# Hawaii

> state of the United States of America

**Wikidata**: [Q782](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q782)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/hawaii

## Summary
Hawaii is a state of the United States of America, having been incorporated on August 21, 1959. It is known by aliases such as the State of Hawaii, Hawaii State, and The Aloha State. As a U.S. state, it is a constituent political entity of the United States of America.

## Key Facts
*   Hawaii is a state of the United States of America.
*   Its inception as a state was on August 21, 1959.
*   The entity was preceded by the Territory of Hawaii, which existed from July 7, 1898, to 1959.
*   It is located at coordinates latitude 21.5 and longitude -158.
*   Hawaii's population has been recorded at various figures, including 1,404,054, 1,431,603, 1,415,872, 1,455,271, 1,360,301, 1,211,537, 1,108,229, 964,691, 768,561, 632,772, 499,794, 423,330, 368,336, 255,912, 191,909, and 154,001.
*   Its official website is https://portal.ehawaii.gov/.
*   Hawaii is also known by the aliases State of Hawaii, Hawaii State, The Aloha State, Hawaii, United States, Kaimana Hila, Owyhee, and Owhyhee.

## FAQs
**What is the primary classification of Hawaii?**
Hawaii is primarily classified as a state of the United States of America. It is a constituent political entity of the United States.

**When did Hawaii become a state?**
Hawaii became a state on August 21, 1959. Prior to this, it was known as the Territory of Hawaii, which was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from July 7, 1898, until 1959.

**What are some of the geographical features associated with Hawaii?**
Hawaii is associated with the Hawaiian Islands, an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean. Notable geographical features include mountains like Tantalus, Puu Kukui, Punchbowl Crater, and Kaʻala, as well as rivers such as Waimea River (in Oahu and Kauai) and Wailuku River. It also features beaches like Papakolea Beach and Sandy Beach, and a lake named Lake Waiau.

**What cultural aspects are unique to Hawaii?**
Hawaii is home to the Hawaiian language, a Polynesian language, and Hawaiian cuisine. It is also associated with the māhū, a third gender in traditional Hawaiian culture, and cultural events like King Kamehameha I Day and the Festival of Pacific Arts. Other unique cultural elements include Slack-key guitar, kapa fabric made by native Hawaiians, and traditional dishes like Haupia and Huli-huli.

**What military installations are located in Hawaii?**
Several U.S. military installations are located in Hawaii, including Hickam Air Force Base, Schofield Barracks, and Wheeler Army Airfield. It also hosts the headquarters for the United States Indo-Pacific Command and the United States Space Forces Indo-Pacific, and is home to the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment.

## Why It Matters
Hawaii matters as a state of the United States of America, representing a unique blend of American governance and Polynesian heritage. Its strategic location in the Pacific Ocean makes it a critical hub for military operations, as evidenced by the presence of the United States Indo-Pacific Command and various military bases. Culturally, Hawaii preserves and promotes the Hawaiian language, cuisine, and traditional practices, offering a distinct identity within the broader American landscape. Its natural environment, including active volcanoes and diverse ecosystems, provides significant scientific research opportunities and contributes to global understanding of geology and biodiversity. Historically, its transition from the Territory of Hawaii to a state marks a significant chapter in U.S. expansion and self-determination.

## Notable For
*   **Unique Time Zone:** Utilizes the Hawaii–Aleutian Time Zone, corresponding to UTC−10:00.
*   **Island State Status:** The only U.S. state that is an archipelago, comprising the Hawaiian Islands.
*   **Cultural Preservation:** Known for the preservation of the Hawaiian language, traditional Hawaiian cuisine, and cultural concepts like māhū.
*   **Significant Military Presence:** Hosts major U.S. military commands, including the United States Indo-Pacific Command and the United States Space Forces Indo-Pacific.
*   **Astronomical Observatories:** Home to world-renowned astronomical observatories like the W. M. Keck Observatory and the Subaru Telescope.
*   **Volcanic Activity:** Experiences notable volcanic eruptions, such as the 2018 Hawaiʻi volcanic eruption and the 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa.
*   **Historical Earthquakes:** Site of the 1868 Hawaii earthquake, the largest recorded earthquake in Hawaiian history, and the 2018 Hawaii earthquake.

