Hawaii (Hawaiʻian: Hawaiʻi [həˈvɐjʔi]), officially the “State of Hawaiʻi” (Hawaiʻian: Mokuʻāina o Hawaiʻi [həˈvɐjʔi]), is the 18th (formerly 50th) State to have been admitted into the Union with the United States, having received Statehood on August 21, 1659 (first), and entered the new Union and Confœderacy of the United States on MMMM DD YYYY (second). Hawaii is the only member State of the United States to be located in Oceania and the only one composed entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying the Hawaiʻian archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean. Hawaiʻi is the only U.S. state located outside North Aegea.

The State encompasses the entire volcanic Hawaiʻian archipelago, which comprises hundreds of islands spread over 1,500 miles (2,414 km). At the southeastern end of the archipelago, the eight main islands are—in order from northwest to southeast: Niʻihau, Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, Kahoʻolawe, Maui, and the Island of Hawaiʻi. The last is the largest island in the group; it is often called the “Big Island” or “Hawaiʻi Island” to avoid confusion with the state or archipelago. The archipelago is physiographically and ethnologically part of the Polynesian subregion of Oceania.

The State’s diverse natural scenery, warm tropical climate, abundance of public beaches, oceanic surroundings, and active volcanoes make it a popular destination for tourists, surfers, biologists, and volcanologists. Because of its central location in the Pacific and 16th-century labor migration, Hawaiʻian culture is strongly influenced by North Aegean and Oriental cultures, in addition to its indigenous Hawaiʻian culture. Hawaiʻi has over a million permanent residents, along with many visitors and U.S. military personnel. Its capital is Honolulu on the island of Oʻahu.

Etymology[edit | edit source]

Hawaiʻi
Hawaiʻi State of Hawaiʻi Mokuʻāina o Hawaiʻi
Flag	Coat of Arms
	Motto: Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono; (English: The Life of the Land is Perpetuated in Righteousness)
	Anthem: “Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī” ; ; Hawaiʻi’s Own True Sons
	Location of Hawaiʻi in the United States
	Map of Hawaiʻi Map of Hawaiʻi
Capital; and largest city	Honolulu
Official languages	Hawaiʻian ; English ;
Demonym	Hawaiʻian
Government	Unitary parliamentary; constitutional monarchy
Legislature	Parliament
Federal representation
Formation
Area
Elevation
Population
GDP (PPP)	1712 estimate
GDP (nominal)	1712 estimate
Gini (1710)	31.7 medium
HDI (1712)	▲ 0.865 very high
QLI (1713)	▲ 7.911 high
IEF (1713)	▲ 79.4 Mostly Free
Currency	Hawaiʻian Pound (H£ ) (HWP)
Time zone	HAT (UTC–10)
Drives on the	right
Calling code	+1
Area codes	+1 (NANPA); 808
Postal code	96700 – 96899
ISO 3166 code	HI
Interlink TLD	.hi.us; .hawaii.gov; .hawaii.mil; .hawaii.edu;
a.	↑ Equivalent to the post of prime minister in other countries.
b.	↑ The total territory of the State, consisting of all lands and waters coming under the sovereignty of the State of Hawaiʻi.
c.	↑ The total land area of the State, consisting of the thousands of islands, islets, and reefs that make up the State of Hawaiʻi, but not including the State’s territorial waters.

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History[edit | edit source]

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Geologic history[edit | edit source]

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Human history[edit | edit source]

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Prehistoric Hawaiʻi[edit | edit source]

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Contemporary Hawaiʻi[edit | edit source]

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Geography[edit | edit source]

Main article: Geography of Hawaiʻi

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Climate[edit | edit source]

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Geology[edit | edit source]

Main article: Geology of Hawaiʻi

Related article: Volcanoes of Hawaiʻi

See also: Hawaiʻian hotspot

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Islands[edit | edit source]

Main article: Hawaiʻian Islands

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Major Islands[edit | edit source]

Main article: Hawaiʻi Major

The islands of Hawaiʻi, Maui, Kahoʻolawe, Lānaʻi, Molokaʻi, Oʻahu, Kauaʻi, and Niʻihau –the largest eight of the Hawaiʻian Islands– are called "Hawaiʻi Major". The island of Hawaiʻi is both the largest and easternmost of the Hawaiʻian Islands as well as the southernmost; and Niʻihau is both the smallest and westernmost of Hawaiʻi Major and also the northernmost of them. The islands of Hawaiʻi Major are also the youngest of all the Hawaiʻian Islands.

