Oahu

Hawaii

In the days when visitors to Hawaii arrived only by ocean liner, Oahu was Hawaii, a sleepy tropical paradise centered around Honolulu, Waikiki, and the timeless landmark of Diamond Head. Today, cosmopolitan Honolulu is the cultural hub of the Pacific, with world-class hotels and fine dining. You can take a leisurely drive around Oahu in a day, but getting to know the island takes time. Climb Diamond Head at daybreak to watch the city come to life, then head for Hanauma Bay to fin over the blue-green mosaic of reefs that make it the island's most popular snorkeling site. Travel the wave-wracked Halona coast (the island's most dramatic shore) to Sandy Beach. (No matter how much fun the bodysurfing looks there, leave it to the locals.) On another day, visit Pearl Harbor to see the Arizona Memorial and the Battleship Missouri, then drive up the Manoa Valley, behind Honolulu, to tour a tropical botanical gardens and take a rain forest hike to Manoa Falls. Spend a day at the famed North Shore, which has a surfing culture all its own, and sample a "plate lunch." For a midday dessert try a "shave ice," a deluxe Hawaiian version of a snow cone – but remember, at night in Honolulu you can taste your way through this culinary crossroads of the Pacific.

Oahu Highlights
Geography, attractions & interesting facts

From ancient stone heiau (temples) to 21st-Century high-rises, Oahu is an island of endless contrasts. Geographically only the third largest of the inhabited Hawaiian Islands, it is nonetheless home to nearly three-quarters of the state's 1.2 million residents — 370,000 of whom are concentrated in urban Honolulu, the ultra-modern, south-coast cityscape kama'aina (residents) refer to simply as "Town."

But take a 45-minute drive to "Country" — the famed surfing Mecca on the island's north shore — and you'll find sleepy Hale'iwa town (pop. 2,225) existing much as it has since it was established by missionaries in 1832.

Geography
Like the other islands, islets and shoals that make up the 1,600-mile Hawaiian Island chain, Oahu is believed to be the product of a single "hot spot" in the earth's mantle. Over the course of millions of years, the earth's crust drifted to the northwest across this hot spot, giving rise to each island. The bulk of Oahu was created nearly four million years ago, by two now-extinct shield volcanoes — the remains of which are today visible as the Ko'olau and Wai'anae mountain ranges, running parallel to each other along the length of the island's eastern and western coasts, respectively. As with the rest of the Hawaiian Islands, these mountain ranges separate the wetter windward shore from the drier leeward side, forcing rain clouds blown in off the ocean to leave their water on the east side of the island before gaining passage to the west.

Cultural Highlights

This island's many annual festivals fully illustrate Hawaii's famed ethnic diversity. Celebrations include:
• Chinese New Year (late January/early February)
• Honolulu Festival (March)
• We Are Samoa (May)
• King Kamehameha Day Floral Parade (June)
• Aloha Festivals (September)

Points of Interest
More recent volcanic activity also created several of Oahu's most visible landmarks: 761-foot-tall Diamond Head, located on Waikiki's eastern border, is a "tuff cone," formed some 100,000 years ago when an eruption of volcanic ash eventually hardened into solid rock. Southeast Oahu's Koko Head and downtown Honolulu's Punchbowl (the latter of which houses the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in its crater) are also tuff cones.

Oahu's political history is as varied as its geological past. It was on this island's southern shore, near present-day Waikiki, that Kamehameha the Great began a decisive battle in his campaign to unite the Hawaiian Islands for the first time, defeating the forces of Kalanikupule — then the high chief of Maui and Oahu — in the spring of 1795. It was in Honolulu, also, that a coalition of sugar planters and missionary descendants would overthrow the Hawaiian Monarchy in 1893. After Statehood was declared in 1959, Honolulu became the state capitol.

