It is situated in the north central section of the Pacific Ocean some 3,862 km away from the West Coast of the United States. The State of Hawaii is comprised of a chain of 132 islands, covering an area of 16,760 square kilometers and has a population of 1.419 million. Honolulu, the capital city of Hawaii is 3,857 km west of San Francisco and 8,516 km east of Manila. Because of that, it is reputed as the crossroads of the Pacific and the gateway from the United States to the Asia-Pacific region.

The eight main islands are Oahu, Kauai, Molokai, Lanai, Maui, Hawaii, Niihau and Kahoolawe.

Oahu, where the capital city of Honolulu is situated, is the third largest, yet most populous island of the State of Hawaii. It is the political, economic and cultural center of Hawaii as well as an important military base for the United Stated in the Pacific Ocean.

Hawaii became the 50th state of America on August 21, 1959. Since then, the economy has developed from sugar cane and pineapple planting to modern services. The pillar industry is tourism, with tourists mostly coming from the American continent and Japan. Supporting industries include commercial development, construction, defense and agriculture. The major agricultural products include sugar, pineapples, flowers, fruits and coffee. In recent years, the State  government has encouraged the development of other sectors, such as technological development, marine studies and show business. In 2006, its GDP was about US$ 57.4 billion.

1,700 years ago Hawaii became colonized by Polynesian people. In 1778, James Cook from the U.K. discovered the island. Hawaii is the most ethnically and racially diverse state of any state in the union, a mix that includes Caucasians, Americans of Japanese descent, and Polynesians, among others. Native Hawaiians have held on to many of their customs and traditions despite the influx of non-natives over the years. The official language is American English and the religions include Catholicism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Judaism and Islam. The diversified culture is also reflected in the rich variety of cuisines which feature Japanese, Chinese, Korean, aboriginal, Thai and Vietnamese flavors.