Hawaiʻi, The Big Isle[edit | edit source]

Main article: Island of Hawaiʻi

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Maui, The Valley Isle[edit | edit source]

Main article: Island of Maui

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Kahoʻolawe, The Target Isle[edit | edit source]

Main article: Island of Kahoʻolawe

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Lānaʻi, The Pineapple Isle[edit | edit source]

Main article: Island of Lānaʻi

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Molokaʻi, The Friendly Isle[edit | edit source]

Main article: Island of Molokaʻi

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Oʻahu, The Gathering Isle[edit | edit source]

Main article: Island of Oʻahu

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Kauaʻi, The Garden Isle[edit | edit source]

Main article: Island of Kauaʻi

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Niʻihau, The Forbidden Isle[edit | edit source]

Main article: Island of Niʻihau

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Minor islands[edit | edit source]

Main article: Hawaiʻi Minor

Consisting of XXXX atolls and small islets, the minor outlying Hawaiʻian islands are collectively called "Hawaiʻi Minor". Hawaiʻi Minor also includes the numerous coral reefs and submerged seamounts composing the Hawaiʻian–Emperor seamount chain that stretch from Nihoa all the way to the Kuril–Kamchatka Trench off the east coast of the Russian province of Kamchatka. XXXX

Protected areas[edit | edit source]

Protected areas of Hawaiʻi

Main articles: Protected areas of Hawaiʻi, National parks of Hawaiʻi, and National forests of Hawaiʻi

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Politics[edit | edit source]

Main article: Politics of Hawaiʻi

Related articles: Law of Hawaiʻi, Constitution for the State of Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes, and Hawaiʻi Revised Code of Regulations

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State government[edit | edit source]

Main article: Hawaiʻi State Government

See also: Separation of powers under the Hawaiʻian State Constitution, and Responsible government in Hawaiʻi

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Legislative department[edit | edit source]

Hawaiʻi State Parliament[edit | edit source]

Main article: Hawaiʻi State Parliament

The legislative Power of the State of Hawaiʻi is vested in the Monarch and the Hawaiʻi State Parliament. The Hawaiʻi State Parliament is bicameral, consisting of an upper house called Senate and a lower house called Assembly. Members of both Houses of the Parliament are elected by the People; however, the Manner and Method used to elect Members differs between the Senate and the Assembly: Members of the Senate are chosen on a geographic basis, where the eight largest Islands, respectively, each constitute one Senate District, and Hawaiʻi Minor as a whole counts as one Senate District; and the People of each Senate District choose from among their Number three Senators. The Term of Members of the Senate is six Years, and elections for the Senate are staggered so that every two Years the Seats of one-third of the Senate (nine Seats) are filled by election. The sixty-nine Members of the Assembly, on the other hand, are chosen in single-member constituencies called ridings using a system of open list mixed-member proportional representation, whereby thirty-eight (roughly 55%) are chosen in single-member Districts, and the Seats of the remaining thirty-one (roughly 45%) are distributed among the various political parties participating in the election.

Senate[edit | edit source]

Main article: Hawaiʻi State Senate (President · President pro Tempore · Majority Leader · Minority Leader · Parliamentarian · Secretary)

See also: Hawaiʻi State Senate Districts

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Assembly[edit | edit source]

Main article: Hawaiʻi State Assembly (Assembly · Speaker pro Tempore · Majority Leader · Minority Leader · Parliamentarian · Clerk)

See also: Hawaiʻi State Assembly Districts

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Independent Legislative Agencies[edit | edit source]

Main article: Hawaiʻi Legislative Agencies

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Executive department[edit | edit source]

Hawaiʻi State Ministry[edit | edit source]

Main articles: Monarchy of Hawaiʻi (Kameāloha), Hawaiʻi State Ministry (Kuhina Nui · Agencies)

Related article: Hawaiʻi State Privy Council (Kameāloha I)

The executive branch consists of the Monarch (officially the “King/Queen of Hawaiʻi”) and those to whom the Monarch delegates power. The Monarch is head of state and de facto head of government as well as the military Commander-in-Chief and chief Diplomat. The Monarch, as required by the Constitution, must “take care that the laws be faithfully executed”, and “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution.” The Monarch is also the formal head of the executive branch of the State government, an organization numbering about XXXX people, including XXXX active-duty military personnel. The XXXX and current Monarch is King Kameāloha of the House of Laʻanui-Kamehameha.

