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Hawaiian Islands

January 20, 2023

"Sandwich Islands" redirects here. For other uses, see Sandwich Islands (disambiguation). For the list of individual islands belonging to the state of Hawaii, see List of islands of Hawaii.

The Hawaiian Islands (Hawaiian: Nā Mokupuni o Hawai‘i) are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) from the island of Hawaiʻi in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll. Formerly the group was known to Europeans and Americans as the Sandwich Islands, a name that James Cook chose in honor of the 4th Earl of Sandwich, the then First Lord of the Admiralty. Cook came across the islands by chance when crossing the Pacific Ocean on his Third Voyage in 1778, on board HMS Resolution; he was later killed on the islands on a return visit. The contemporary name of the islands, dating from the 1840s, is derived from the name of the largest island, Hawaiʻi Island.

Hawaiian Islands
Native name:
Mokupuni o Hawai‘i
The Windward Islands of Hawaii
Geography
LocationNorth Pacific Ocean
Coordinates20°54′00″N 156°36′00″W / 20.90000°N 156.60000°W / 20.90000; -156.60000Coordinates: 20°54′00″N 156°36′00″W / 20.90000°N 156.60000°W / 20.90000; -156.60000
Total islands137
Highest point
Administration
United States
StateHawaii
Unincorporated territoryMidway Atoll
Largest settlementHonolulu

Hawaii sits on the Pacific Plate and is the only U.S. state that is not geographically connected to North America. It is part of the Polynesia subregion of Oceania. The state of Hawaii occupies the archipelago almost in its entirety (including the mostly uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands), with the sole exception of Midway Island, which also belongs to the United States, as one of its unincorporated territories within the United States Minor Outlying Islands.

The Hawaiian Islands are the exposed peaks of a great undersea mountain range known as the Hawaiian–Emperor seamount chain, formed by volcanic activity over a hotspot in the Earth's mantle. The islands are about 1,860 miles (3,000 km) from the nearest continent.

Islands and reefs

Main article: History of Hawaii

The date of the first settlements of the Hawaiian Islands is a topic of continuing debate.[1] Archaeological evidence seems to indicate a settlement as early as 124 AD.[2]

Captain James Cook, RN, visited the islands on January 18, 1778,[3] and named them the "Sandwich Islands" in honor of The 4th Earl of Sandwich, who as the First Lord of the Admiralty was one of his sponsors.[4] This name was in use until the 1840s, when the local name "Hawaii" gradually began to take precedence.[5]

The Hawaiian Islands have a total land area of 6,423.4 square miles (16,636.5 km2). Except for Midway, which is an unincorporated territory of the United States, these islands and islets are administered as Hawaii—the 50th state of the United States.[6]

Major islands

Island Nickname Area Population
(as of 2020) 		Density Highest point Elevation Age (Ma)[7] Location
Hawaiʻi[8] The Big Island 1 4,028.0 sq mi (10,432.5 km2) 200,629 4 45.948/sq mi (17.7407/km2) Mauna Kea 1 13,796 ft (4,205 m) 0.4 19°34′N 155°30′W / 19.567°N 155.500°W / 19.567; -155.500 (Hawaii)
Maui[9] The Valley Isle 2 727.2 sq mi (1,883.4 km2) 164,221 2 198.630/sq mi (76.692/km2) Haleakalā 2 10,023 ft (3,055 m) 1.3–0.8 20°48′N 156°20′W / 20.800°N 156.333°W / 20.800; -156.333 (Maui)
Oʻahu[10] The Gathering Place 3 596.7 sq mi (1,545.4 km2) 1,016,508 1 1,597.46/sq mi (616.78/km2) Mount Kaʻala 5 4,003 ft (1,220 m) 3.7–2.6 21°28′N 157°59′W / 21.467°N 157.983°W / 21.467; -157.983 (Oahu)
Kauaʻi[11] The Garden Isle 4 552.3 sq mi (1,430.5 km2) 73,298 3 121.168/sq mi (46.783/km2) Kawaikini 3 5,243 ft (1,598 m) 5.1 22°05′N 159°30′W / 22.083°N 159.500°W / 22.083; -159.500 (Kauai)
Molokaʻi[12] The Friendly Isle 5 260.0 sq mi (673.4 km2) 7,345 5 28.250/sq mi (10.9074/km2) Kamakou 4 4,961 ft (1,512 m) 1.9–1.8 21°08′N 157°02′W / 21.133°N 157.033°W / 21.133; -157.033 (Molokai)
Lānaʻi[13] The Pineapple Isle 6 140.5 sq mi (363.9 km2) 3,367 6 22.313/sq mi (8.615/km2) Lānaʻihale 6 3,366 ft (1,026 m) 1.3 20°50′N 156°56′W / 20.833°N 156.933°W / 20.833; -156.933 (Lanai)
Niʻihau[14] The Forbidden Isle 7 69.5 sq mi (180.0 km2) 84 7 2.45/sq mi (0.944/km2) Mount Pānīʻau 8 1,250 ft (381 m) 4.9 21°54′N 160°10′W / 21.900°N 160.167°W / 21.900; -160.167 (Niihau)
Kahoʻolawe[15] The Target Isle 8 44.6 sq mi (115.5 km2) 0 8 0/sq mi (0/km2) Puʻu Moaulanui 7 1,483 ft (452 m) 1.0 20°33′N 156°36′W / 20.550°N 156.600°W / 20.550; -156.600 (Kahoolawe)

The eight major islands of Hawaii (Windward Islands) are listed above. All except Kaho'olawe are inhabited.[16]

Minor islands, islets

 
Hawaiian Islands from space.[17]
 
3-D perspective view of the southeastern Hawaiian Islands, with the white summits of Mauna Loa (4,170 m or 13,680 ft high) and Mauna Kea (4,207.3 m or 13,803 ft high). The islands are the tops of massive volcanoes, the bulk of which lie below the sea surface. Ocean depths are colored from violet (5,750 m or 18,860 ft deep northeast of Maui) and indigo to light gray (shallowest). Historical lava flows are shown in red, erupting from the summits and rift zones of Mauna Loa, Kilauea, and Hualalai volcanoes on Hawaiʻi.

