Feature...
Hawaii...
by Doug Severs

1. The state of Hawaii consists of eight main islands: Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe and the Big Island of Hawaii.
2. Hawaii is the most isolated population center on the face of the earth. Hawaii is 2,390 miles from California; 3,850 miles from Japan; 4,900 miles from China; and 5,280 miles from the Philippines.
3. Hawaii is the only state that grows coffee.
4. More than one-third of the world's commercial supply of pineapples comes from Hawaii.
5. There are only 12 letters in the Hawaiian alphabet.
   Vowels: A, E, I, O, U
   Consonants: H, K, L, M, N, P, W
6. From east to west Hawaii is the widest state in the United States.
7. The Hawaiian Islands are the projecting tops of the biggest mountain range in the world.
8. Honolulu's zenith star, (the star that rises directly above it) is Arcturus. The Hawaiians called it Hokule'a. (Hoe koo lay uh.)
9. Under-sea volcanoes that erupted thousands of years ago formed the islands of Hawaii.
10. The Hawaiian Archipelago consists of over 130 scattered points of land stretching some 1,600 miles in length from the Kure Atoll in the north to the Island of Hawaii in the south.
11. The first Asian American in the United States Senate was Hawaii's Hiram Fong. Descended from Chinese immigrants, Fong was elected to the Senate in 1959.
12. Hawaii was the 50th state admitted to the union on August 20th, 1959.
13. Island flowers and colors used to represent each island.
           Niihau - Pupu Shell - White
           Kauai - Mokihana (Green Berry) - Purple
           Oahu - Ilima -Yellow
           Maui - Lokelani (Pink Cottage Rose) - Pink
           Molokai - White Kukui Blossom - Green
           Lanai - Kaunaoa (Yellow and Orange Air Plant) - Orange
           Kahoolawe - Hinahina (Beach Heliotrope) - Grey
           Big Island of Hawaii - Lehua Ohia - Red
    
14. Hawaii has its own time zone (Hawaiian Standard Time.) There is no daylight savings time.) The time runs two hours behind Pacific Standard Time and five hours behind Eastern Standard Time.
15. There are four counties in Hawaii (Kauai; city and county of Honolulu; Maui; and Hawaii). Each city has a mayor and council in charge.
16. All subterranean minerals belong to the state. Except for state owned water, some lava stone, and minor granites and semi-precious minerals, there are few underground minerals.
17. The wind blows east to west in Hawaii. The highest recorded temperature is 96' F (Honolulu Airport), but temperatures over 92' F generally occur only once or twice a year. The lowest temperature (under 3000 feet altitude) is 56' F. Temperatures under 60' F may occur but rarely more than once a year. Average daytime temp. (July) is 82' F. Average daytime temperature in January is 72' F.
18. There are no racial or ethnic majorities in Hawaii. Everyone is a minority. Caucasians (Haoles) constitute about 34%; Japanese-American about 32%; Filipino-American about 16% and Chinese-American about 5%. It is very difficult to determine racial identification as most of the population has some mixture of ethnicities.


ISLAND OF OAHU
19. Honolulu is the largest city in the world - at least it has the longest borders. According to the state constitution any island (or islet) not named as belonging to a county belongs to Honolulu. This makes all islands within the Hawaiian Archipelago, that stretch to Midway Island (1,500 miles northwest of Hawaii) part of Honolulu. Honolulu is about 1,500 miles long or more distance than halfway across the 48 contiguous states.
20. The Ala Wai Golf Course is Hawaii's first municipal course.
21. Honolulu is the nation's 11th largest metropolitan area.
22. More than 100 world-renowned beaches ring Honolulu.
23. Iolani Palace is the only royal palace in the United States.
24. The world's largest wind generator is on the island of Oahu. The windmill has two blades 400 feet long on the top of a tower twenty stories high.
25. The island of Oahu draws more visitors than any other to Hawaii. One-third of the state's best surfing beaches are on Oahu.