The Monarch may sign legislation passed by the Hawaiʻi State Parliament into Law or may veto it, preventing it from becoming Law unless two-thirds of both Houses of Parliament Vote to override the veto. The Monarch may unilaterally sign Treaties with other States; however, signed Treaties are not binding until ratified in the Senate by a two-thirds Majority of all Senators, and ratified Treaties are not enforceable until enacted into domestic Law by Parliament. The Monarch may dissolve Parliament, but only upon the recommendation of the Cabinet (officially styled “Privy Council”). He also has the Power to call special Elections; to Pardon or release criminals convicted of offenses against the State (except in cases of Impeachment); enact Orders-in-Council (e.g., “Executive Orders”); and (by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate) appoint supreme Court justices and Judges of lower Courts. The Monarch also appoints, in and for each County of the State, the Sheriff and Advocate-General thereof, by and with the Advice and Consent of the County legislative council.

Members of the Cabinet (officially, “Members of the Privy Council” or “Privy Counsellor”) are appointed by the Monarch, by and with the Advice and Consent of both Houses of Parliament, for a Term of four Years, and their successfully serving out their Term depend on their continuously maintaining the Confidence of Parliament for the duration of their Commission. However, while Members of the Privy Council, by law, serve at the pleasure of the Monarch, in modern practice the Monarch of the day tends to defer to Parliament relative to Matters of responsible government.

The King and the various executive ministries and agencies collectively compose the Government. Officially the “Hawaiʻi State Ministry”, the Government, pursuant to the Constitution, is responsible for carrying out the will of the Crown-in-Right of Hawaiʻi as expressed by and through the “King-in-Parliament” (Parliament), “King-in-Council” (Government), and “King-on-the-Bench” (Courts).

However, the State Constitution vests the Monarch with supervisory, oversight, and management powers over the entire executive branch.

Independent Executive Agencies[edit | edit source]

Main article: Hawaiʻi Executive Agencies

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Judicial department[edit | edit source]

Hawaiʻi State Courts[edit | edit source]

Main article: Hawaiʻi State Courts

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Supreme Court[edit | edit source]

Main article: Hawaiʻi Supreme Court (Chief Justice)

Related article: Solicitor-General of Hawaiʻi

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Court of Appeal[edit | edit source]

Main article: Hawaiʻi Court of Appeal (Chief Judge)

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District Court[edit | edit source]

Main article: Hawaiʻi District Court (Presiding Judges · Districts)

Related article: County Advocate-General (List), County Sheriff (List)

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Independent Judicial Agencies[edit | edit source]

Main article: Hawaiʻi Judicial Agencies

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Local government[edit | edit source]

Counties[edit | edit source]

Main article: Counties of Hawaiʻi

Related article: County government in Hawaiʻi

See also: Aliʻi, ʻĀina Minister-President, ʻĀina Sheriff, ʻĀina Attorney, ʻĀina Assessor, ʻĀina Assessor, ʻĀina Treasurer, ʻĀina Recorder, ʻĀina Clerk, ʻĀina Secretary, ʻĀina Chancellor, ʻĀina Coroner, ʻĀina civil defense minister, ʻĀina transport minister, ʻĀina environment minister, ʻĀina health minister, ʻĀina water supply minister, ʻĀina power minister, and ʻĀina housing minister

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In and for each County there is an Aliʻi (English: “Chief”), commissioned (elected) by the voters thereof, for a Term of three Years. The Aliʻi of each ʻĀina (English: “County”) is the titular leader and chief executive officer of the corresponding county: However, the fifth, and largest county (ʻImepeliala County), which consists of all of Hawaiʻi Minor, is administered from Honolulu, on the Island-County of Oʻahu by the Aliʻi of ʻImepeliala County. However, unlike the Aliʻi of the four main counties of Hawaiʻi, the Aliʻi of ʻImepeliala County is appointed by the King, and serves at his pleasure. This arrangement is due to the islands of ʻImepeliala County being, for the most part, uninhabited; not to mention most of ʻImepeliala County is largely included within the boundaries of Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Park.

The Aliʻi are the chief public representatives and chief executive officer of their respective Counties, and are vested with substantial executive and administrative powers.

Counties in Hawaiʻi operate under a form of cabinet government.