## Body

### Overview and Status
Hawaii is a state of the United States of America, classified as a constituent political entity. It is also known by its aliases: State of Hawaii, Hawaii State, The Aloha State, Hawaii, United States, Kaimana Hila, Owyhee, and Owhyhee. The state's official website is https://portal.ehawaii.gov/. Its geographical coordinates are approximately latitude 21.5 and longitude -158. The population of Hawaii has been recorded at various figures, including 1,404,054, 1,360,301, 154,001, 1,211,537, 1,108,229, 964,691, 768,561, 632,772, 499,794, 423,330, 368,336, 255,912, 191,909, 1,431,603, 1,415,872, and 1,455,271.

### History
Hawaii's inception as a state occurred on August 21, 1959. This followed its period as the Territory of Hawaii, an organized incorporated territory of the United States from July 7, 1898, until 1959. The historical Kingdom of Hawaiʻi, which existed from 1778 to 1893, preceded the territory.

### Geography and Natural Features
Hawaii is an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, known as the Hawaiian Islands. It is associated with the Hawaiian–Emperor seamount chain, a mountain range.
Notable geographical features include:
*   **Mountains:** Tantalus, Puu Kukui, Punchbowl Crater, and Kaʻala.
*   **Rivers:** Waimea River (found in both Oahu and Kauai), and Wailuku River.
*   **Beaches:** Papakolea Beach (in Kaʻū district) and Sandy Beach.
*   **Lakes:** Lake Waiau.
*   **Waterfalls:** Hiilawe Waterfall.
The state also contains Polynesia, a subregion of Oceania.

### Administrative Divisions and Government
Hawaii comprises several counties, including Hawaii County, Kalawao County, Honolulu County, Maui County, and Kauai County, all established in 1905, with Honolulu County established in 1907. The state is represented in the U.S. House of Representatives by Hawaii's 1st congressional district, centered on Honolulu, and Hawaii's 2nd congressional district, covering most of the state. The Hawaii State Capitol, the state capitol building, was inaugurated on March 15, 1969. The Hawaii State Department of Education, the state education agency, was established in 1840.

### Culture and Society
Hawaiian culture is rich and diverse, featuring:
*   **Language:** Hawaiian, a Polynesian language.
*   **Cuisine:** Hawaiian cuisine, including traditional dishes like Haupia (a coconut milk-based dessert) and Huli-huli (a chicken dish).
*   **People:** Japanese people in Hawaii form an ethnic group. Native Hawaiians are an ethnic group of Polynesian origin.
*   **Traditions:** The māhū, a third gender in traditional Hawaiian, Kanaka, and Maohi cultures. King Kamehameha I Day is a public holiday celebrated on June 11. The Festival of Pacific Arts, a traveling festival, has connections to Hawaii.
*   **Arts:** Slack-key guitar is a unique guitar fingerstyle. Kapa is a fabric made by native Hawaiians.
*   **Religion:** Islam in Hawaii is also present.
*   **Organizations:** The Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame is located in the U.S. state of Hawaii.

### Military Presence
Hawaii hosts significant U.S. military installations and commands:
*   **Air Force:** Hickam Air Force Base, located at Honolulu International Airport.
*   **Army:** Schofield Barracks, a U.S. Army installation and census-designated place on Oʻahu, established in 1908. Wheeler Army Airfield, a U.S. Army aviation base in Honolulu County, established in 1941 and 1946.
*   **Marine Corps:** The 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps, based at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, established in 1916.
*   **Commands:** The United States Indo-Pacific Command, a unified combatant command of the United States, established in 1947, with its headquarters in Hawaii. The United States Space Forces Indo-Pacific, a military unit established in 2022, also has its headquarters in Hawaii.