The state of Hawaii counts 137 "islands" in the Hawaiian chain.[18] This number includes all minor islands (small islands), islets (even smaller islands) offshore of the major islands (listed above) and individual islets in each atoll. These are just a few:

Partial islands, atolls, reefs

 
A composite satellite image from NASA of the Hawaiian Islands taken from outer space. Click on the image for a larger view that shows the main islands and the extended archipelago.

Partial islands, atolls, reefs (west of Niʻihau are uninhabited except Midway Atoll) form the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (Leeward Islands):

Geology

Main article: Hawaii hotspot
See also: List of Hawaii rivers
 
Eruptions from the Hawaii hotspot left a trail of underwater mountains across the Pacific over millions of years, called the Emperor Seamounts.

This chain of islands, or archipelago, developed as the Pacific Plate slowly moved northwestward over a hotspot in the Earth's mantle at a rate of approximately 32 miles (51 km) per million years. Thus, the southeast island is volcanically active, whereas the islands on the northwest end of the archipelago are older and typically smaller, due to longer exposure to erosion. The age of the archipelago has been estimated using potassium-argon dating methods.[19] From this study and others,[20][21] it is estimated that the northwesternmost island, Kure Atoll, is the oldest at approximately 28 million years (Ma); while the southeasternmost island, Hawaiʻi, is approximately 0.4 Ma (400,000 years). The only active volcanism in the last 200 years has been on the southeastern island, Hawaiʻi, and on the submerged but growing volcano to the extreme southeast, Kamaʻehuakanaloa (formerly Loʻihi). The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory of the USGS documents recent volcanic activity and provides images and interpretations of the volcanism. Kīlauea had been erupting nearly continuously since 1983 when it stopped August 2018.

Almost all of the magma of the hotspot has the composition of basalt, and so the Hawaiian volcanoes are composed almost entirely of this igneous rock. There is very little coarser-grained gabbro and diabase. Nephelinite is exposed on the islands but is extremely rare. The majority of eruptions in Hawaiʻi are Hawaiian-type eruptions because basaltic magma is relatively fluid compared with magmas typically involved in more explosive eruptions, such as the andesitic magmas that produce some of the spectacular and dangerous eruptions around the margins of the Pacific basin.

Hawaiʻi island (the Big Island) is the biggest and youngest island in the chain, built from five volcanoes. Mauna Loa, taking up over half of the Big Island, is the largest shield volcano on the Earth. The measurement from sea level to summit is more than 2.5 miles (4 km), from sea level to sea floor about 3.1 miles (5 km).[22]

Earthquakes

Main article: List of earthquakes in Hawaii

The Hawaiian Islands have many earthquakes, generally caused by volcanic activity. Most of the early earthquake monitoring took place in Hilo, by missionaries Titus Coan, Sarah J. Lyman and her family. Between 1833 and 1896, approximately 4 or 5 earthquakes were reported per year.[23]

Hawaii accounted for 7.3% of the United States' reported earthquakes with a magnitude 3.5 or greater from 1974 to 2003, with a total 1533 earthquakes. Hawaii ranked as the state with the third most earthquakes over this time period, after Alaska and California.[24]

On October 15, 2006, there was an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7 off the northwest coast of the island of Hawaii, near the Kona area of the big island. The initial earthquake was followed approximately five minutes later by a magnitude 5.7 aftershock. Minor-to-moderate damage was reported on most of the Big Island. Several major roadways became impassable from rock slides, and effects were felt as far away as Honolulu, Oahu, nearly 150 miles (240 km) from the epicenter. Power outages lasted for several hours to days. Several water mains ruptured. No deaths or life-threatening injuries were reported.

On May 4, 2018, there was a 6.9 earthquake in the zone of volcanic activity from Kīlauea.

Earthquakes are monitored by the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory run by the USGS.

Tsunamis

 
Aftermath of the 1960 Chilean tsunami in Hilo, Hawaiʻi, where the tsunami left 61 people dead and 282 seriously injured. The waves reached 35 feet (11 m) high.

The Hawaiian Islands are subject to tsunamis, great waves that strike the shore. Tsunamis are most often caused by earthquakes somewhere in the Pacific. The waves produced by the earthquakes travel at speeds of 400–500 miles per hour (600–800 km/h) and can affect coastal regions thousands of miles (kilometers) away.

Tsunamis may also originate from the Hawaiian Islands. Explosive volcanic activity can cause tsunamis. The island of Molokaʻi had a catastrophic collapse or debris avalanche over a million years ago; this underwater landslide likely caused tsunamis. The Hilina Slump on the island of Hawaiʻi is another potential place for a large landslide and resulting tsunami.

The city of Hilo on the Big Island has been most affected by tsunamis, where the in-rushing water is accentuated by the shape of Hilo Bay. Coastal cities have tsunami warning sirens.

A tsunami resulting from an earthquake in Chile hit the islands on February 27, 2010. It was relatively minor, but local emergency management officials utilized the latest technology and ordered evacuations in preparation for a possible major event. The Governor declared it a "good drill" for the next major event.

A tsunami resulting from an earthquake in Japan hit the islands on March 11, 2011. It was relatively minor, but local officials ordered evacuations in preparation for a possible major event. The tsunami caused about $30.1 million in damages.[25]

History

Main article: History of Hawaii

There is no definitive date for the Polynesian discovery of Hawaii. However, high-precision radiocarbon dating in Hawaii using chronometric hygiene analysis, and taxonomic identification selection of samples, puts the initial such settlement of the Hawaiian Islands sometime between 1219 and 1266 A.D., originating from earlier settlements first established in the Society Islands around 1025 to 1120 A.D., and in the Marquesas Islands sometime between 1100 and 1200 A.D.

