Aloha!

Seated in the center of the Pacific Ocean, Hawaii is the most isolated place to live on Earth. Thousands of years ago, underwater volcanic eruptions formed the Hawaiian Islands. The islands are actually projected tops of the largest underwater mountains in the world. The state is comprised of eight main islands nestled 2,390 miles from the coast of California. These islands include Ni'ihau, Kaua’i, O’ahu, Maui, Moloka’i, Lana’i, Kaho'olawe and the Big Island of Hawaii.

In 1900, Hawaii became an organized territory. It then joined the Union in August of 1959, making it the 50th state. There are approximately 1.2 million Hawaiian residents, with Honolulu being the largest city.

Mild temperatures produce pineapple, sugar cane, flowers and nursery plants as chief agricultural products. Over a third of the world's commercial pineapple production comes from Maui and Oahu. Hawaii is also the only U.S. state to grow coffee. More than 2,800 acres of coffee are planted each year, most notably coffee grown in Kona.

Known for exotic flowers, Hawaii gives each island a representative color and flower. Hawaii's state flower is the hibiscus, and the follow are each island's flower and color:

Ni'ihau - Pupu Shell - White
Kaua’i - Moki'hana (Green Berry) - Purple
O’ahu - Ilima - Yellow
Maui - Lokelani (Pink Cottage Rose) - Pink
Moloka’i - White Kukui Blossom - Green
Lana’i - Kaunaoa (Yellow and Orange Air Plant) - Orange
Kaho’olawe - Hinahina (Beach Heliotrope) - Grey
Big Island of Hawaii - Lehua Ohia - Red

The Hawaiian culture is like none other in the US. The alphabet consists of only twelve letters. The vowels are A,E,I,O,U, and the consonants are limited to H, K, L, M, N, P, W. Hawaii's population is so diverse that no racial or ethnical population is a majority. Caucasians and Japanese-Americans constitute nearly 70% of the population. However, racial identity is difficult to define because a majority of the population is that of mixed ethnicity.

Hawaii is an extraordinary America treasure. Steeped in rich culture, the Hawaiian population lives and breaths by the state motto Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka Aina I Ka Pono: “The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.”