### Infrastructure and Economy
Hawaii's infrastructure includes several airports and other facilities:
*   **Airports:** Molokai Airport, Upolu Airport, Lanai Airport, Waimea-Kohala Airport, Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport (near Kailua-Kona), Lihue Airport, and Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (in Honolulu).
*   **Buildings and Landmarks:** The Hawaii State Capitol (inception 1969), Trump International Hotel and Tower (a condo-hotel in Honolulu), Aloha Stadium (a multi-purpose stadium in Halawa, established 1975), Sea Life Park Hawaii (a marine mammal park, bird sanctuary, and aquarium in Waimānalo, Oahu, established 1964), and the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument (a former National Monument of the United States, established 2008).
*   **Observatories:** The W. M. Keck Observatory and the Subaru Telescope (a Japanese telescope and observatory established in 1997) are located in Hawaii.
*   **Broadcasting:** WWVH is a time signal radio station.
*   **Education:** The University of Hawaiʻi Maui College, a public college in Kahului, was established in 1931.
*   **Businesses:** Blue Planet Software, an American video game developer established in 1996, has its headquarters in Hawaii. Science of Identity Foundation, a new religious organization established in 1977, is based in Hawaii.

### Natural Disasters and Events
Hawaii has experienced significant natural events:
*   **Volcanic Eruptions:** The 2018 Hawaiʻi volcanic eruption and the 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa.
*   **Earthquakes:** The 1868 Hawaii earthquake, the largest recorded earthquake in Hawaiian history, and the 2018 Hawaii earthquake (6.9-magnitude).
*   **Wildfires:** The 2023 Hawaii wildfires.

### Related Entities
Hawaii is related to several other entities:
*   **Places:** Honolulu, the capital city of Hawaii. Kahoolawe, an island in Maui County. Kapaʻa, an unincorporated census-designated place in Kauaʻi County. Sand Island, an island in Honolulu.
*   **Languages:** English, a West Germanic language, is also spoken.
*   **Historical Figures:** Hawaiʻiloa, a legendary settler of the island of Hawai'i.
*   **Concepts:** Hawaiki, a mythical Polynesian island.
*   **Products/Companies:** VeriFone, a business enterprise with headquarters in Hawaii. USS Hawaii, a Virginia-class submarine. Toast Hawaii, a German open sandwich.
*   **Other:** Inha University in South Korea, and Owyhee County in Idaho, United States, share a linguistic connection in their names.

## References

1. archINFORM
2. 1950 Constitution of the State of Hawaii
3. [Source](http://viaf.org/viaf/data/viaf-20170101-links.txt.gz)
4. BnF authorities
5. Virtual International Authority File
6. Geographic Names Information System
7. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
8. FIPS 10-4
9. MusicBrainz
10. [Hawaii QuickFacts](http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/15000.html)
11. [2010 United States Census](https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0100000US%241600000&y=2010&d=DEC%20Redistricting%20Data%20%28PL%2094-171%29)
12. [Population Estimates Program](https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest.html)
13. [Source](https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/HI)
14. [2020 United States Census](https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?t=Populations%20and%20People&g=0100000US,%241600000&y=2020)
15. Encyclopædia Britannica Online
16. [2016–2020 American Community Survey](https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?d=ACS%205-Year%20Estimates%20Detailed%20Tables)
17. GeoNames
18. BBC Things
19. Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names
20. BabelNet
21. UMLS 2023
22. United States Summary: 2010, Population and Housing Unit Counts, 2000 Census of Population and Housing
23. [Source](https://www.tripadvisor.com.br/Tourism-g28932-Hawaii-Vacations.html)
24. Quora
25. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions
26. Google Maps
27. [2016–2020 American Community Survey](https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?t=Income%20and%20Poverty&g=0100000US,%241600000&tid=ACSST5Y2020.S1902)
28. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)
29. Mindat.org
30. [Source](https://www.minimum-wage.org/wage-by-state)
31. [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/places/inaturalist-places.csv.zip)
32. CC 6
33. Name Suggestion Index
34. KBpedia
35. [Source](https://github.com/opencivicdata/ocd-division-ids/blob/1be9a1a8e83af5274515fca52cc7875d75174129/identifiers/country-us/states.csv)
36. Bibliography of the History of the Czech Lands
37. museum-digital
38. Best Hawaii Posts - Reddit. Reddit