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Hawaii: State Flag, Bird and Facts

Hawaii's state bird is the nene, a Hawaiian goose, and its state flower is the Hawaiian hibiscus.

Capital
Honolulu
Nickname
The Aloha State
State bird
Nene (Hawaiian goose)
State flower
Hawaiian hibiscus (maʻo hau hele)
State tree
Candlenut tree (kukui)
Admitted
August 21, 1959
Population
1,455,271 (2020 census)
Motto
Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono
Region
West
Area
28,311 km² (10,931 sq mi)
Highest point
Mauna Kea (13,803 ft)

About Hawaii

Roughly 2,000 miles southwest of the mainland, Hawaii is the only state made entirely of islands. It has 137 volcanic islands spread over 1,500 miles of the Pacific, and eight main ones, from Niihau in the northwest to the Big Island in the southeast. No other state lies south of the Tropic of Cancer. Honolulu is the capital, and the official nickname is The Aloha State.

Before joining the United States, Hawaii was an independent kingdom. Its flag dates to 1845 and has eight horizontal stripes of white, red and blue, with the British Union Jack in the top left corner. That corner reflects ties between King Kamehameha I and the British Royal Navy, even though the kingdom never belonged to Britain. The design stayed through the end of the monarchy in 1893, annexation in 1898 and statehood in 1959.

Did you know?

  • Mauna Kea, at 13,803 feet, is the highest point in Hawaii.
  • Hawaii's state tree is the candlenut, known locally as kukui.
  • Hawaii's ocean coastline runs about 750 miles, the fourth longest of any state.

Questions about Hawaii

Why does the Hawaii flag have a Union Jack?

It honors the old ties between the Kingdom of Hawaii and the British Royal Navy, and the pro-British views of King Kamehameha I.

When did Hawaii become a state?

Hawaii was admitted on August 21, 1959.

Other West states

Sources

Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

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