Honolulu (/ˌhɒnəˈluːluː/;[6] Hawaiian: [honoˈlulu]) is the capital and largest city of the U.S.

state of Hawaiʻi. It is an unincorporatedpart of and the county seat of the City and
County of Honolulu along the southeast coast of the island of Oʻahu.[a] The city is the main
gateway to Hawaiʻi and a major portal into the United States. The city is also a major hub for
international business, military defense, as well as famously being host to a diverse variety of
east-west and Pacific culture, cuisine, and traditions.
Honolulu is the most remote city of its size in the world[8] and is the westernmost major U.S. city.
For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau recognizes the approximate area
commonly referred to as "City of Honolulu" (not to be confused with the "City and County") as
a census county division (CCD).[9] Honolulu is a major financial center of the islands and of the
Pacific Ocean. The population of the Honolulu census designated place (CDP) was 359,870 as
of the 2017 population estimate,[4] while the Honolulu CCD was 390,738[10] and the population of
the consolidated city and county was 953,207.
Honolulu means "sheltered harbor"[11] or "calm port".[12] The old name is Kou, a district roughly
encompassing the area from Nuʻuanu Avenue to Alakea Street and from Hotel Street to Queen
Street which is the heart of the present downtown district.[13]The city has been the capital of
the Hawaiian Islands since 1845 and gained historical recognition following the attack on Pearl
Harbor by Japan near the city on December 7, 1941.
As of 2015, Honolulu was ranked high on world livability rankings, and was also ranked as the
2nd safest city in the U.S.[14][15] It is also the most populated Oceanian city outside Australasia and
ranks second to Auckland as the most-populous city in Polynesia.[16][17]

Contents

 1History
 2Geography
o 2.1Neighborhoods, boroughs, and districts
o 2.2Climate
 3Demographics
 4Economy
 5Cultural institutions
o 5.1Natural museums
o 5.2Performing arts
o 5.3Visual arts
o 5.4Tourist attractions
 6Sports
o 6.1Venues
 7Government
o 7.1Foreign missions on the island
 8Education and Research
o 8.1Colleges and universities
o 8.2Research institutions
o 8.3Public primary and secondary schools
o 8.4Private primary and secondary schools
o 8.5Public libraries
o 8.6Weekend educational programs
 9Media
 10Transportation
o 10.1Air
o 10.2Highways
o 10.3Public transport
 10.3.1Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation
 10.3.2Bus
  10.3.3Rail
 10.3.4Bicycle sharing
o 10.4Modal characteristics
 11Notable people
 12Sister cities
 13See also
 14Notes
 15References
 16Bibliography
 17External links

History[edit]
See also: Timeline of Honolulu

Port of Honolulu, as seen by German-Russian artist Louis Choris in 1816

Queen Street, Honolulu, 1856, by George Henry Burgess

The Great Chinatown Fire

Evidence of the first settlement of Honolulu by the original Polynesian migrants to
the archipelago comes from oral histories and artifacts. These indicate that there was a
settlement where Honolulu now stands in the 11th century.[18] However, after Kamehameha
I conquered Oʻahu in the Battle of Nuʻuanu at Nuʻuanu Pali, he moved his royal court from
the Island of Hawaiʻi to Waikīkī in 1804. His court relocated in 1809 to what is now downtown
Honolulu. The capital was moved back to Kailua-Kona in 1812.
In 1794, Captain William Brown of Great Britain was the first foreigner to sail into what is now
Honolulu Harbor.[19] More foreign ships followed, making the port of Honolulu a focal point for
merchant ships traveling between North America and Asia.
In 1845, Kamehameha III moved the permanent capital of the Hawaiian
Kingdom from Lahaina on Maui to Honolulu. He and the kings that followed him transformed
Honolulu into a modern capital,[20] erecting buildings such as St. Andrew's Cathedral, ʻIolani
Palace, and Aliʻiōlani Hale. At the same time, Honolulu became the center of commerce in the
islands, with descendants of American missionaries establishing major businesses in downtown
Honolulu.[21]
Despite the turbulent history of the late 19th century and early 20th century, such as
the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893, Hawaiʻi's subsequent annexation by the United
States in 1898, followed by a large fire in 1900, and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in
1941, Honolulu remained the capital, largest city, and main airport and seaport of the Hawaiian
Islands.[22]

