There are actually over 100 islands in Hawaii, including the Leeward archipelago that extends for a thousand miles toward Midway; but most people think of Hawaii as the six major inhabited islands: Hawaii, Maui, Lanai, Molokai, Oahu, Kauai (plus the privately-owned island of Niihau, 20 miles off the west coast of Kauai, with its small population). The land mass of approximately 6,400 square miles rises from sea level to the snow-capped peaks (during the winter) of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa on the Big Island — both over 13,000 feet in elevation. By the way, most of the Leeward islands are coral atolls that have been included in a fish and wildlife conservation district: Travel there is restricted.
Since King Kamehameha moved his capital from Kailua-Kona to Honolulu almost 200 years ago, Oahu — the third largest island in land mass — has been the center of government and commerce. Over 80% of the Aloha State's population lives on Oahu, and the Polynesian Cultural Center is located about an hour's drive from the famous Waikiki Beach.
Hawaii is the only major part of Polynesia that is north of the equator. Our tropical climate means temperatures at sea level rarely rise above 90° (F) in the summer and seldom drop below 70° (F) at night, even in the winter. The islands are also graced most days by gentle trade winds.
