A string of islands collectively known as Hawaii make up the 50th state in the United States, but it often causes some confusion because the largest of the islands in the string is also known as Hawaii. To make it clear which island is being referred to, a lot of people simply name Hawaii island the big island. The Hawaii islands are in reality the effect of underground lava formation beginning in the base of the ocean and building upwards until the magma extended above the depths of the Pacific Ocean.
There are eight islands inhabited in the string of the Hawaii islands with many others tipping their faces out of the water, but due to resources and size are not inhabited. Nihau, the north west-most island of the string is the smallest of the settled island and the big island is situated to the further southeast link in the string of the islands of Hawaii. Oahu is home to the state capital Honolulu as well as there are many things to do in Hawaii for vacationers, taken by former ruler King Kamehamea due to the closeness of the natural harbor, today known as Honolulu Harbor.
Other lands in the Hawaii islands include Kauai, Molokai, Lanai and Kahoulawe and last not least travelling to Maui. Between these islands transportation is possible by boat or air with the bigger islands having airports capable of accepting large commercial aircraft and others smaller, commuter aircraft.
With the Hawaii islands beginnings followed back to barren lava growing, it is theorized that plants and animals were brought to the islands by wind currents, by flying birds and in the water. When the first human inhabitants came for Polynesia in about 500 A.D., animals and plants had already claimed the island and recent conservation methods have insured the continued growth and good habitat for the native species.
The islands of Hawaii got an important strategy for the Air Force and U.S. Navy, still before the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. It’s still home to U.S. military bases, that provide a large population with civilian job opportunities, it is also home to the monuments for the soldiers who died in the attack.
Hawaii islands population has grown tremendously, especially since getting a state in 1959, as the nose count in 1910 registered a human population of about 154,000. Inhabitants have increased to over 1.2 million in 2000. Hawaii vacation tours are a getaway to the only U.S. state entirely surrounded by the ocean and is located about 1,500 miles away from the west coast of California.