HAWAIʻI

Hawaiʻi is the 50th state to have joined the United States, having received statehood on August 21, 1959. Hawaiʻi is the only U.S. state located in Oceania, the only U.S. state located outside North America, and the only one composed entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean.

Although Hawaiʻi is a U.S. state, to some people it feels like another country.  Hawaiʻi's culture is strongly influenced by North American and East Asian cultures, in addition to its indigenous Hawaiian culture. Hawaiʻi has over a million permanent residents, along with many visitors and U.S. military personnel.

Hawaiʻi is an isolated volcanic archipelago in the Central Pacific. Its islands are renowned for their rough cliffs, waterfalls, tropical foliage and beaches with gold, red, black and even green sands. Hawaiʻi's diverse natural scenery, warm tropical climate, abundance of public beaches, oceanic surroundings, and active volcanoes make it a popular destination for tourists, surfers, biologists, and volcanologists.