Hawaii may have been named after the Hawaiian Loa, a legendary figure said to have first discovered the islands. Hawaii’s nickname, Aloha State, is no mystery: Aloha is the Hawaiian way of saying hello and goodbye.
History of the Hawaiian Islands Hawaii is located 2000 miles west of California. About 1500 years ago a group of canoes came ashore to some of the islands now known as Hawaii. These people – the first known inhabitants of the islands – traveled about 2,000 miles from the Marquesas Islands to get here. People from what is now Tahiti – over 2,500 miles away – followed 500 years later. These cultures brought their own traditions and over time created new traditions such as surfing, hula dancing and the exchange of flower garlands called leis. In 1810, Kamehameha became the first king of Hawaii. The islands continued to have royal rulers into the 1880s. In 1898, Hawaii became a US territory. It was named the 50th state in 1959, and to this day you can still visit the Iolani Palace, the only royal building in the United States.
Geography of Hawaii
According to itypetravel.com, Hawaii is the world’s largest island network and is the only state in the US that is made up entirely of islands. But only 7 of its 132 islands are inhabited: Hawaii (also known as the Big Island), Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Oahu, Kauai and Niihau. The Hawaiian Islands are volcanic islands. They formed when the earth’s crust, made up of giant rocky slabs called tectonic plates, moves over a particularly hot spot in the molten layer beneath the earth’s crust. The heat melts the rock that makes up the crust, turning it into magma. Then, when the magma erupts to the surface of the earth’s crust, it cools and forms new earth. The Earth’s crust is always moving a little, but the hotspot that produces the magma is not moving. Over time, as the crust moved, the hotspot remained, creating a series of volcanic islands. Hawaii’s most active volcano is Kilauea, and you can see it at the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island. Kilauea has been erupting for over 30 years, and each year its lava expands the Hawaiian Islands by more than 40 acres. Hawaii is known for its beautiful beaches – some of them with unusual colors. Many beaches are filled with white sand, but other Hawaiian beaches are covered in green, red, pink, and even black sand. Whether you love hiking, biking, kayaking, sailing, swimming, or just sitting on the beach, Hawaii is the place to be. Near the water, you can relax as the palm trees blow in the island breeze. Head to the center of one of the larger islands and you can hike through thick rainforests and admire stunning waterfalls. Don’t forget to dive in and snorkel off Hawaii’s coral reefs. In Hawaii, you can experience another environment: Mauna Loa’s dry lava is so similar to parts of the moon’s surface that astronauts once walked across it to practice for lunar travel. Mount Waialeale on Kauai is considered to be one of the rainiest places on earth, with an average of 384 inches of rain per year.
Wildlife of Hawaii
Although Hawaii has thousands of plants and animals, it has only one native land mammal: the Hawaiian gray bat. Other mammals of Hawaii, including the mongoose, rat, and feral pig, were brought to the islands by humans. Hawaii is teeming with native birds such as the pueo (also called the Hawaiian owl), noio (a type of tern), and Hawaii’s state bird, the nene (it’s related to the Canadian goose). The waters of Hawaii are home to marine life such as fur seals, turtles and sea lizard fish. Humpback whales visit the waters from December to May to mate, give birth and raise their calves. Thousands of species of trees grow on the islands, from perfumed magnolias and plumeria to omia fruit trees. Thousands of flowering plants grow there, including exotic orchids. The rich soil of Hawaii is considered one of the most important natural resources. Sugarcane, pineapples, coffee, macadamia nuts and flowers are all important sources of income for the state’s economy. Tourism is the main source of income for the state.
MIDWAY
Midway is a group of coral islands in the form of a ring surrounding the lagoon (atoll). It is located in the north Pacific Ocean, in the western group of the Hawaiian Islands. Owned by USA. See Hawaii cities.
Midway Atoll includes the large islands of Sand and Eastern and the small island of Spit, located between them. Midway is a former shield volcano, formed as a result of numerous eruptions of liquid lava. Weakly viscous basaltic magma spread far from the place of outpouring, as a result of which a thyroid-shaped island was formed. There are absolutely no mountains on the island, its highest point is 13 meters above sea level.
The islands were only discovered in 1859. The American Captain Brooks discovered them and gave them the name “Brooks Islands”. Since 1867, this territory has become wholly owned by the United States. Then the islands were called Midway, which means “middle of the road” in English. This means that the atoll is located halfway between the USA (California) and Japan.
The island was uninhabited until it was discovered by the Americans. The first inhabitants began to appear here in 1903, when a telegraph cable was laid across the Pacific Ocean. From 1935-1947, Midway served as a refueling point for intercontinental flights. In 1941, a United States naval base was built here, which lasted until 1993. From 4th to 6th June 1942, the Battle of Midway took place in the area of the islands. It was a major naval battle between Japan and the United States. America won a decisive victory, sinking 4 heavy Japanese aircraft carriers and 250 aircraft. After the defeat in this battle, the Japanese fleet forever lost the possibility of effective action in the Pacific during World War II. The film “Midway” is dedicated to these events.
Today, Midway Atoll is a US National Wildlife Refuge. However, in the event of an emergency landing of aircraft on the islands, one operated runway and fuel supply have been preserved.
Midway has no permanent population today. The islands are inhabited by 40 shift workers of the national reserve.