Basic Facts
• Oahu's largest city, Honolulu ("protected bay" in Hawaiian), is also the largest city in Hawai‘i, the county seat, the state capital, and the center of business and industry in the Islands

• The City and County of Honolulu encompasses the whole island of Oahu

• Oahu's size is said to be 607.7 square miles

• The island's highest point is the summit of Mt. Kaala in the Waianae Range (4,020 feet)

• Honolulu Harbor serves as the lifeline of all the Islands. Most of Hawaii's food and manufactured goods must be imported and distributed through this busy port

• Average temperatures on Oahu range from 68 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit, year-round. Coastal rainfall averages 23 inches per year.

• Oahu hosts several major festivals throughout the year, which fully illustrate Hawaii's famed ethnic diversity: Chinese New Year is celebrated on the lunar new year, usually in late January or early February; the Honolulu Festival, which celebrates Hawaii's ties with Japan, takes place in March; the week-long We Are Samoa celebration is in May; the King Kamehameha Day Floral Parade takes to the streets in June, and the month-long Aloha Festivals celebration kicks off in September.

• Oahu's official flower is the 'ilima

• The island's official color is yellow

Oahu Family Fun

In Hawaii, it’s evident that caring for keiki (children) is very important. On Oahu, there are a

variety of exciting activities designed specifically with kids and families in mind. Take a submarine ride and witness sunken ships, airliners and reef structures. Ride the thrilling waterslides at Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park. Get up close and personal with dolphins, sea turtles, stingrays, sharks, and moray eels at Sea Life Park. Spend the day at the Honolulu Zoo or Waikiki Aquarium and see animal and marine life like you’ve never seen anywhere else. Or explore 4,000-acres of fun at Kualoa Ranch by horse, ATV, helicopter, jet ski or kayak.
There are also plenty of other educational and cultural excursions for kids and families year-round, including nature walks, hikes, wildlife feedings, fishing, catamaran sails and more. Many hotels and condominiums also offer programs for kids that include activities such as lei and kite making, lauhala weaving, and sandcastle building. This is one family vacation where boredom is never a problem!

Oahu Adventures

The lure of adventure is strong, and nowhere in the world does it find greater expression than here in the Hawaiian Islands. Is hang-gliding your thing? Do you long to leap from the heights at Makapuu, and soaring high above the beach, make lazy circles for an afternoon? Perhaps you'd like the heart-pounding intensity of the big winter surf at Waimea. The beaches here offer far more than sunbathing and people watching. They’re ideal for all kinds of water sports including swimming, surfing, windsurfing, boogie boarding, snorkeling and fishing. Whether you’re looking for high adventure on the waves, a romantic spot to watch the sunset, or a protected swimming area for the kids, it’s sure to be nearby.

BIOLOGY Oahu has a wide variety of plant and animal life. Many species are rare and endangered including the Nene Goose (the official state bird) and the Humpback Whale (the official state marine mammal). Vegetation zones include: coastal, dryland forest, mixed open forest, rain forest.

CLIMATE Like most of the Hawaiian Islands, Oahu has only two seasons: "summer" between May and October and "winter" between October and April. Depending upon locale:

average temperature ranges from 69.4 - 80.6 (°F)
Waikiki average temperature:
- Jan.-Feb. 71.9 (°F)
- Aug.-Sept. 80.6 (°F)
average annual rainfall ranges from 20 inches in the Waianae area to 158 inches in Upper Manoa Valley.

CULTURAL HISTORY Oahu is a multi-cultural society with major immigration from:

Polynesia - 700 A.D.
United States - 1820
China - 1852
Japan - 1868
Portugal - 1878
Puerto Rico - 1900
Korea - 1903
Philippines - 1906

ECONOMY Healthy In 2006! Key indicators are positive for continuing growth in the second half of this decade. However, Hawaii's cost of living is among the highest in the nation and its 2004 per capita personal income below average. In fact, sources indicate a cost of living ranging from 30% above the national average to over 60% depending upon family size and circumstances.

