Hawaii--Island Paradise

There are 8 main Hawaiian islands but there are actually about 132 small islands in the state of Hawaii. Hawaii was discovered by Captain James Cook in 1778 and became part of the U.S. in 1959. The capital is Honolulu and it is the 50th state. Motto-The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness. The population is 1,108,229. The Average Yearly Temperature 77 degrees F, and the average yearly rainfall is 23 inches...

The island of Niihau is known as the Forbidden Island because it is privately owned to protect the ancient Hawaiian heritage. Tourists are not welcome here. The island of Kauai is known as the Garden Isle because of its lush green valleys. This is a favorite spot of tourists...

The island of Oahu is called the Gathering Place because both Hawaiians and people from around the world gather here. Molokai is called the Friendly Island because the locals here show extreme aloha. The island of Lanai is called the Pineapple Island because the most pineapples are produced here. Many people believe that pineapples grow on trees, actually they grow out of plants on the ground!

Maui is called the Valley Isle because it has many green and tropical valleys. Maui is a favorite tourist spot because its beaches have the softest sand. Kahoolawe is called the Military Island because it is a privately owned military base. It is not open to the public. Hawaii is called the Big Island because it is the biggest of the Hawaiian islands. It is also named this to avoid confusion between the state of Hawaii and the island of Hawaii. The Big Island is home to Volcanoes

Hawaii has three active volcanoes which are all located on the Big Island. The largest is Mauna Kea at an elevation of 13,796 ft. Next is Mauna Loa at 13,677 ft and last is Kilauea at 4,090 ft. Tourists often see live eruptions by helicopter.