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Hawaii - Geography

Hawaii - Geography: Encyclopedia II - Hawaii - Geography

Main article: Hawaiian Islands Hawaii is the only US state that is completely surrounded by water. It is one of two states that do not share a border with another US state (Alaska being the other). Nineteen islands and atolls extending across a distance of 2,400 km (1,500 mi) comprise the Hawaiian Archipelago. The main islands are the eight high islands at the southeastern end of the island chain. These islands are, in order from the northwest to southeast, Niʻihau, KauaSee also:

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Hawaii: Encyclopedia II - Hawaii - Geography

Hawaii - Geography

Main article: Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii is the only US state that is completely surrounded by water. It is one of two states that do not share a border with another US state (Alaska being the other).

Nineteen islands and atolls extending across a distance of 2,400 km (1,500 mi) comprise the Hawaiian Archipelago. The main islands are the eight high islands at the southeastern end of the island chain. These islands are, in order from the northwest to southeast, Niʻihau, Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, Kahoʻolawe, Maui and the Island of Hawaiʻi.

All of the Hawaiian Islands were formed by volcanoes arising from the sea floor through a vent described in geological theory as a hotspot. The theory maintains that as the tectonic plate beneath much of the Pacific Ocean moves in a northwesterly direction, the hot spot remains stationary, slowly creating new volcanoes. This explains why only volcanoes on the southern half of the Island of Hawaiʻi are presently active.

The last volcanic eruption outside the Island of Hawaiʻi happened at Haleakalā on Maui in the late 18th century. The newest volcano to form is Lōʻihi, deep below the waters off the south coast of the Island of Hawaiʻi.

The isolation of the Hawaiian Islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and the wide range of environments to be found on high islands located in and near the tropics, has resulted in a vast array of endemic flora and fauna. The volcanic activity and subsequent erosion created impressive geological features. Those conditions make Mount Waiʻaleʻale the wettest place on earth; it averages 11.7 m (460 in) of rain annually.

The movement of the Hawaiian royal family from the Island of Hawaiʻi to Maui and subsequently to Oʻahu explains why certain population centers exist where they do today. The largest city, Honolulu, was the one chosen by King Kamehameha III as the capital of his kingdom due to the natural harbor there, the present-day Honolulu Harbor.

Other large cities and towns include Hilo, Kahului and Līhuʻe.

Niʻihau

Kauaʻi

Oʻahu

Maui

Molokaʻi

Lānaʻi

Kahoʻolawe

Hawaiʻi

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Geography", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

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