Honolulu

Honolulu
State capital city
City and County of Honolulu
Honolulu skyline
ʻIolani Palace
Aerial view of Pearl Harbor
Waikiki
Statue of Kamehameha I at Aliʻiōlani Hale
Diamond Head
Clockwise from top: downtown; Pearl Harbor; statue of King Kamehameha I in front of Aliʻiolani Hale downtown; Diamond Head; waterfront on Waikīkī Beach; and ʻIolani Palace
Flag of Honolulu
Flag
Official seal of Honolulu
Seal
Nickname(s): 
Crossroads of the Pacific, Sheltered Bay, HNL, The Big Pineapple, Paradise
Motto: 
Haʻaheo No ʻO Honolulu (The Pride of Honolulu)
Urban Honolulu and East Honolulu CDPs (combined) in Honolulu County and the state of Hawaii
Urban Honolulu and East Honolulu CDPs (combined) in Honolulu County and the state of Hawaii
Interactive map of Honolulu
Coordinates: 21°18′25″N 157°51′30″W / 21.30694°N 157.85833°W / 21.30694; -157.85833
CountryUnited States
StateHawaii
CountyHonolulu
IncorporatedApril 30, 1907; 119 years ago (1907-04-30)
Area
 • City68.4 sq mi (177.2 km2)
 • Land60.5 sq mi (156.7 km2)
 • Water7.9 sq mi (20.5 km2)
 • Urban
145.0 sq mi (375.5 km2)
Elevation
16 ft (5 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • City350,964 (US: 56th)
 • Density5,791/sq mi (2,236.1/km2)
 • Urban
853,252 (US: 54th)
 • Urban density5,885/sq mi (2,272.4/km2)
 • Metro
1,016,508 (US: 54th)
DemonymHonolulan
Time zoneUTC−10:00 (Hawaiian (HST))
ZIP Codes
96801–96850
Area code808
FIPS code15-17000
GNIS feature ID366212
Websitewww.honolulu.gov

Honolulu Honoluluⓘ is the capital city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. It is also the largest city in Hawaii and it has the most important harbor. It is on the south-east shore of the island of Oahu.

Situated in the Pacific Ocean, Honolulu is the United States' westernmost and southernmost major city and state capital. The closest location in mainland U.S. is the Point Arena Lighthouse in northern California, at 2,045 nautical miles (2,353 mi; 3,787 km). The closest major city is San Francisco, California, at 2,083 nautical miles (2,397 mi; 3,858 km).

Etymology

The city's name means "sheltered harbor" in the Hawaiian language. No one knows for sure when Honolulu was first settled or when the name was first used.

History

Honolulu harbor was called Kulolia before foreigners came. The first foreigner was Captain William Brown of the English ship Butterworth, in 1794. He named the harbor Fair Haven. Other foreign captains started calling it Brown's Harbor. The name Honolulu was used some time after that.

Honolulu quickly became the most important harbor of Hawaii. At that time, sandalwood was a big export. Honolulu was also an important supply point for whalers.

Kamehameha III made Honolulu the capital city of the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1850. It was also the capital of the Republic of Hawaii and the Territory of Hawaii. It stayed the capital when Hawaii became a state in 1959.

Notable people

References

  1. ↑ Honolulu And Kapolei Share City Lights 2005, Honolulu, HI, US: Honolulu County, Hawaii, November 29, 2005, archived from the original on November 5, 2013, retrieved June 30, 2012
  2. ↑ "About the City, Official Website of the City and County of Honolulu". City and County of Honolulu. April 24, 2012. Archived from the original on October 12, 2004. Retrieved April 24, 2012.
  3. ↑ "Geographic Ientifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Urban Honolulu CDP, Hawaii". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Honolulu". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved December 29, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Urban Honolulu, Hawaii". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  6. ↑ "2020 Population and Housing State Data". United States Census Bureau, Population Division. August 12, 2021. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Honolulu". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved December 29, 2013.