State Symbols of Hawaii

By | Updated on January 21, 2023

Reviewed by Rittika

The only U.S. state in Oceania is Hawaii, which is situated in the Pacific Ocean approximately 2000 miles southwest of the United States mainland. It is the only U.S. state that is located geographically within the tropics, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state that is located outside of North America. The closest U.S. state to Hawaii is Alaska.

Hawaii is famously nicknamed the Aloha State. The Hawaiian word Aloha means both “hello” and “goodbye.” It is the eighth smallest, the eleventh least populous, and the thirteenth most densely populated state in the United States.

Hawaii is the only U.S. state that is entirely composed of islands. Honolulu is the capital and the largest city. 

The total area of the state is 10,970 (28,412 km), and the population, as recorded in the 2020 census, is 1,455,271.

Some of the major Hawaiian Islands include Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, Maui, and Hawaii. The last one, Hawaii, is by far the largest and is more commonly referred to as “The Big Island” in order to avoid confusion with the state as a whole. The island of Oahu is home to the majority of the state’s population.

A fun fact about Hawaii is its famous banyan tree located in the center of Lahaina. When it was planted in 1873, the Lahaina banyan tree stood eight feet tall, and it is currently the tallest banyan tree in the United States.

Polynesians arrived on the islands for the first time between 124 and 1120 AD. For at least 500 years, Hawaiian civilization was separated from the rest of the world.

Traditionally, a 1778 voyage under the command of British explorer James Cook is regarded as the first group of Europeans to reach the Hawaiian Islands. Within five years of Cook’s arrival, Kamehameha I, the ruler of the island of Hawaii, utilized European military technology to conquer and unite the islands for the first time, establishing the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1795. In 1810, Hawaii became a unified, internationally recognized kingdom, maintaining independence until 1893, when Western businessmen overthrew the monarchy. This resulted in annexation by the United States in 1898. On December 7, 1941, Japan attacked Hawaii, bringing it global and historical significance and contributing to America’s entry into World War II. On August 21, 1959, Hawaii was admitted as the 50th state of the Union.

Hawaii’s major economic sector is tourism. It generates more than $16 billion in income and accounts for nearly 21% of the state’s economy. The state receives approximately 9 million visitors every year.

The state bird of Hawaii is the Nene (Hawaiian goose), the state flower is the yellow Hibiscus, and the state’s official song is “Hawai’i Pono’i” which can be translated as “Hawaiʻi’s own true sons”.

The state’s motto is “Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka Aina I Ka Pono (The Life of the Land Is Perpetuated in Righteousness)”.

Hawaii is the only state in the U.S. that has two official languages; Hawaiian and English.

State Information

State seal

Motto of Hawaii

Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono-"The Life of the Land Is Perpetuated in Righteousness"

State symbols of Hawaii 👇

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  State capital
  Honolulu
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  State bird
  Nene
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  State flower
  Pua aloalo
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  State tree
  Kukui tree
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  State dance
  Hula
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  State reptile
  Gold dust day geckos
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  State insect
  Pulelehua
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  State vegetable
  Kalo Plant
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  State gemstone
  Black Coral
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  State animal
  Hawaiian monk seal
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  State dish
  Coconut muffin
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  State fish
  Humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa (Picasso triggerfish)

State location

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