Hawai'i — The Land of Aloha

INTERESTING FACTS:  Hawai'i is known for originating the aloha spirit, creating a warm environment for the international melting pot that exists in these islands. It's also famous as the home of hula, a dance of graceful hand movements and gestures—not to be mistaken for the fast hip-shaking dance of Tahiti.

LOCATION:  2,390 miles from California, 3,850 miles from Japan, 4,900 miles from China and 5,280 miles from the Philippines — Hawai'i is the most isolated population center on the face of the earth.

AREA:  Eight main islands. Total area: 6,459 square miles.

POPULATION:  about 1,200,000

DISCOVERED:  Captain James Cook landed in 1787. Hawai'i soon became a popular port of call for whalers and ships crossing the northern pacific.

GOVERNMENT:  Earlier in its history, Hawai'i had been a kingdom, a constitutional monarchy, a republic and a U.S. territory. Hawai'i officially became the 50th state of the United States of America on August 21, 1959.

LANGUAGES:  English and Hawai'ian (official), and other Asian and Polynesian languages