Hawaii is one of the most beautiful places on earth, with breathtaking landscapes, exotic flora and fauna, and rich cultural history and this makes it one of the top tourist destinations in the world.
Even if you don’t you might have wondered what are some interesting facts about Hawaii and today, we will answer this question and share with you some very interesting facts about this beautiful Aloha State, which is nothing short of paradise on earth.
1. Hawaii is the Only U.S. State Composed Entirely of Islands
Those who are well versed in geography know that there are only two states that are not directly connected to the mainland USA. One is the state of Alaska and the other is Hawaii, but did you know that Hawaii is the only state, that is composed entirely of Islands?
Yes, the first fact on our list of interesting facts about Hawaii is that it is an archipelago consisting of 137 different islands that are spread over a 1,500-mile radius in the central Pacific Ocean. But that is not all as only 8 of these islands are inhabited and only the biggest of them is actually named Hawaii.
2. It’s Home to the World’s Most Active Volcano
While most people know Hawaii for its beaches and tropical climate, one of the most interesting facts about Hawaii is that it is home to the world’s most active volcano. In fact, it has five major volcanos and the most famous of them all is called Kilauea and is located on the big island.
The reason it is considered the most active volcano is that it has erupted nearly every year since 1983 till 2018. Then there is Mauna Loa another volcano that is not only still active but is also the largest on earth in terms of volume.
3. Hawaii Has Its Own Time Zone
Most people may not find this interesting enough to be on the list of interesting facts about Hawaii and it should not come as a surprise that Hawaii has its own time zone called Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (HAST) and it is ten hours behind the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC-10).
But what makes it both interesting and a fact is that unlike most other US states, Hawaii does not observe Daylight Saving Time. This is because it gets consistent sunrises and sunsets throughout the year thanks to its location and by not observing daylight savings, it is 2 hours behind the West Coast (Pacific Time) during winters and 3 hours behind during summers.
4. Hawaii is the Most Isolated Population Center on Earth
The Pacific Ocean is vast and considering that Hawaii is located deep in the Pacific Ocean, it should not come as a surprise that it is one of the most isolated population centers on Earth. But that is not what makes this one of the most interesting facts about Hawaii.
It is the unique flora and fauna that makes it both interesting and fact as being located so far from other major land masses, Hawaii has many plants and animals that cannot be found anywhere else and these include insects like the happy-face spider and the Hawaiian goose called Nene.
5. Hawaii Has a Unique and Ancient Culture
Last on the list of interesting facts about Hawaii is a fact about its unique culture and history. Being in the Pacific, Hawaii is deeply rooted in the Polynesian heritage, and unlike the mainland US where European culture is the dominant one, in Hawaii Polynesian culture is the most celebrated.
But it has not been an easy journey as the Hawaiian language despite being one of the two official languages of the state besides English did come near extinction. But thanks to the effort of the locals, it is being revitalized again and the spirit of the Aloha state flourishes.
Bonus Fact: Hawaii Was Once a Kingdom
If you were only seeking answers to the question of what are 5 interesting facts about Hawaii, then you should quit reading now. But if you are interested in knowing more crazy facts about Hawaii then continue, but be warned as this next fact might be painful for some.
Today Hawaii is a US state, but this was not always the case as up till 1893 it used to be an independent kingdom. It was King Kamehameha I who was its first ruler who unified the Islands in 1810 and formed the kingdom of Hawaii and it was Queen Liliʻuokalani who was the last ruler who was overthrown by American and European settlers in 1893.
But it wasn’t until 1898 that the United States annexed Hawaii and it wasn’t until 1959 that it was made the 50th official state despite its annexation and colonial history, the royal heritage is still celebrated by the locals to this day.