2005 Visitor Arrivals to the State totaled 7.4 million (a record)
2005 Gross State Product was $54 billion

Major contributions to the State of Hawaii's economy include:

Visitor Expenditures: $11.8 billion (2005) - an all-time high*
Federal Defense Spending: $4.8 billion (2003)
Construction (Private Building Permits): $3.5 billion (2005)

* Visitor Expenditure figures are deceptive, since a certain percentage of tourism dollars do not remain in the Islands, but are returned to overseas investors.

With the demise of its sugar and pineapple industries in the 1990's, Hawaii is working to diversify its economy with a focus on industries such as science and technology, health and wellness tourism, diversified agriculture, ocean research and development, and film and television production. A Study currently being conducted by the State is looking at the extent to which the benefits from tourism can be maintained, while sustaining the quality of our social, economic and environmental assets.

EDUCATION Honolulu City and County (includes the entire Island):

K-12 students in public schools (2004): 122,950 (excluding Special & Charter Schools)
Number of Public schools (2005): 180
Number of Private schools (2005): 85

In 2004, there were 20,549 students enrolled at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and an additional 834 students enrolled at the University of Hawaii - West Oahu Campus. In addition, a total of 19,345 students were enrolled at the four Community Colleges on Oahu that are part of the University of Hawaii system.⁸Other higher education facilities on Oahu include Brigham Young University - Hawaii, Chaminade University and Hawaii Pacific University.

GEOGRAPHY Oahu has an area of 607.7 square miles with 112 miles of coastline (44 miles long by 30 miles wide). Oahu is:

located in Polynesia, near the center of the Pacific Ocean
just below the Tropic of Cancer
one of the most remote spots on Earth
2,390 miles west of San Francisco, California
the third largest of the 8 main Hawaiian islands

GEOLOGY    Oahu (the second oldest island in the Hawaiian chain) is made up of two volcanoes: the Waianae and the Koolau Mountains. Years ago, lava flows from both joined to create the Leilehua Plateau.

GOVERNMENT    On Oahu, as throughout the State, there are no separate municipal governments. The City and County of Honolulu is administered as a single entity by a mayor and a nine-member council, elected for four-year terms. Honolulu is both the State Capital and seat of the County Government.

HEALTH    Practices (2004): 2,697 doctors, 766 dentists, 7,926 nurses and 705 pharmacists.

OFFICIAL COLOR AND FLOWER    The official color is yellow and the official flower is the ilima.

POPULATION    Oahu:

had a resident population of 899,593 in 2004 (71% of the State's total population on 9.2% of its land).
In 2004, there were 102,680 military personnel (Armed Forces plus military dependants) in Hawaii. Most of them were based on Oahu.

In 2004, Oahu's ethnic groups roughly broke down as follows:

    Unmixed (except Hawaiian): 538,692 (61.6%)
  Caucasian - 178,050 (20.4%)
  Japanese - 159,767 (18.2%)
  Filipino - 119,237 (13.6%)
  Chinese - 45,410 (5.2%)
  Black - 11,021 (1.3%)
  Korean - 9,000 (1.0%)
  Samoan/Tongan - 16,206 (1.9%)
Mixed (except Hawaiian) - 165,051 (18.9%)
Hawaiian/Part Hawaiian - 169,964 (19.5%)

TOURISM    Oahu had approximately 4.8 million visitors in 2005.

Oahu Culture and History

Oahu’s rich cultural heritage may be something you seek out, but you’ll most certainly find it without even trying. There are several ways to soak up Oahu’s colorful history. Museums, temples, cultural centers and festivals just to name a few. Historical artifacts can be found at both the Bishop Museum and Iolani Palace, home to the last reining monarch, Queen Liliuokalani. Take in turn-of-the-century architecture with a stroll through Chinatown, or ride the trolley through Waikiki and you’ll see historical hotels such as the Sheraton Moana Surfrider and the Royal Hawaiian Hotel made famous in the early 1900’s.

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