HAWAII POSTAL HISTORY PM 1908 HONOLULU Gathering Cocoanuts

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HAWAII POSTAL HISTORY PM 1908 HONOLULU Gathering Cocoanuts
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Hawaii
(
/
h
ə
ˈ
w
aɪ
.
i
/
(
listen
)
hə-
WY
-ee
;
Hawaiian
:
Hawaiʻi
[həˈvɐjʔi]
or
[həˈwɐjʔi]
) is a
state
in the
Western
United States
located in the
Pacific Ocean
about 2,000 miles (3,200 km) from the U.S. mainland. It is the only state outside
North America
, the only state
composed entirely of islands
, and the only state in the
tropics
. Hawaii is also one of a few U.S. states to have once been an independent nation.
[11]
[12]
Hawaii comprises
nearly
the entire
Hawaiian archipelago
, 137
volcanic islands
spanning 1,500 miles (2,400 km) that are
physiographically
and
ethnologically
part of the
Polynesian
subregion of
Oceania
.
[13]
The state's ocean coastline is consequently the
fourth longest in the U.S
., at about 750 miles (1,210 km).
[b]
The eight main islands, from northwest to southeast, are
Niʻihau
,
Kauaʻi
,
Oʻahu
,
Molokaʻi
,
Lānaʻi
,
Kahoʻolawe
,
Maui
, and
Hawaiʻi
, after which the state is named; it is often called the "Big Island" or "Hawaii Island" to avoid confusion with the state or archipelago. The uninhabited
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
make up most of the
Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument
, the nation's
largest protected area
and the
third largest
in the world.
Settled by
Polynesians
some time between 124 and 1120, Hawaii was home to numerous independent chiefdoms. In 1778, British explorer
James Cook
was the first known non-Polynesian to arrive at the archipelago; early British influence is reflected in the
state flag
, which bears a
Union Jack
. An influx of European and American explorers, traders, and whalers arrived shortly thereafter, introducing diseases that decimated the once isolated indigenous community. Hawaii became a unified, internationally recognized
kingdom
in 1810, remaining independent until
Western businessmen overthrew
the monarchy in 1893; this led to
annexation by the U.S.
in 1898. As a strategically valuable
U.S. territory
, Hawaii was
attacked by Japan
on December 7, 1941, which brought it global and historical significance, and contributed to America's decisive entry into World War II. Hawaii is the most recent state to
join the union
, on August 21, 1959.
[14]
In 1993, the U.S. government
formally apologized
for its role in the overthrow of Hawaii's government, which spurred the
Hawaiian sovereignty movement
.
Of the 50
U.S. states
, Hawaii is the
eighth-smallest in area
and the
11th-least populous
, but with 1.4
million residents ranks
13th in population density
. Two-thirds of the population lives on O'ahu, home to the state's capital and largest city,
Honolulu
. Hawaii is among the country's most diverse states, owing to its central location in the Pacific and over two centuries of migration. As one of only six
majority-minority states
, it has the nation's only
Asian American
plurality, its largest
Buddhist community
,
[15]
and the largest proportion of
multiracial people
.
[16]
Consequently, it is a unique
melting pot
of
Southeast Asian
,
East Asian
and
North American
cultures, in addition to its
indigenous Hawaiian
heritage.
Historically dominated by
a plantation economy
, Hawaii remains a major agricultural exporter due to its fertile soil and uniquely tropical climate in the U.S. Its economy has gradually diversified since the mid-20th century, with tourism and military defense becoming the two largest sectors. The state attracts tourists, surfers, and scientists from around the world with its diverse natural scenery, warm tropical climate, abundance of public beaches, oceanic surroundings, active volcanoes, and clear skies on the Big Island. Hawaii hosts the
U.S. Pacific Fleet
, the world's largest naval command, as well as 75,000 employees of the Defense Department.
[17]
Although its relative isolation results in one of the nation's highest
costs of living
, Hawaii is the third-wealthiest state.
[17]
Honolulu performs well in several
world livability indexes
, ranking 22nd out of 140 cities worldwide in the 2019 Global Liveability Index, more than any American city.
[18]
Several
notable American celebrities were born and raised in Hawaii
, most notably
Barack Obama
, the 44th president of the U.S., who was a
Honolulu native
.
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