Geography of Hawaii

Hawaii seen from space

Photo credit: NASA

Hawaii – the longest and most isolated archipelago in the world

Did you know that Hawaii is the most remote island chain in the world? In fact, the Hawaiian archipelago is located in the Central Pacific Ocean, 2,390 miles (3,850 km) from California and 3,850 miles (6,195 km) from Japan. Hawaii is the furthest from any landmass in the world.

Formerly known as the Sandwich Islands, the Hawaiian Islands span the distance of 1,523 miles (2,451 km) from the Big Island of Hawaii in the southeast to the Kure Atoll in the northwest. This makes Hawaii the world's longest island chain.

The state of Hawaii is named after the largest of the islands, located in the south of the archipelago. The eight main Hawaiian Islands are Oahu, with the state capital of Honolulu, Hawaii (Big Island), Maui, Kauai, Molokai, Lanai, Niihau und Kahoolawe. They are located at the southeastern end of the island chain. Toward the northwest, there are 124 more uninhabited islands, reefs, shoals and atolls that are collectively known as the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

Hawaii's location in the world

Formed by undersea volcanoes

All of the Hawaiian Islands were formed by volcanic activity, which means that the islands are actually the tips of huge mountains underneath the ocean that were born from gigantic eruptions. Starting from northwest and going down to the southeast, each volcano is progressively younger. The oldest one in the northwest of the island chain was formed about 80 million years ago. The volcanoes on the southernmost island, the Big Island of Hawaii, are still active today and the creation of new land can be witnessed there on many days of the year.

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Some numbers

The highest mountains are located on the Big Island. Mauna Kea rises 13,796 feet (4,205 m) and Mauna Loa 13,679 feet (4,169 m) above sea level. The mean elevation of the state of Hawaii is 3,030 feet (923 m) above sea level.

Hawaii is the 43rd largest of the 50 states in the USA ahead of Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts.

Hawaii's total land area is 6,422.63 square miles (16,634.53 km²). Hawaii's total coastline is 750 miles (1,207 km). Hawaii doesn't have many rivers, but the longest river is the Kaukonahua Stream on Oahu, measuring 33 miles (53 km) in length. Although Hawaii doesn't have many rivers, the Islands are home of many waterfalls. The highest waterfall is Kahiwa, a 1,750-foot (533 m) cascade on Molokai.

Hawaii's location on planet Earth: 21°18'41°N 157°47'47°W

• Big Island of Hawaii: 4,028.42 square miles (10,433.55 km²)
• Maui: 771.99 square miles (1,999.45 km²)
• Oahu: 597.64 square miles (1,547.88 km²)
• Kauai: 552.35 square miles (1,430.59 km²)
• Molokai: 260.46 square miles (674.58 km²)
• Lanai: 141.07 square miles (365.36 km²)
• Niihau: 67.60 square miles (175.09 km²)
• Kahoolawe: 44.60 square miles (115.50 km²)

Comparison of islands by size

This graphic shows how big Hawaii's Big Island is. The land areas of the islands of Maui, Oahu, Kauai, Molokai, Lanai, Niihau and Kahoolawe all fit into the Big Island's land area and there is still room. The map is an approximate and is not to scale. But it gives you an idea of the islands' approximate size in relation to each other.

Elevations of major Hawaii summits