An expedition led by British explorer James Cook is usually considered to be the first group of Europeans to arrive in the Hawaiian Islands, which they did in 1778. However, Spanish historians and some other researchers state that the Spanish captain Ruy López de Villalobos was the first European to see the islands in 1542. The Spanish named these islands "Isla de Mesa, de los Monjes y Desgraciada" (1542), being on the route linking the Philippines with Mexico across the Pacific Ocean, between the ports of Acapulco and Manila, which were both part of New Spain. Within five years after Cook's arrival, European military technology helped Kamehameha I, ruler of the island of Hawaii, conquer and unify the islands for the first time, establishing the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1795. The kingdom was prosperous and important for its agriculture and strategic location in the Pacific.

American immigration, led by Protestant missionaries, and Native Hawaiian outmigration, mostly on whaling ships, began almost immediately after Cook's arrival. Americans set up plantations to grow sugar. Their methods of plantation farming required substantial labor. Waves of permanent immigrants came from Japan, China, and the Philippines to work in the fields. The government of Japan organized and gave special protection to its people, who comprised about 25 percent of the Hawaiian population by 1896. The Hawaiian monarchy encouraged this multi-ethnic society, initially establishing a constitutional monarchy in 1840 that promised equal voting rights regardless of race, gender, or wealth.

The population of Native Hawaiians in Hawaii declined from an unknown number prior to 1778 (commonly estimated to be around 300,000), to around 142,000 in the 1820s based on the first census conducted by American missionaries, 82,203 in the 1850 Hawaiian Kingdom census, 40,622 in the last Hawaiian Kingdom census of 1890, 39,504 in the only census by the Republic of Hawaii in 1896, and 37,656 in the first census conducted by the United States in 1900 after the annexation of Hawaii to the United States in 1898. Since Hawaii has joined the United States the Native Hawaiian population in Hawaii has increased with every census to 289,970 in 2010.

Americans within the kingdom government rewrote the constitution, severely curtailing the power of King "David" Kalākaua, and disenfranchising the rights of most Native Hawaiians and Asian citizens to vote, through excessively high property and income requirements. This gave a sizeable advantage to plantation owners. Queen Liliʻuokalani attempted to restore royal powers in 1893 but was placed under house arrest by businessmen with help from the United States military. Against the Queen's wishes, the Republic of Hawaii was formed for a short time. This government agreed on behalf of Hawaii to join the United States in 1898 as the Territory of Hawaii. In 1959, the islands became the state of Hawaii.

Ecology

See also: Endemism in the Hawaiian Islands, List of animal species introduced to the Hawaiian Islands, and List of invasive plant species in Hawaii

The islands are home to a multitude of endemic species. Since human settlement, first by Polynesians, non native trees, plants, and animals were introduced. These included species such as rats and pigs, that have preyed on native birds and invertebrates that initially evolved in the absence of such predators. The growing population of humans has also led to deforestation, forest degradation, treeless grasslands, and environmental degradation. As a result, many species which depended on forest habitats and food became extinct—with many current species facing extinction. As humans cleared land for farming, monocultural crop production replaced multi-species systems.[citation needed]

The arrival of the Europeans had a more significant impact, with the promotion of large-scale single-species export agriculture and livestock grazing. This led to increased clearing of forests, and the development of towns, adding many more species to the list of extinct animals of the Hawaiian Islands. As of 2009, many of the remaining endemic species are considered endangered.[26]

National Monument

On June 15, 2006, President George W. Bush issued a public proclamation creating Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument under the Antiquities Act of 1906. The Monument encompasses the northwestern Hawaiian Islands and surrounding waters, forming the largest[27] marine wildlife reserve in the world. In August 2010, UNESCO's World Heritage Committee added Papahānaumokuākea to its list of World Heritage Sites.[28][29][30] On August 26, 2016, President Barack Obama greatly expanded Papahānaumokuākea, quadrupling it from its original size.[31][32][33]

Climate

Main article: Climate of Hawaii

The Hawaiian Islands are tropical but experience many different climates, depending on altitude and surroundings.[34] The islands receive most rainfall from the trade winds on their north and east flanks (the windward side) as a result of orographic precipitation.[34] Coastal areas in general and especially the south and west flanks, or leeward sides, tend to be drier.[34]

In general, the lowlands of Hawaiian Islands receive most of their precipitation during the winter months (October to April).[34] Drier conditions generally prevail from May to September.[34] The tropical storms, and occasional hurricanes, tend to occur from July through November.[34]

During the summer months the average temperature is about 84 °F (29 °C), in the winter months it is approximately 78,8 °F (26 °C). As the temperature is relatively constant over the year the probability of dangerous thunderstorms is approximately low.[35]

