Fun Facts

Hawaii Facts

STATEHOOD - The 50th state Aug. 21, 1959
CAPITAL - Honolulu
STATE MOTTO - The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.
ORIGIN OF STATE NAME - The name is taken from the island of Hawaii and is a Polynesian word of uncertain origin.
STATE NICKNAME - The Aloha State (Aloha is a common Hawaiian greeting and means both hello and good-bye)
NICKNAME FOR RESIDENTS - Hawaiians
TOTAL POPULATION - 41st among states. 1990 census: 1,108,229 1997 estimate: 1,186,602 Change 1990-97: 7.1 percent
POPULATION DENSITY - 171.6 people per square mile
DISTRIBUTION - 89 percent urban, 11 percent rural
ECONOMY - Gross domestic product $36.7 billion (1994) Personal income per capita $21,776 (1996)
LARGEST CITIES - (1990) Honolulu: 365,272 Hilo: 37,808
STATE BIRD - Nene, the Hawaiian Goose
STATE FLOWER - Yellow Hibiscus
STATE TREE - Kukui or candlenut tree
STATE MARINE MAMMAL - Humpback Whale

Did you know?.....

The Hawaiian alphabet only has 12 letters.
In 1813, the first pineapple was introduced from Spain.
Hawaii does not observe Daylight Savings Time.
Jawaiian music is a mix of Reggae and Hawaiian sounds.
Coffee was first planted in 1817.
Honolulu means "sheltered bay".
Diamond Head is known by the Hawaiians as Leahi because its profile resembles the brow of the ahi or tuna fish.
1892 was the first year that macadamia nuts were planted.
One hundred years ago, Waikiki was mostly swamp and duck farms.
In 1953, the first bikinis were seen on Waikiki Beach.
Oahu is pronounced OH-aw-hoo.
Eighty percent of Hawaii's population lives on Oahu.
The entire island of Oahu is part of the City and County of Honolulu.
F.D. Roosevelt was the first president to visit Hawaii in 1934.
Hawaii Five-O began in 1969 and Magnum P.I. started in 1980.
You must apply for a camping permit no more than 30 days in advance on Oahu, up to one year in advance for other islands.
The first round of golf was played in a cow pasture in the 1890's.
You can have your blood pressure tested for free at any Honolulu fire station.
Hawaii's people are among the most healthiest in the world.
Driver's in Hawaii rarely honk their horn because they think it's rude.
Billboards are prohibited.
An expired parking meter ticket will cost twenty five dollars.
Snakes are not allowed to enter Hawaii.
More than 265,000 people ride the bus daily.
You can ride around the entire island for one dollar on the bus.
In addition to a 4 percent sales tax, the residents pay a state tax of 32.5 cents per gallon of gasoline, almost 6 dollars per gallon of whiskey, 54 cents per gallon of draft beer, 93 cents per gallon on other beers, and 4 cents per cigarette.
Every Friday in Honolulu is Aloha Friday.
Ninety eight percent of homes do not have heating equipment.
About 20 percent of home have air-conditioning.
Forty five percent of Oahu is unbuildable due to slopes greater than 20 percent.
A person who is newcomer is known as a malihini (MAL-li-hee-knee).
A person that has lived here for a long period of time is known as a kama'aina (KA-ma-eye-nah).
Waterfalls on the eastern side go up instead of down when the trade winds are blowing just right.