has its own time zone (Hawaiian Standard Time.) There is no daylight
savings time.) The time runs two hours behind Pacific Standard Time
and five hours behind Eastern Standard Time.
15.
There are four counties in Hawaii (Kauai; city and county of Honolulu;
Maui; and Hawaii). Each city has a mayor and council in charge.
16.
All subterranean minerals belong to the state. Except for state owned
water, some lava stone, and minor granites and semi-precious minerals,
there are few underground minerals.
17. The wind blows east to west in Hawaii. The highest recorded temperature
is 96' F (Honolulu Airport), but temperatures over 92' F generally occur
only once or twice a year. The lowest temperature (under 3000 feet altitude)
is 56' F. Temperatures under 60' F may occur but rarely more than once
a year. Average daytime temp. (July) is 82' F. Average daytime temperature
in January is 72' F.
18.
There are no racial or ethnic majorities in Hawaii. Everyone is a minority.
Caucasians (Haoles) constitute about 34%; Japanese-American about 32%;
Filipino-American about 16% and Chinese-American about 5%. It is very
difficult to determine racial identification as most of the population
has some mixture of ethnicities.
ISLAND OF NIIHAU
19. A privately owned island, with
livestock raising as its principal industry. There is highly limited
access by general public through helicopter landings at uninhabited
sites. Legend says Niihau was the original home of the goddess Pele.
The island has a population of 230, and is 69 square miles.
ISLAND OF KAUAI
20. The fourth largest of the Hawaiian
Islands.
21.
The Waialua River is one of five navigable river in Hawaii. It drains
off Waialeale Mountain, which averages 488 inches of rain per year and
is considered the wettest spot on earth.
22.
The Waimea, the Hanape'pe, the Lumahai and the Hanalei River are almost
as big and quite navigable. The Hanalei River was dedicated a "national
treasure" recently and is under government protection from use
as a "place of business".
ISLAND OF OAHU
23. Honolulu is the largest city
in the world -- at least it has the longest borders. According to the
state constitution any island (or islet) not named as belonging to a
county belongs to Honolulu. This makes all islands within the Hawaiian
Archipelago, that stretch to Midway Island (1,500 miles northwest of
Hawaii) part of Honolulu. Honolulu is about 1,500 miles long or more
distance than halfway across the 48 contiguous states.
24. Ala
Wai Golf Course is Hawaii's first municipal course.
25.
Honolulu is the nation's 11th largest metropolitan area.
26.
More than 100 world-renowned beaches ring Honolulu.
27.
Iolani Palace is the only royal palace in the United States.
28.
The world's largest wind generator is on the island of Oahu. The windmill
has two blades 400 feet long on the top of a tower twenty stories high.
29.
The island of Oahu draws more visitors than any other to Hawaii. One-third
of the state's best surfing beaches are on Oahu.
ISLAND OF MAUI
30. The island is home to many
famous attractions including Haleakala Crater, the old whaling town
of Lahaina, the road to Hana, and Kaanapali Beach.
31.
Haleakala Crater (Ha-lay-ah-ja-lah), is the world's largest dormant
volcano.
ISLAND OF MOLOKAI
32. Molokai is known as the most
Hawaiian Isle.
33.
Molokai's east end is a tropical rain forest and part of the island
receives 240 inches of rainfall a year.
34.
Molokai Ranch Wildlife Park is home to rare African and Indian animals.
35.
Kalaaupapa was once a leper colony administered by Father Damien.
36.
The island contains the world's highest sea cliffs, Hawaii's longest
waterfall, and the largest white sand beach in the state.
ISLAND OF LANAI
37. The island of Lanai is considered
Hawaii's most secluded.
38.
The island was once the home of the world's largest pineapple plantations.
39.
Hulope Bay is a marine preserve and considered one of the best diving
spots in the world.
ISLAND OF KAHOOLAWE
40. Once used as a target by the
U.S. Navy and Air Force the services are cleaning up unexploded shells.
No one is allowed to go ashore without permission. The island consists
of an uninhabited area of 45 square miles.
THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII
41. The Big Island is Hawaii's
largest at 4,038 square miles. It is twice the size of all other Hawaiian
Islands combined.
42.
The largest contiguous ranch, in the United States, is in Hawaii. The
Parker Ranch near Kamuela has about 480,000 acres of land.
43.
At 800,000 years the Big Island is the youngest of the island chain.
However, it was the first island discovered by voyaging Polynesians.
44.
Kilauea volcano is the world's most active.
45.
Ka Lae is the southernmost point in the United States. It is located
at 18:54:49 N 155:41:00 W. There is a constant 27 knots per hour wind
blowing east to west, 24 hours per day and 365 days per year.
46.
Two of the tallest mountains in the Pacific - Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa
- dominate the center of the island. Most of the world's macadamia nuts
are grown on the island.
47.
Kilauea Iki is the world's most active and largest volcano.
48.
Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain in the world (measured from its base
at the ocean floor).
49.
The island houses the world's biggest telescope and more scientific
observatories in one place than anywhere else in the world.
50. The island is the worldwide leader in harvesting macadamia nuts and
orchids.
Stay tuned for more
Fun Facts coming soon!
Mahalo to Bob
Carter - Facts & Trivia Editor at www.50states.com
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