See also

References

  1. ^ Pearce, Charles E.M.; Pearce, F. M. (2010). Oceanic Migration: Paths, Sequence, Timing and Range of Prehistoric Migration in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 167. ISBN 978-90-481-3826-5.
  2. ^ Whittaker, Elvi W. (1986). The Mainland Haole: The White Experience in Hawaii. Columbia University Press. p. 3. ISBN 978-0-231-05316-7.
  3. ^ Rayson, Ann; Bauer, Helen (1997). Hawaii: The Pacific State. Bess Press. p. 26. ISBN 1573060968.
  4. ^ James Cook and James King (1784). A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean: Undertaken, by the Command of His Majesty, for Making Discoveries in the Northern Hemisphere, to Determine the Position and Extent of the West Side of North America, Its Distance from Asia, and the Practicability of a Northern Passage to Europe: Performed Under the Direction of Captains Cook, Clerke, and Gore, in His Majesty's Ships the Resolution and Discovery, in the Years 1776, 1777, 1778, 1779, and 1780. Vol. 2. Nicol and Cadell, London. p. 222.
  5. ^ Clement, Russell. "From Cook to the 1840 Constitution: The Name Change from Sandwich to Hawaiian Islands" (PDF). University of Hawai'i at Manoa Hamilton Library. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
  6. ^ "Guide to State and Local Census Geography – Hawaii" (PDF). Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau. September 9, 2013. pp. 1–2. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  7. ^ Blay, Chuck, and Siemers, Robert. Kauai‘’s Geologic History: A Simplified Guide. Kaua‘i: TEOK Investigations, 2004. ISBN 9780974472300. (Cited in "Hawaiian Encyclopedia : The Islands". Retrieved June 20, 2012.)
  8. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Island of Hawaiʻi
  9. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Maui Island
  10. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Oʻahu Island
  11. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Kauaʻi Island
  12. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Molokaʻi Island
  13. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Lānaʻi Island
  14. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Niʻihau Island
  15. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Kahoʻolawe Island
  16. ^ "Hawaii Population 2016 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs)". worldpopulationreview.com. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  17. ^ "Hawaii : Image of the Day". nasa.gov. January 29, 2014. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  18. ^ (PDF). state web site. State of Hawaii Dept. of Business, Economic Development & Tourism. December 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 22, 2008. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
  19. ^ (PDF). The Geology of North America, Volume N: The Eastern Pacific Ocean and Hawaii. The Geology Society of America. 1989. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 11, 2011. Retrieved January 17, 2011.
  20. ^ McDougall, IAN; Swanson, D. A. (1972). "Potassium-Argon Ages of Lavas from the Hawi and Pololu Volcanic Series, Kohala Volcano, Hawaii". Geological Society of America Bulletin. Geology Society of American Bulletin. 83 (12): 3731–3738. Bibcode:1972GSAB...83.3731M. doi:10.1130/0016-7606(1972)83[3731:PAOLFT]2.0.CO;2. Retrieved January 17, 2011.
  21. ^ Clague, David A.; Dalrymple, G. Brent; Moberly, Ralph (1975). "Petrography and K-Ar Ages of Dredged Volcanic Rocks from the Western Hawaiian Ridge and the Southern Emperor Seamount Chain". Geological Society of America Bulletin. Geology Society of America Bulletin. 86 (7): 991–998. Bibcode:1975GSAB...86..991C. doi:10.1130/0016-7606(1975)86<991:PAKAOD>2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0016-7606. Retrieved January 17, 2011.
  22. ^ . Hawaiian Volcano Observatory web site. USGS. February 2006. Archived from the original on November 17, 2014. Retrieved December 9, 2009.
  23. ^ . Earthquake Hazards Program. United States Geological Survey. 1972. Archived from the original on April 19, 2009. Retrieved December 9, 2009.
  24. ^ . Earthquake Hazards Program. United States Geological Survey. 2003. Archived from the original on August 31, 2009. Retrieved December 9, 2009.
  25. ^ Trusdell, Frank A.; Chadderton, Amy; Hinchliffe, Graham; Hara, Andrew; Patenge, Brent; Weber, Tom (November 15, 2012). "Tohoku-Oki Earthquake Tsunami Runup and Inundation Data for Sites Around the Island of Hawai'i" (PDF). USGS. pp. 3–4. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
  26. ^ Craig R. Elevitch; Kim M. Wilkinson, eds. (2000). . Permanent Agriculture Resources. ISBN 0-9702544-0-7. Archived from the original on January 12, 2006. Retrieved September 26, 2005.
  27. ^ Barnett, Cynthia (August 26, 2016). "Hawaii Is Now Home to an Ocean Reserve Twice the Size of Texas". National Geographic. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
  28. ^ "21 sites added to Unesco World Heritage list – Wikinews, the free news source". Wikinews. August 5, 2010. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
  29. ^ Saltzstein, Dan (August 4, 2010). "Unesco Adds 21 Sites to World Heritage List". The New York Times. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
  30. ^ "World Heritage Committee inscribes a total of 21 new sites on UNESCO World Heritage List". whc.unesco.org. August 2, 2010. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
  31. ^ Cocke, Sophie (August 25, 2016). "Obama expands Papahanaumokuakea marine reserve; plans Oahu trip". Honolulu Star Advertiser. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
  32. ^ "Fact Sheet: President Obama to Create the World's Largest Marine Protected Area". whitehouse.gov. August 26, 2016. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
  33. ^ Barnett, Cynthia (August 26, 2016). "Hawaii Is Now Home to an Ocean Reserve Twice the Size of Texas". NationalGeographic.com. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
  34. ^ a b c d e f Lau, Leung-Ku Stephen; Mink, John Francis (October 1, 2006). Hydrology of the Hawaiian Islands. pp. 39, 43, 49, 53. ISBN 9780824829483.
  35. ^ "So ist das Wetter auf Hawaii". Hawaiiurlaub.de (in German). July 24, 2015. Retrieved June 24, 2020.

Further reading

  • Morgan, Joseph R. (1996). "Volcanic Landforms". Hawai'i: A Unique Geography. Honolulu, HI: Bess Press. ISBN 9781573060219. OCLC 693187693 – via Internet Archive.
  • An integrated information website focused on the Hawaiian Archipelago from the Pacific Region Integrated Data Enterprise (PRIDE).
  • Macdonald, Gordon A.; Abbott, Agatin (2021) [1970]. Volcanoes in the Sea: The Geology of Hawaii. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. doi:10.1515/9780824885786. ISBN 9780824885786. OCLC 1253313940.
    • 1970 edition: Volcanoes in the Sea: The Geology of Hawaii at the Internet Archive (registration required)
  • The Ocean Atlas of Hawai‘i April 7, 2022, at the Wayback Machine – SOEST at University of Hawaiʻi.
  • . Corvallis, OR, USA. Archived from the original on March 5, 2012. Retrieved May 12, 2012. Volcano World |; Your World is Erupting – Oregon State University College of Science

