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.

City and County of Honolulu
Honolulu skyline
Honolulu Hale
Aerial view of Pearl Harbor
Waikiki
Statue of King Kamehameha I
Diamond Head
Flag of Honolulu
Official seal 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
Coordinates: 21°18′25″N 157°51′30″W / 21.30694°N 157.85833°W / 21.30694; -157.85833Coordinates: 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; 117 years ago (1907-04-30)[2]
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)
Elevation16 ft (5 m)
Population
 • 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[5] (US: 56th)
Time zoneUTC−10:00 (Hawaiian (HST))
ZIP Codes
96801–96850
FIPS code15-17000
GNIS feature ID366212[7]
Websitewww.honolulu.gov

Etymology

Honolulu 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

Honolulu Media

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. "2020 Population and Housing State Data". United States Census Bureau, Population Division. August 12, 2021. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
  6. "Urban Honolulu, Hawaii". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  7. "Honolulu". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved December 29, 2013.