The beautiful landscapes, lighthouses, and waterfalls of Hawaii from a bird's-eye view

Located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, about 3,900 km from Los Angeles, Hawaii is the only island state of the United States.

The USS Arizona battleship memorial in Hawaii and the sunken ship beneath it
The excellent images of two Japanese submarines sunk near the Hawaii Islands

Hawaii was also the 50th and last state to join the Union, specifically on August 21, 1959. This archipelago, made up of 137 volcanic islands, was an independent kingdom from 1810 to 1893, when foreign residents, with the support of the US, overthrew the monarchy and established the Republic of Hawaii, before finally being annexed to the United States in 1898.

The process of Hawaii's incorporation into the US has long been controversial and in 1993 led the US Congress to issue an Apology Resolution, recognizing that "the Native Hawaiian people never directly relinquished to the United States their claims to their inherent sovereignty as a people over their national lands".

Hawaii also has a unique distinction: it is the only US state that incorporates another country's flag into its state flag, specifically the British Union Jack. This flag was adopted by King Kamehameha I of Hawaii in 1845 as a symbol of his excellent relationship with the British Empire, of which these islands were never a part.

With a land area of ​​16,635 square kilometers, Hawaii is the eighth smallest state in the US. The islands have 1,432,820 inhabitants. Most of its population lives in its capital, Honolulu (350,964 inhabitants, with 853,252 inhabitants in its urban area). Due to its volcanic origin, Hawaii has a very mountainous terrain and three active volcanoes (Maunaloa and Kilauea on the island of Hawaii and Loihi, an underwater volcano located 35 km southeast of that island).

Today, Hawaii is world-famous as a tourist destination. Its verdant landscapes, beaches, and waves attract people from all over the world, especially surf enthusiasts, a sport that has one of its birthplaces in these islands. A few weeks ago, Explore The World 4K released a spectacular video showcasing these islands from the air, highlighting their landscapes, waterfalls, and lighthouses.

---

Main photi: thisweekhawaii.com. An image of the island of Oahu.