January 20, 2023
hawaiian, islands, sandwich, islands, redirects, here, other, uses, sandwich, islands, disambiguation, list, individual, islands, belonging, state, hawaii, list, islands, hawaii, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve,. Sandwich Islands redirects here For other uses see Sandwich Islands disambiguation For the list of individual islands belonging to the state of Hawaii see List of islands of Hawaii This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Hawaiian Islands news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Hawaiian Islands Hawaiian Na Mokupuni o Hawai i are an archipelago of eight major islands several atolls and numerous smaller islets in the North Pacific Ocean extending some 1 500 miles 2 400 kilometers from the island of Hawaiʻi in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll Formerly the group was known to Europeans and Americans as the Sandwich Islands a name that James Cook chose in honor of the 4th Earl of Sandwich the then First Lord of the Admiralty Cook came across the islands by chance when crossing the Pacific Ocean on his Third Voyage in 1778 on board HMS Resolution he was later killed on the islands on a return visit The contemporary name of the islands dating from the 1840s is derived from the name of the largest island Hawaiʻi Island Hawaiian IslandsNative name Mokupuni o Hawai iThe Windward Islands of HawaiiGeographyLocationNorth Pacific OceanCoordinates20 54 00 N 156 36 00 W 20 90000 N 156 60000 W 20 90000 156 60000 Coordinates 20 54 00 N 156 36 00 W 20 90000 N 156 60000 W 20 90000 156 60000Total islands137Highest pointMauna Kea13 796 ft 4 205 m AdministrationUnited StatesStateHawaiiUnincorporated territoryMidway AtollLargest settlementHonoluluHawaii sits on the Pacific Plate and is the only U S state that is not geographically connected to North America It is part of the Polynesia subregion of Oceania The state of Hawaii occupies the archipelago almost in its entirety including the mostly uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands with the sole exception of Midway Island which also belongs to the United States as one of its unincorporated territories within the United States Minor Outlying Islands The Hawaiian Islands are the exposed peaks of a great undersea mountain range known as the Hawaiian Emperor seamount chain formed by volcanic activity over a hotspot in the Earth s mantle The islands are about 1 860 miles 3 000 km from the nearest continent Contents 1 Islands and reefs 1 1 Major islands 1 2 Minor islands islets 1 3 Partial islands atolls reefs 2 Geology 2 1 Earthquakes 2 2 Tsunamis 3 History 4 Ecology 5 National Monument 6 Climate 7 See also 8 References 9 Further readingIslands and reefs EditMain article History of Hawaii The date of the first settlements of the Hawaiian Islands is a topic of continuing debate 1 Archaeological evidence seems to indicate a settlement as early as 124 AD 2 Captain James Cook RN visited the islands on January 18 1778 3 and named them the Sandwich Islands in honor of The 4th Earl of Sandwich who as the First Lord of the Admiralty was one of his sponsors 4 This name was in use until the 1840s when the local name Hawaii gradually began to take precedence 5 The Hawaiian Islands have a total land area of 6 423 4 square miles 16 636 5 km2 Except for Midway which is an unincorporated territory of the United States these islands and islets are administered as Hawaii the 50th state of the United States 6 Major islands Edit Island Nickname Area Population as of 2020 Density Highest point Elevation Age Ma 7 LocationHawaiʻi 8 The Big Island 1 4 028 0 sq mi 10 432 5 km2 200 629 4 45 948 sq mi 17 7407 km2 Mauna Kea 1 13 796 ft 4 205 m 0 4 19 34 N 155 30 W 19 567 N 155 500 W 19 567 155 500 Hawaii Maui 9 The Valley Isle 2 727 2 sq mi 1 883 4 km2 164 221 2 198 630 sq mi 76 692 km2 Haleakala 2 10 023 ft 3 055 m 1 3 0 8 20 48 N 156 20 W 20 800 N 156 333 W 20 800 156 333 Maui Oʻahu 10 The Gathering Place 3 596 7 sq mi 1 545 4 km2 1 016 508 1 1 597 46 sq mi 616 78 km2 Mount Kaʻala 5 4 003 ft 1 220 m 3 7 2 6 21 28 N 157 59 W 21 467 N 157 983 W 21 467 157 983 Oahu Kauaʻi 11 The Garden Isle 4 552 3 sq mi 1 430 5 km2 73 298 3 121 168 sq mi 46 783 km2 Kawaikini 3 5 243 ft 1 598 m 5 1 22 05 N 159 30 W 22 083 N 159 500 W 22 083 159 500 Kauai Molokaʻi 12 The Friendly Isle 5 260 0 sq mi 673 4 km2 7 345 5 28 250 sq mi 10 9074 km2 Kamakou 4 4 961 ft 1 512 m 1 9 1 8 21 08 N 157 02 W 21 133 N 157 033 W 21 133 157 033 Molokai Lanaʻi 13 The Pineapple Isle 6 140 5 sq mi 363 9 km2 3 367 6 22 313 sq mi 8 615 km2 Lanaʻihale 6 3 366 ft 1 026 m 1 3 20 50 N 156 56 W 20 833 N 156 933 W 20 833 156 933 Lanai Niʻihau 14 The Forbidden Isle 7 69 5 sq mi 180 0 km2 84 7 2 45 sq mi 0 944 km2 Mount Paniʻau 8 1 250 ft 381 m 4 9 21 54 N 160 10 W 21 900 N 160 167 W 21 900 160 167 Niihau Kahoʻolawe 15 The Target Isle 8 44 6 sq mi 115 5 km2 0 8 0 sq mi 0 km2 Puʻu Moaulanui 7 1 483 ft 452 m 1 0 20 33 N 156 36 W 20 550 N 156 600 W 20 550 156 600 Kahoolawe The eight major islands of Hawaii Windward Islands are listed above All except Kaho olawe are inhabited 16 Minor islands islets Edit Hawaiian Islands from space 17 3 D perspective view of the southeastern Hawaiian Islands with the white summits of Mauna Loa 4 170 m or 13 680 ft high and Mauna Kea 4 207 3 m or 13 803 ft high The islands are the tops of massive volcanoes the bulk of which lie below the sea surface Ocean depths are colored from violet 5 750 m or 18 860 ft deep northeast of Maui and indigo to light gray shallowest Historical lava flows are shown in red erupting from the summits and rift zones of Mauna Loa Kilauea and Hualalai volcanoes on Hawaiʻi The state of Hawaii counts 137 islands in the Hawaiian chain 18 This number includes all minor islands small islands islets even smaller islands offshore of the major islands listed above and individual islets in each atoll These are just a few Kaʻula Kaohikaipu Lehua Manana Mōkōlea Rock Mokoliʻi Moku Manu Mokuauia Moku o Loʻe Moku Ola Mokuʻumeʻume Molokini Na MokuluaPartial islands atolls reefs Edit A composite satellite image from NASA of the Hawaiian Islands taken from outer space Click on the image for a larger view that