The Geography of the Hawaiian Islands - 1381 Words

Mark Twain once described the Hawaiian Islands as â€Å"The loveliest fleet of islands that lies anchored in any ocean†. Hawaii is the most unique of the states of America. To further understand the geography of Hawaii, one must understand how Hawaii was formed, how Hawaii was populated, and understand what Hawaii came to be today. To begin, Hawaii is the longest chain of islands in the world. It was originally formed by a fissure more than 1600 miles long that lies along the floor of the Pacific Ocean that produced the Hawaiian ridge. Along the ridge then formed individual dorms that formed what we know today as the Hawaiian Islands (Webmaster). It is now over 3,300 kilometers long, made up of longs strings of islands and reefs (US†¦show more content†¦There became an inevitable influence of American plantations, but Hawaii knew if they lost their independence, they would be annexed by the United States (US Department of State). As the number of American plantations grew, their dissatisfaction with the Hawaiian government grew (US Department of State). Then in 1887, they forced the king to agree to an elected government ruled by the planters. Finally in 1893, the king was overthrown and the new government requested to be annexed by the United States right away (US Department of State). At first they refused, but then they were finally accepted as a territory in 1898 (US Department of State). Then after Alaska was accepted as a state, Hawaii was then added to the list of states for America. Hawaii is now seen as a major tourism spot, with more than 4.5 million people visiting the state every year (US Department of State). Americans and other citizens from neighboring countries flock to Hawaii for spring break, honeymoons, and business trips. But because of the current struggling economy, the major income for the state is declining at a shocking rate. Hawaii just suffered one of the worst winters as far as hotel occupancies, linked to tourism (Ma rtin). The rates were the lowest the have been in five years, dropping 75%, the lowest since the Persian Gulf War in 1991 (Martin). These problems are being increasingly influenced by the unwelcoming feelings towards business travel, especially with the recent problems withShow MoreRelated Hawaii Essay666 Words   |  3 Pages Hawaii: Paradise Island Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about the physical geography, history and culture of Hawaii. Central Idea: We will see that Hawaii is a special place, by looking at its physical geography, history, and culture. Introduction I.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;What comes to mind when you think of palm trees, beautiful beaches, luaus and hula dances? A.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Hawaii B.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The â€Å"Aloha† state.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Read MoreHawaii Weather: Peculiarities and Hazards Essay1311 Words   |  6 PagesAs a popular vacation destination, the Hawaiian islands are well known for their predictable and relatively mild weather year round. However, there are wide variations in the weather depending on the exact location in the island chain. Also, there are some unique hazards to aviation operations caused by Hawaii’s location and geography that one must become acquainted with before operating an aircraft in the 50th state. One can encounter trade winds and their associated weather, temperature inversionsRead MoreOutside Influence On The Hawaii1234 Words   |  5 Pagesindividuals come to take part in the temperate weather and beautiful beaches. However, Hawaii now is nothing like it use to be - the real history behind this popular chain of islands is rarely told to visitors. 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The system has the longest river in the North America andRead More Geography Essay2204 Words   |  9 Pages Introduction and Climate The state of Hawaii is composed of 132 islands, reefs and shoals that extend for over 1500 miles across the central North Pacific Ocean from the quot;Big Islandquot; of Hawaii to midway and Kure Atolls. The eight main islands of Hawaiian Archipelago include Hawaii, Maui, Oahu, Kauai, Molokai, Lanai, Nihau and Kahoolawe (listed in order of size) which extend for only 350 miles at the south-eastern end of the volcanic mountain chain. Hawaii includes some of the earth’sRead MoreKilauea and Mt St Helens Comparison804 Words   |  4 PagesGeography study on the differences Between the volcanoes MT st Helens and Kilauea Kilauea is a volcano in the Hawaiian Islands it is one of the five shield volcanoes in the Hawaiian language Kilauea means spewing or spreading. Mt St. Helens is an active stratovolcano in Washington it is named after British diplomat lord st Helens. There are many differences between the volcanoes for example the explosivity of the two volcanoes most recent eruptions are completely different Kilauea is almostRead MoreThe Eruption Of Kilauea Volcano2185 Words   |  9 PagesAbstract The home of Pele, the Hawaiian volcano goddess, Kilauea Volcano has been erupting for the last 30 years. Since January 3, 1983, the world has stopped to look at the lava flowing out of the crevices of the crater. However, despite the meaning of the name, Kilauea in Hawaiian (which translates to â€Å"spewing† or â€Å"much spreading†), many scientists are amazed that the volcano has a continuous flow (USGS 1,2,3). Nonetheless, as the East Rift Zone spreads, Kilauea has started overflowing; and the