HAWAII(Chapter 18)

E. J. PALKA

Introduction

• Should Hawaii be included within North America?– One of the fifty states– Cultural, historical, and economic ties with the mainland– Strategic location

• A distinct entity – Physical separation from the continent – Relative isolation– Distinctiveness of physical and cultural landscapes– Distinct flora and fauna

Hawaii

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Geology Visible portion of a series of massive volcanoes Mauna Kea, on Hawaii (the “Big Island”), possibly

the world's tallest mountain Elevation is 4528 meters (13,784 feet), but the

mountain extends more than 5400 meters 18,000 feet below sea level.

Several active volcanoes, including Mauna Loa on the Big Island

Spectacular sea cliffs: northeast side of Molokai among the world's highest at 1150 meters (3600 feet) formed by wave action

Mauna Loa, Hawaii, the largest and one of the most active volcanoes on earth

Climate

Tropical location (entirely south of Tropic of Cancer)

Maritime influence dominant Temperatures

– Highest temperatures September and October

– Lowest temperatures early March– Minimal temperature ranges

Record high of 31° C (88° F) Record low of 13° C (57° F)

Climate: Precipitation

Stronger seasonal variation than temperature– Drier summer May to October– Moister winter October to April

Orographic rainfall– North and east sides of islands rainier– Greatest rainfall at low elevations– Kauai

Mount Waialeale about 1234 cm (486 inches) of rain each year (one of the wettest places in the world)

Waimea, 25 km (15 miles) away, less than 50 cm (20 inches) per year.

Plant and Animal Life Diverse plant and bird community

– Isolation– Tropical and temperate climate– Environmental variation, including arid areas

Several thousand plants and 66 birds found nowhere else

Primary threats– Human destruction– Introduction of alien plants and animals

Oahu

E. J. PALKA

Polynesians Settled the islands possibly 1500 years ago Possibly migrated by canoe from the

Marquesas Islands (4000 km/2500 miles southeast)

Second wave of immigrants 400-500 years later

Population at European discovery about 300,000

Early European Impact Captain James Cook (1778) first European to explore the

islands Way station for trade with East Asia Center of North Pacific–based whaling industry (early

1820s) New England missionaries Impacts on Native Hawaiian culture

– Disintegration of political and economic traditions– Upsetting of food gathering and distribution systems leading to

famine– Infectious diseases (measles, leprosy, smallpox, syphilis,

tuberculosis)– Population reduction from 150,000 (1804) to 75,000 (1850)– Intermarriage

Asians

• First sugar plantation 1837• Need for labor, declining numbers of Native

Hawaiians• Cheap, abundant labor from Asia

– First Chinese 1852– Japanese 1868– Filipinos 1906

• 1852-1930, some 400,000 agricultural laborers

Population Growth

• Pre-European population: about 300,000• 1876: 54,000• 1920s: 300,000• World War II: 400,000 service personnel

(temporarily population at 850,000)• 2006: 1,285,498• Immigration bringing higher population growth

than country in general• Concentration on Oahu—harbor at Honolulu

Hawaii’s Ethnic Diversity

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Ethnicity in Hawaii

• Greater integration than other parts of U.S.– No census tract with >40% Chinese– No census tract with >70% Japanese– Majority of Honolulu tracts with at least 10% of three

major groups—Caucasians, Japanese, Chinese• Success of Japanese and especially Chinese– High educational levels– High per capita incomes

• Lower levels of well-being– Native Hawaiians– Filipinos (later arrivals)

Hawaii in the United States

• Turbulent history after Cook’s explorations– Consolidation under Kamehameha (1785-1795)– Missionaries’ growing influence undermining

authority of Hawaiian rulers– Competing European efforts to fill power vacuum

• 1820s: French• 1843: Brief annexation by Britain

– Growing influence of American planters– Overthrow of Hawaiian rulers (1893)

• Annexation by United States (1898)• Statehood (1959)

Land Ownership

• One-half government owned—by state government

• Unusually large concentrations of land owned by a few major landholders: 95% of privately owned land in hands of 72 owners

• Small-unit ownership most common on Oahu• Lanai and Niihau almost all under one owner• Shortage of individual, small land parcels (e.g.,

for housing)• Most land leased

Agriculture

• Traditional crops– Sugar– Pineapples

• Decline in relative importance since World War II– Still produces substantial portion of world’s sugar– Pineapples declining

Federal Government

• Military– Strategic location– Headquarters of Pacific Command– Center of Pacific operations for all services– Major military bases

• Impact– Owns 25% of Oahu– Employees 25% of work force– Vulnerability to cutbacks

Tourism

• Perception as tropical paradise• First scheduled trans-Pacific flights in 1936, but

ships remained primary transportation to 1950s• Increased visitors– Larger aircraft– Economic growth on mainland

• Sources of tourists– Mainland U.S., especially West Coast– Asia, especially Japan

Tourism: A Mixed Blessing? Principal growth sector

– $11 billion to economy– 171,000 employees (22% of all jobs)

Problems– Congestion– Pollution– Decline in scenic beauty– Instability

Seasonal Subject to downturns in economy

– Inconvenience to natives

Transportation

• Entirely dependent on air transportation– Higher costs for everyday and luxury goods– Imports of food, energy, vehicles

• Agricultural exports $96 million annually

Honolulu

• Dominates Hawaii– 72% of residents– 80% of economy

• Crowded by mountains, ocean, federally held land

• High living costs• Congestion• Pollution

The Islands

• Oahu: Densely population and intensively used• Hawaii (the “Big Island”)– Dominated by five huge shield volcanoes– Large ranches– Sugar– Tourism

• Kauai– Heavily eroded into spectacular scenery– Heavy orographic precipitation– Lush vegetation

The Islands (continued)• Niihau

– Lee side of Kauai, therefore less rainy– Privately owned by Niihau Ranch Company

• Maui– Second largest island– Central lowlands with mountains east and west– Intensive tourist development

• Molokai– Half ranchland, half rugged mountains– Least economically developed

• Lanai and Kahoolawe– Lee of Maui and therefore dry– Pineapple production on Lanai– Kahoolawe formerly a bombing range for the military, now

returned to the state

A Paradise?

• Perception as a paradise• Problems– Cost of living– Unemployment

• Positive attributes– Racial and ethnic assimilation– Great scenic beauty– Environmental awareness