shows the main islands and the extended archipelago Partial islands atolls reefs west of Niʻihau are uninhabited except Midway Atoll form the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Leeward Islands Nihoa Mokumana Necker Mokumanamana French Frigate Shoals Kanemilohaʻi Gardner Pinnacles Puhahonu Maro Reef Nalukakala Laysan Kauō Lisianski Island Papaʻapoho Pearl and Hermes Atoll Holoikauaua Midway Atoll Pihemanu Kure Atoll Mokupapapa Geology EditMain article Hawaii hotspot See also List of Hawaii rivers Eruptions from the Hawaii hotspot left a trail of underwater mountains across the Pacific over millions of years called the Emperor Seamounts This chain of islands or archipelago developed as the Pacific Plate slowly moved northwestward over a hotspot in the Earth s mantle at a rate of approximately 32 miles 51 km per million years Thus the southeast island is volcanically active whereas the islands on the northwest end of the archipelago are older and typically smaller due to longer exposure to erosion The age of the archipelago has been estimated using potassium argon dating methods 19 From this study and others 20 21 it is estimated that the northwesternmost island Kure Atoll is the oldest at approximately 28 million years Ma while the southeasternmost island Hawaiʻi is approximately 0 4 Ma 400 000 years The only active volcanism in the last 200 years has been on the southeastern island Hawaiʻi and on the submerged but growing volcano to the extreme southeast Kamaʻehuakanaloa formerly Loʻihi The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory of the USGS documents recent volcanic activity and provides images and interpretations of the volcanism Kilauea had been erupting nearly continuously since 1983 when it stopped August 2018 Almost all of the magma of the hotspot has the composition of basalt and so the Hawaiian volcanoes are composed almost entirely of this igneous rock There is very little coarser grained gabbro and diabase Nephelinite is exposed on the islands but is extremely rare The majority of eruptions in Hawaiʻi are Hawaiian type eruptions because basaltic magma is relatively fluid compared with magmas typically involved in more explosive eruptions such as the andesitic magmas that produce some of the spectacular and dangerous eruptions around the margins of the Pacific basin Hawaiʻi island the Big Island is the biggest and youngest island in the chain built from five volcanoes Mauna Loa taking up over half of the Big Island is the largest shield volcano on the Earth The measurement from sea level to summit is more than 2 5 miles 4 km from sea level to sea floor about 3 1 miles 5 km 22 Earthquakes Edit Main article List of earthquakes in Hawaii The Hawaiian Islands have many earthquakes generally caused by volcanic activity Most of the early earthquake monitoring took place in Hilo by missionaries Titus Coan Sarah J Lyman and her family Between 1833 and 1896 approximately 4 or 5 earthquakes were reported per year 23 Hawaii accounted for 7 3 of the United States reported earthquakes with a magnitude 3 5 or greater from 1974 to 2003 with a total 1533 earthquakes Hawaii ranked as the state with the third most earthquakes over this time period after Alaska and California 24 On October 15 2006 there was an earthquake with a magnitude of 6 7 off the northwest coast of the island of Hawaii near the Kona area of the big island The initial earthquake was followed approximately five minutes later by a magnitude 5 7 aftershock Minor to moderate damage was reported on most of the Big Island Several major roadways became impassable from rock slides and effects were felt as far away as Honolulu Oahu nearly 150 miles 240 km from the epicenter Power outages lasted for several hours to days Several water mains ruptured No deaths or life threatening injuries were reported On May 4 2018 there was a 6 9 earthquake in the zone of volcanic activity from Kilauea Earthquakes are monitored by the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory run by the USGS Tsunamis Edit Aftermath of the 1960 Chilean tsunami in Hilo Hawaiʻi where the tsunami left 61 people dead and 282 seriously injured The waves reached 35 feet 11 m high The Hawaiian Islands are subject to tsunamis great waves that strike the shore Tsunamis are most often caused by earthquakes somewhere in the Pacific The waves produced by the earthquakes travel at speeds of 400 500 miles per hour 600 800 km h and can affect coastal regions thousands of miles kilometers away Tsunamis may also originate from the Hawaiian Islands Explosive volcanic activity can cause tsunamis The island of Molokaʻi had a catastrophic collapse or debris avalanche over a million years ago this underwater landslide likely caused tsunamis The Hilina Slump on the island of Hawaiʻi is another potential place for a large landslide and resulting tsunami The city of Hilo on the Big Island has been most affected by tsunamis where the in rushing water is accentuated by the shape of Hilo Bay Coastal cities have tsunami warning sirens A tsunami resulting from an earthquake in Chile hit the islands on February 27 2010 It was relatively minor but local emergency management officials utilized the latest technology and ordered evacuations in preparation for a possible major event The Governor declared it a good drill for the next major event A tsunami resulting from an earthquake in Japan hit the islands on March 11 2011 It was relatively minor but local officials ordered evacuations in preparation for a possible major event The tsunami caused about 30 1 million in damages 25 History EditMain article History of Hawaii There is no definitive date for the Polynesian discovery of Hawaii However high precision radiocarbon dating in Hawaii using chronometric hygiene analysis and taxonomic identification selection of samples puts the initial such settlement of the Hawaiian Islands sometime between 1219 and 1266 A D originating from earlier settlements first established in the Society Islands around 1025 to 1120 A D and in the Marquesas Islands sometime between 1100 and 1200 A D An expedition led by British explorer James Cook is usually considered to be the first group of Europeans