Exotic Hawaii: 43 Contradictory Facts
The beautiful Hawaiian Islands, or simply Hawaii, are for many people the epitome of "paradise on Earth." Indeed, they are the very same paradise islands depicted in captivating brochures of travel agencies. However, even in paradise, not everything is smooth sailing—there is social tension, the risk of natural disasters like volcanic eruptions and typhoon attacks, and much more. However, for tourists who visit Hawaii only briefly, all of this is usually overlooked.
Interesting Facts about Hawaii:
- The capital of the state of Hawaii is Honolulu.
- The population of Hawaii is 1.4 million people, the majority of whom are Asians—ethnic Filipinos, Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans. Native Hawaiians make up slightly over 5% of the population, with another approximately 20% having mixed Hawaiian ancestry.
- In addition to English, native Hawaiians also speak their own language — Hawaiian.
- The official nickname of the state of Hawaii is the "Aloha State," meaning "the hospitable state" or "the state of hospitality."
- Hawaii is the youngest of the American states. The Hawaiian Islands became part of the United States in 1959.
- Hawaii is the most remote and densely populated place on Earth, with a distance of 3700 km from Hawaii to the US mainland.
- The Hawaiian volcano Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain on the planet if measured from its base rather than from sea level. Much of Mauna Kea is submerged under water. The total height of the volcano is 10,203 meters, with a height above sea level of 4205 meters. It is the highest point of the Hawaiian Islands.
- There are a total of 3 active volcanoes on the Hawaiian Islands, considered some of the most active on the planet.
- There is snow on the mountain peaks in Hawaii.
- Hawaii is both the name of the state and the island. To avoid confusion, the largest of the islands is simply called the "Big Island."
- In 1935, Amelia Earhart made the first solo flight from the Hawaiian Islands to California, which lasted 18 hours. Due to the number of pilots who perished attempting such a long solo flight, all attempts were eventually banned by a special decision of the US government, but Earhart obtained special permission for herself.
- The 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, was born and raised on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, and he considers himself a Hawaiian.
- Hawaii is home to the wettest place on Earth, where nearly 17,000 mm of rainfall occurs annually. This area is near the volcano Waialeale.
- Iolani Palace, the former residence of Hawaiian monarchs in downtown Honolulu, is the only royal palace in the United States.
- The Hawaiian archipelago stretches for 2,451 km, making Hawaii the longest chain of islands on Earth.
- Hawaii receives over 6 million tourists annually.
- The world-famous Hawaiian beach Waikiki was artificially created, with its sand imported from California.
- Hawaii is the only American state where coffee is grown.
- Over 320,000 tons of pineapples are grown annually in Hawaii.
- All the Hawaiian Islands are located in a zone of volcanic activity. Earthquakes are quite common here.
- The highest sea cliffs in the world frame the edge of the Hawaiian island of Molokai.
- The Hawaiian alphabet consists of only 12 letters, 5 vowels, and 7 consonants.
- The average life expectancy in Hawaii is higher than in any other American state.
- One-third of the total number of endangered animal species in the United States reside in the Hawaiian Islands.
- The summit of the Hawaiian volcano Mauna Kea is ideal for astronomical observations. NASA telescopes and observatories from various countries are located here.
- The land area of Hawaii is slowly but steadily increasing due to continuous volcanic eruptions.
- On average, tourists spend around $11 billion annually in Hawaii.
- Hawaii is the only American state not geographically located in North America.
- Hawaii is the only state in the United States without any straight borders.
- Ancient Hawaiians considered obesity attractive.
- There are no snakes in Hawaii, and the state takes measures to prevent their introduction to the islands.
- The first name for the Hawaiian Islands was the Sandwich Islands.
- The climate in Hawaii is very mild, with an average temperature fluctuating around 25 degrees Celsius.
- The oldest island in the Hawaiian archipelago is Kauai, which is over 6 million years old.
- On June 11th each year, Hawaii celebrates its main holiday—the day of King Kamehameha. In the early twentieth century, Hawaiian King Kamehameha I managed to peacefully unite the disparate islands into a single Hawaiian state.
- Hawaii has its own time zone.
- Astronauts preparing for missions to the Moon and Mars train by walking on the Hawaiian lava fields of Mauna Loa.
- Nearly 75% of Hawaiians consider English their native language.
- Advertising billboards are completely banned in Hawaii.
- A new island will eventually emerge in the Hawaiian archipelago. According to scientists' estimates, the submarine volcano Loihi will reach the surface in approximately 250,000 years. Its summit is already less than a thousand meters below the ocean surface.
- Lake Waiau, located at an elevation of nearly four kilometers above sea level, is the third largest lake in the United States.
- Hawaii has the highest percentage of working women among all states in the USA.
- One of the notable landmarks of the Hawaiian island of Oahu is the world's largest wind turbine, with its blades measuring 122 meters in length.
