Hawaii Real Estate Information

HAWAII is known as the Aloha state discovered by Polynesian settlers between the 3rd and 7th centuries A.D. and later by British Captain James Cook in 1778. Hawaii became the 50th state on August 21, 1959. Honolulu, the capital city, is on the Island of Oahu.

Described by Mark Twain as "the loveliest fleet of islands that lies anchored in any ocean," Hawaii is a string of 137 islands encompassing a land area of 6,422.6 square miles in the north central Pacific Ocean about 2,400 miles from the west coast of the continental United States. Stretching from northwest to southeast, the major islands are: Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, Maui and Hawaii. Hawaii's climate features mild temperatures, moderate humidity and cooling trade winds.

The two levels of government in Hawaii are state and county. Counties perform most services usually assigned to cities and towns (fire protection, police, refuse collection, construction and maintenance of streets and other public works). There is only one school district which is administered by the State.

Once Hawaii's primary source of income, agriculture remains a significant contributor. The State of Hawaii is committed to diversifying the economy. Industries encouraged are science and technology, film and television production, sports, ocean research and development, health and education tourism, diversified agriculture and floral and specialty food products. Hawaii's retail establishments include discount outlet malls, big box outlets and national and international luxury and chain stores. Hawaii's economy is service-oriented with hotels and other service providers accounting for more than one-fourth of the jobs. The Hawaii Tourism Authority oversees the planning and marketing of tourism in Hawaii. About three in ten civilian workers are professional or managerial. Government and retailing account for half the number of employees. The Median annual income for families in (1999): was $66,402. Hawaii was ranked seventh among the fifty states and District of Columbia.

The University of Hawaii's English as a Second Language and Linguistics programs are ranked among the top programs in the world, and the College of Business Administration's international business program was ranked an impressive 24th out of the whole of the US. The University's School of Travel Industry Management is respected worldwide for training and research in hotel, restaurant, tourism and transportation management, as designated by the World Tourism Organization as one of 14 international tourism education and training centers in the world. The University of Hawaii teaches more Asian languages than any other US university. Approximately 2,000 students are studying Japanese, the most popular language at the university. Additionally, the university is one of only two in the US to offer a master's degree for Korean language studies.

The University of Hawaii fosters research in all aspects of science and technology with international recognition in areas such as astronomy, ocean sciences, geology and biomedical research. Astronomy plays a key role in Hawaiis commitment to scientific research. The exceptionally clear skies at the summits of Hawaii Island's Mauna Kea and Maui's Haleakala offer optimum conditions for astronomical observations. On Mauna Kea alone, 13 major facilities representing the cooperation of ten countries are in operation. The Subaru Telescope Facility, the newest observatory, represents a new class of revolutionary telescopes. Supported by a dedicated supercomputer in Hilo, its ultra-thin and light mirror permits extremely high accuracy in imaging celestial objects.