to arrive in the Hawaiian Islands which they did in 1778 However Spanish historians and some other researchers state that the Spanish captain Ruy Lopez de Villalobos was the first European to see the islands in 1542 The Spanish named these islands Isla de Mesa de los Monjes y Desgraciada 1542 being on the route linking the Philippines with Mexico across the Pacific Ocean between the ports of Acapulco and Manila which were both part of New Spain Within five years after Cook s arrival European military technology helped Kamehameha I ruler of the island of Hawaii conquer and unify the islands for the first time establishing the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1795 The kingdom was prosperous and important for its agriculture and strategic location in the Pacific American immigration led by Protestant missionaries and Native Hawaiian outmigration mostly on whaling ships began almost immediately after Cook s arrival Americans set up plantations to grow sugar Their methods of plantation farming required substantial labor Waves of permanent immigrants came from Japan China and the Philippines to work in the fields The government of Japan organized and gave special protection to its people who comprised about 25 percent of the Hawaiian population by 1896 The Hawaiian monarchy encouraged this multi ethnic society initially establishing a constitutional monarchy in 1840 that promised equal voting rights regardless of race gender or wealth The population of Native Hawaiians in Hawaii declined from an unknown number prior to 1778 commonly estimated to be around 300 000 to around 142 000 in the 1820s based on the first census conducted by American missionaries 82 203 in the 1850 Hawaiian Kingdom census 40 622 in the last Hawaiian Kingdom census of 1890 39 504 in the only census by the Republic of Hawaii in 1896 and 37 656 in the first census conducted by the United States in 1900 after the annexation of Hawaii to the United States in 1898 Since Hawaii has joined the United States the Native Hawaiian population in Hawaii has increased with every census to 289 970 in 2010 Americans within the kingdom government rewrote the constitution severely curtailing the power of King David Kalakaua and disenfranchising the rights of most Native Hawaiians and Asian citizens to vote through excessively high property and income requirements This gave a sizeable advantage to plantation owners Queen Liliʻuokalani attempted to restore royal powers in 1893 but was placed under house arrest by businessmen with help from the United States military Against the Queen s wishes the Republic of Hawaii was formed for a short time This government agreed on behalf of Hawaii to join the United States in 1898 as the Territory of Hawaii In 1959 the islands became the state of Hawaii Ecology EditSee also Endemism in the Hawaiian Islands List of animal species introduced to the Hawaiian Islands and List of invasive plant species in Hawaii The islands are home to a multitude of endemic species Since human settlement first by Polynesians non native trees plants and animals were introduced These included species such as rats and pigs that have preyed on native birds and invertebrates that initially evolved in the absence of such predators The growing population of humans has also led to deforestation forest degradation treeless grasslands and environmental degradation As a result many species which depended on forest habitats and food became extinct with many current species facing extinction As humans cleared land for farming monocultural crop production replaced multi species systems citation needed The arrival of the Europeans had a more significant impact with the promotion of large scale single species export agriculture and livestock grazing This led to increased clearing of forests and the development of towns adding many more species to the list of extinct animals of the Hawaiian Islands As of 2009 update many of the remaining endemic species are considered endangered 26 National Monument EditOn June 15 2006 President George W Bush issued a public proclamation creating Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument under the Antiquities Act of 1906 The Monument encompasses the northwestern Hawaiian Islands and surrounding waters forming the largest 27 marine wildlife reserve in the world In August 2010 UNESCO s World Heritage Committee added Papahanaumokuakea to its list of World Heritage Sites 28 29 30 On August 26 2016 President Barack Obama greatly expanded Papahanaumokuakea quadrupling it from its original size 31 32 33 Climate EditMain article Climate of Hawaii The Hawaiian Islands are tropical but experience many different climates depending on altitude and surroundings 34 The islands receive most rainfall from the trade winds on their north and east flanks the windward side as a result of orographic precipitation 34 Coastal areas in general and especially the south and west flanks or leeward sides tend to be drier 34 In general the lowlands of Hawaiian Islands receive most of their precipitation during the winter months October to April 34 Drier conditions generally prevail from May to September 34 The tropical storms and occasional hurricanes tend to occur from July through November 34 During the summer months the average temperature is about 84 F 29 C in the winter months it is approximately 78 8 F 26 C As the temperature is relatively constant over the year the probability of dangerous thunderstorms is approximately low 35 See also Edit Geography portal Oceania portal United States portal Hawaii portal Mountains portal Volcanoes portalHawaii Inter Island Cable System Index of Hawaii related articles List of birds of Hawaii List of fish of Hawaii List of mountain peaks of Hawaii List of Ultras of Hawaii Maritime fur trade Outline of HawaiiReferences Edit Pearce Charles E M Pearce F M 2010 Oceanic Migration Paths Sequence Timing and Range of Prehistoric Migration in the Pacific and Indian Oceans Springer Science amp Business Media p 167 ISBN 978 90 481 3826 5 Whittaker Elvi W 1986 The Mainland Haole The White Experience in Hawaii Columbia University Press p 3 ISBN 978 0 231 05316 7 Rayson Ann Bauer Helen 1997 