A view of the attack on Pearl Harborin 1941 from Japanese planes. The torpedo explosion in the center is
on the USS West Virginia.
An economic and tourism boom following statehood brought rapid economic growth to Honolulu
and Hawaiʻi. Modern air travel brings, as of 2007, 7.6 million visitors annually to the islands, with
62.3% entering at Honolulu International Airport.[23] Today, Honolulu is a modern city with
numerous high-rise buildings, and Waikīkī is the center of the tourism industry in Hawaiʻi, with
thousands of hotel rooms. The UK consulting firm Mercer, in a 2009 assessment "conducted to
help governments and major companies place employees on international assignments", ranked
Honolulu 29th worldwide in quality of living; the survey factored in political stability, personal
freedom, sanitation, crime, housing, the natural environment, recreation, banking facilities,
availability of consumer goods, education, and public services including transportation.[24]

Geography[edit]

Astronaut photograph of western Honolulu, HNL Airport, and Pearl Harbor taken from the International
Space Station
According to the United States Census Bureau, the Urban Honolulu Census-designated
place (CDP) has a total area of 68.4 square miles (177.2 km2). 60.5 square miles (156.7 km2) of it
(88.44%) is land, and 7.9 square miles (20.5 km2) of it (11.56%) is water.[25]
Honolulu is the most remote major city in the world.[8] The closest location on the mainland to
Honolulu is the Point Arena Lighthouse in California, at 2,045 nautical miles
(3,787 km).[26] (Nautical vessels require some additional distance to circumnavigate Makapuʻu
Point.) However, islands off the Mexican coast, and part of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska are
slightly closer to Honolulu than the mainland.

Neighborhoods, boroughs, and districts[edit]

Honolulu as seen from the International Space Station

Downtown at Bishop and King streets, with First Hawaiian Center(left) and Bankoh Center (right)

