Hawaiian Islands

The Hawaiian Islands, once known as the Sandwich Islands, form an archipelago of nineteen islands and atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts trending northwest by southeast in the North Pacific Ocean between latitudes 19° N and 29° N. The archipelago takes its name from the largest island in the group and extends some 1500 miles (2400 km) from the Island of Hawai‘i in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll. The archipelago represents the exposed peaks of a great undersea mountain range known as the Hawaiian-Emperor seamount chain, formed by volcanic activity over a hotspot in the earth's mantle. At about 3,000 km (1,860 miles) from the nearest continent, the Hawaiian Island archipelago is the most isolated grouping of islands on Earth (Macdonald, Abbott, and Peterson, 1984).

Islands and reefs of the Hawaiian archipelago

A total of 19 islands and atolls comprise the Hawaiian Islands, with a total land area of 16,636 km2 (6,423.4 square miles).

Related Topics:
16,636 - Km²

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The eight main Hawaiian islands (all inhabited except for Kaho‘olawe) are, listed here from south to north:

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• Hawai‘i (also known as the Big Island)
• Maui
• Kaho‘olawe (uninhabited; temporary residential facilities)
• Lāna‘i
• Moloka‘i
• O‘ahu
• Kaua‘i
• Ni‘ihau

Smaller islands, atolls, and reefs (beyond Ni‘ihau and all uninhabited); called the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands:

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• Ka?ula
• Nihoa
• Necker (Mokumanamana)
• French Frigate Shoals (Mokupāpapa)
• Gardner Pinnacles (Pūhāhonu)
• Maro Reef (Nalukakala)
• Laysan (Kauō)
• Lisianski (Papa?āpoho)
• Pearl and Hermes Reef (Holoikauaua)
• Midway (Pihemanu) (temporary residential facilities)
• Kure (Kānemiloha?i)

Islets

Some information sources state that there are 137 "islands" in the Hawaiian chain. This number includes all minor islands and islets offshore of the main islands (listed above) and individual islets in each atoll. (Hawai‘i state government, undated). Following is a list of islets and small offshore islands that make up the total count beyond 19:

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• Ford Island (Moku‘ume‘ume)
• Kaohikaipu
• Manana Island
• Mōkōlea Rock
• Nā Mokulua
• Molokini

Except for Midway, which is an unincorporated territory of the United States, these islands and islets are administered as the State of Hawaii — the 50th state of the United States of America.

Related Topics:
Midway - State of Hawaii - United States of America

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