Hawaii - The Aloha State

Capital City:

Honolulu

Nickname:

Aloha State / Paradise of the Pacific

Motto:

Ua mau ke ea o ka aina I ka pono (The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.)

Statehood:

August 21, 1959 (50th)

Origin of State's Name:

Possibly based on native Hawaiian word for homeland, "Owhyhee."

Largest Cities:

Honolulu, Hilo, Kailua, Kaneohe, Pearl City

Border States:

None

Land Area:

6,423 sq. mi.; 47th largest

State Bird:

Nene (Hawaiian goose)

State Flower:

Pua Aloalo (hibiscus brackenridgei)

State Tree:

Kukui - Candlenut (aleurites moluccana)

State Song:

Hawaii Ponoi - Hawaii's Own

Known as the "Aloha State" (in Hawaiian, "aloha" means "hello"), Hawaii is a group of volcanic islands in the central Pacific Ocean that together became the 50th state in 1959. The state's name is possibly derived from a native Hawaiian word for homeland, hawaiki or owhyhee. Today, Hawaii, whose capital is Honolulu, is often called the "Crossroads of the Pacific" and is a popular vacation spot. The colorful hibiscus is the state flower.