Hawaii The Pacific State Bess Press p 26 ISBN 1573060968 James Cook and James King 1784 A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean Undertaken by the Command of His Majesty for Making Discoveries in the Northern Hemisphere to Determine the Position and Extent of the West Side of North America Its Distance from Asia and the Practicability of a Northern Passage to Europe Performed Under the Direction of Captains Cook Clerke and Gore in His Majesty s Ships the Resolution and Discovery in the Years 1776 1777 1778 1779 and 1780 Vol 2 Nicol and Cadell London p 222 Clement Russell From Cook to the 1840 Constitution The Name Change from Sandwich to Hawaiian Islands PDF University of Hawai i at Manoa Hamilton Library Retrieved June 17 2012 Guide to State and Local Census Geography Hawaii PDF Washington DC U S Census Bureau September 9 2013 pp 1 2 Retrieved September 16 2016 Blay Chuck and Siemers Robert Kauai s Geologic History A Simplified Guide Kaua i TEOK Investigations 2004 ISBN 9780974472300 Cited in Hawaiian Encyclopedia The Islands Retrieved June 20 2012 U S Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System Island of Hawaiʻi U S Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System Maui Island U S Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System Oʻahu Island U S Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System Kauaʻi Island U S Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System Molokaʻi Island U S Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System Lanaʻi Island U S Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System Niʻihau Island U S Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System Kahoʻolawe Island Hawaii Population 2016 Demographics Maps Graphs worldpopulationreview com Retrieved September 12 2016 Hawaii Image of the Day nasa gov January 29 2014 Retrieved June 4 2015 Hawai i Facts amp Figures PDF state web site State of Hawaii Dept of Business Economic Development amp Tourism December 2009 Archived from the original PDF on October 22 2008 Retrieved May 23 2010 Tectonics geochronology and origin of the Hawaiian Emperor Volcanic Chain PDF The Geology of North America Volume N The Eastern Pacific Ocean and Hawaii The Geology Society of America 1989 Archived from the original PDF on June 11 2011 Retrieved January 17 2011 McDougall IAN Swanson D A 1972 Potassium Argon Ages of Lavas from the Hawi and Pololu Volcanic Series Kohala Volcano Hawaii Geological Society of America Bulletin Geology Society of American Bulletin 83 12 3731 3738 Bibcode 1972GSAB 83 3731M doi 10 1130 0016 7606 1972 83 3731 PAOLFT 2 0 CO 2 Retrieved January 17 2011 Clague David A Dalrymple G Brent Moberly Ralph 1975 Petrography and K Ar Ages of Dredged Volcanic Rocks from the Western Hawaiian Ridge and the Southern Emperor Seamount Chain Geological Society of America Bulletin Geology Society of America Bulletin 86 7 991 998 Bibcode 1975GSAB 86 991C doi 10 1130 0016 7606 1975 86 lt 991 PAKAOD gt 2 0 CO 2 ISSN 0016 7606 Retrieved January 17 2011 Mauna Loa Earth s Largest Volcano Hawaiian Volcano Observatory web site USGS February 2006 Archived from the original on November 17 2014 Retrieved December 9 2009 Hawaii Earthquake History Earthquake Hazards Program United States Geological Survey 1972 Archived from the original on April 19 2009 Retrieved December 9 2009 Top Earthquake States Earthquake Hazards Program United States Geological Survey 2003 Archived from the original on August 31 2009 Retrieved December 9 2009 Trusdell Frank A Chadderton Amy Hinchliffe Graham Hara Andrew Patenge Brent Weber Tom November 15 2012 Tohoku Oki Earthquake Tsunami Runup and Inundation Data for Sites Around the Island of Hawai i PDF USGS pp 3 4 Retrieved October 11 2016 Craig R Elevitch Kim M Wilkinson eds 2000 Agroforestry Guides for Pacific Islands Permanent Agriculture Resources ISBN 0 9702544 0 7 Archived from the original on January 12 2006 Retrieved September 26 2005 Barnett Cynthia August 26 2016 Hawaii Is Now Home to an Ocean Reserve Twice the Size of Texas National Geographic Retrieved September 2 2016 21 sites added to Unesco World Heritage list Wikinews the free news source Wikinews August 5 2010 Retrieved March 28 2017 Saltzstein Dan August 4 2010 Unesco Adds 21 Sites to World Heritage List The New York Times Retrieved March 28 2017 World Heritage Committee inscribes a total of 21 new sites on UNESCO World Heritage List whc unesco org August 2 2010 Retrieved March 28 2017 Cocke Sophie August 25 2016 Obama expands Papahanaumokuakea marine reserve plans Oahu trip Honolulu Star Advertiser Retrieved March 28 2017 Fact Sheet President Obama to Create the World s Largest Marine Protected Area whitehouse gov August 26 2016 Retrieved March 28 2017 Barnett Cynthia August 26 2016 Hawaii Is Now Home to an Ocean Reserve Twice the Size of Texas NationalGeographic com Retrieved March 28 2017 a b c d e f Lau Leung Ku Stephen Mink John Francis October 1 2006 Hydrology of the Hawaiian Islands pp 39 43 49 53 ISBN 9780824829483 So ist das Wetter auf Hawaii Hawaiiurlaub de in German July 24 2015 Retrieved June 24 2020 Further reading EditMorgan Joseph R 1996 Volcanic Landforms Hawai i A Unique Geography Honolulu HI Bess Press ISBN 9781573060219 OCLC 693187693 via Internet Archive An integrated information website focused on the Hawaiian Archipelago from the Pacific Region Integrated Data Enterprise PRIDE Macdonald Gordon A Abbott Agatin 2021 1970 Volcanoes in the Sea The Geology of Hawaii Honolulu University of Hawaii Press doi 10 1515 9780824885786 ISBN 9780824885786 OCLC 1253313940 1970 edition Volcanoes in the Sea The Geology of Hawaii at the Internet Archive registration required The Ocean Atlas of Hawai i Archived April 7 2022 at the Wayback Machine SOEST at University of Hawaiʻi Hawaiian Volcanoes Introduction Department of Geosciences Corvallis OR USA Archived from the original on March 5 2012 Retrieved May 12 2012 Volcano World Your World is Erupting Oregon State University College of Science Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hawaiian Islands amp oldid 1127466474, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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