The 50th state in the United States is made up of a chain of islands collectively known as Hawaii, but the largest of the islands in the string is also known as Hawaii which often causes some confusion. For a better differentiation, many simply call the island of Hawaii the big island. The Hawaii islands are actually the result of underground lava formation beginning in the base of the sea and building upwards until the magma extended above the depths of the Pacific Ocean.

There are eight inhabited islands in the string of the islands of Hawaii with many others tipping their faces out of the water, but they are not settled. Nihau, the north west-most island is the smallest of the populated island and the big island is situated to the furthermost southeast link in the string of the Hawaii islands. Oahu is home to the state capital Honolulu as well as there are many things to do in Hawaii for tourists, selected by former ruler King Kamehamea due to the proximity of the natural harbor, nowadays known as Honolulu Harbor.

Other lands in the Hawaii islands include Kauai, Molokai, Kahoulawe and Lanai and not to forget travelling to Maui. Between these islands transportation is possible by boat or air with the bigger islands having airports taking large commercial airplane and others smaller, commuter aircraft.

With the islands of Hawaii beginnings followed back to barren lava growth, it is hypothesized that plants and animals were brought to the islands by wind streams, in the water and by flying birds. When the first human inhabitants arrived for Polynesia in about 500 A.D., animals and plants had already seized the island and recent conservation methods have insured the continued growing and good home ground for the native species.

The islands of Hawaii got an important strategy for the U.S. Navy and Air Force, still before the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. While still home to U.S. military bases, which provide a large population with civilian job opportunities, it also features the monuments for the soldiers who perished during the attack.

The population of Hawaii islands has grown tremendously, particularly since getting a state in 1959, as the nose count in 1910 registered a population of about 154,000. Habitants have increased to over 1.2 million in 2000. Hawaii vacation tours are a getaway to the only U.S. state completely surrounded by the ocean and is situated nearly 1,500 miles away from mainland at the Pacific coast of California.