 Downtown Honolulu is the financial, commercial, and governmental center of Hawaiʻi. On the
waterfront is Aloha Tower, which for many years was the tallest building in Hawaiʻi. Currently
the tallest building is the 438-foot (134 m) tall First Hawaiian Center, located on King and
Bishop Streets. The downtown campus of Hawaiʻi Pacific University is also located there.
 The Arts District Honolulu in downtown/Chinatown is on the eastern edge of Chinatown. It is
a 12-block area bounded by Bethel & Smith Streets and Nimitz Highway and Beretania
Street – home to numerous arts and cultural institutions. It is located within the Chinatown
Historic District, which includes the former Hotel Street Vice District.[27]
 The Capitol District is the eastern part of Downtown Honolulu. It is the current and historic
center of Hawaiʻi's state government, incorporating the Hawaiʻi State Capitol, ʻIolani
Palace, Honolulu Hale (City Hall), State Library, and the statue of King Kamehameha I,
along with numerous government buildings.
 Kakaʻako is a light-industrial district between Downtown and Waikīkī that has seen a large-
scale redevelopment effort in the past decade. It is home to two major shopping areas, Ward
Warehouse and Ward Centre. The Howard Hughes Corporation plans to transform Ward
Centers into Ward Village over the next decade. The John A. Burns School of Medicine, part
of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, is also located there. A Memorial to the Ehime
Maru Incident victims is built at the Kakaʻako Waterfront Park.
 Ala Moana is a district between Kakaʻako and Waikīkī and the home of Ala Moana Center,
the "World's largest open air shopping center" and the largest shopping mall in Hawaiʻi.[28] Ala
Moana Center boasts over 300 tenants and is a very popular location among tourists. Also in
Ala Moana is the Honolulu Design Center and Ala Moana Beach Park, the second largest
park in Honolulu.
 Waikīkī is the tourist district of Honolulu, located between the Ala Wai Canal and the Pacific
Ocean next to Diamond Head. Numerous hotels, shops, and nightlife opportunities are
located along Kalākaua and Kuhio Avenues. It is a popular location for visitors and locals
alike and attracts millions of visitors every year. A majority of the hotel rooms on Oʻahu are
located in Waikīkī.
 Mānoa and Makiki are residential neighborhoods located in adjacent valleys just inland of
downtown and Waikīkī. Mānoa Valley is home to the main campus of the University of
Hawaiʻi.
 Nuʻuanu and Pauoa are upper-middle-class residential districts located inland of downtown
Honolulu. The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific is located in Punchbowl
Crater fronting Pauoa Valley.
 Palolo and Kaimuki are neighborhoods east of Mānoa and Makiki, inland from Diamond
Head. Palolo Valley parallels Mānoa and is a residential neighborhood. Kaimuki is primarily a
residential neighborhood with a commercial strip centered on Waialae Avenue running
behind Diamond Head. Chaminade University is located in Kaimuki.
 Waialae and Kahala are upper-class districts of Honolulu located directly east of Diamond
Head, where there are many high-priced homes. Also found in these neighborhoods are
the Waialae Country Club and the five-star Kahala Hotel & Resort.
 East Honolulu includes the residential communities of ʻĀina Haina, Niu Valley, and Hawaiʻi
Kai. These are considered upper-middle-class neighborhoods. The upscale gated
communities of Waiʻalae ʻiki and Hawaiʻi Loa Ridge are also located here.
 Kalihi and Palama are working-class neighborhoods with a number of government housing
developments. Lower Kalihi, toward the ocean, is a light-industrial district.
 Salt Lake and Aliamanu are (mostly) residential areas built in extinct tuff cones along the
western end of the Honolulu District, not far from the Honolulu International Airport.
 Moanalua is two neighborhoods and a valley at the western end of Honolulu, and home
to Tripler Army Medical Center.
Climate[edit]
Honolulu experiences a tropical hot semi-arid climate (Köppen classification BSh), with a mostly
dry summer season, due to a rain shadow effect.[29] Temperatures vary little throughout the
months, with average high temperatures of 80–90 °F (27–32 °C) and average lows of 65–75 °F
(18–24 °C) throughout the year. Temperatures reach or exceed 90 °F (32 °C) on an average 38
days annually,[30] with lows in the upper 50s °F (14–15 °C) occurring once or twice a year. The
highest recorded temperature was 95 °F (35 °C) during a heat wave in September 1994. The
highest recorded temperature in the state was also recorded later that day in Niʻihau. The lowest
recorded temperature was 52 °F (11 °C) on February 16, 1902, and January 20, 1969. With high
temperatures and humidity, there is a vast tropical influence on the climate, although rainfall falls
short of that classification.
Annual average rainfall is 17.05 in (433 mm), which mainly occurs during the winter months of
October through early April, with very little rainfall during the summer; similar to California's
mediterranean climates. However, both seasons experience a similar number of rainy days. Light
showers occur in summer, while heavier rain falls during winter. Honolulu has an average of 278
sunny days and 90 rainy days per year.
Although the city is situated in the tropics, hurricanes are quite rare. The last recorded hurricane
that hit near Honolulu was Category 4 Hurricane Iniki in 1992. Hurricane Lane is also expected to
approach near the city.[31] Tornadoes are also uncommon and usually strike once every 15
years. Waterspouts off the coast are also uncommon, hitting about once every five years.[32]
Honolulu falls under the USDA 12a Plant Hardiness zone.[33]
The average temperature of the sea ranges from 24.3 °C (75.7 °F) in March to 26.9 °C (80.4 °F)
in September.[34]