Hawaii

Hawaii (Hawaiian: Hawaiʻi), officially the Kingdom of Hawaii (Hawaiian: Aupuni Mōʻī o Hawaiʻi), is an insular sovereign nation in northern Polynesia, in the center of the Pacific Ocean. It consists of an archipelago, comprising hundreds of islands spread over 2,400 kilometers: there are eight main islands, which are, from southeast to northwest, Hawai'i (the largest island for which the country was named and where the capital Honolulu stands), Maui, Kaho'olawe, Lānai, Moloka'i, O'ahu, Kaua'i and Ni'ihau. Hawaii was settled centuries ago by Polynesian travellers, and remained divided between numerous tribal chiefdoms for most of its history.

Hawaii is among the world's fastest developing countries: as the state is now fully centralized and tribal chiefdoms have been reduced to purely ceremonial entities, the economy and administration of the state are being rapidly modernized. Hawaii is however little industrialized, and most of the economy depends on fishing, agriculture, whaling and tourism.