The Hawaiian Islands

The Hawaiian Islands are a group of islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. There are eight main islands and many smaller ones. Hawaii is the 50th state of the United States. The islands were formed by volcanoes erupting on the ocean floor.

How the Islands Formed

The Hawaiian Islands were created by a hot spot deep under the ocean floor. Magma pushes up through the Earth's crust and forms volcanoes. As the ocean floor moves slowly over the hot spot, new islands form. The Big Island of Hawaii is the youngest and still has active volcanoes.

Life in Hawaii

Hawaii has beautiful beaches, lush rainforests, and tall mountains. Mauna Kea on the Big Island is the tallest mountain in the world when measured from the ocean floor. Many unique plants and animals are found only in Hawaii. Tourism and farming are important to the islands.

Fun Facts

• Hawaii is the most isolated group of islands in the world, about 2,400 miles from the nearest continent.
• Mauna Kea is over 33,000 feet tall from its base on the ocean floor.
• Hawaii is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands.

Did You Know?

A new Hawaiian island called Loihi is forming underwater right now and might rise above the ocean in thousands of years!