Enjoy the Diverse Information about Kailua Kona, Hawaii, Hawaiian History, Climate in Hawaii, Hawaiian Culture, Hawaiian Dances, Hawaiian Music, Hawaii Geography, Hawaii Demographics, Hawaiian Language, Hawaiian Traditions and Map
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii is located at 19°38'60" North, 155°59'39" West (19.649973, -155.994028)GR1, along the shoreline of Kailua Bay, Hawaii and up the southern slope of Hualālai volcano. There are no major rivers or streams in Kailua-Kona or on the Kona side of Hawaii.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 103.0 km² (39.8 mi²). 91.9 km² (35.5 mi²) of it is land and 11.0 km² (4.3 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 10.71% water.
The state of Hawaii consists of eight main islands: Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe and the Big Island of Hawaii.
From east to west Hawaii is the widest state in the United States.
The Hawaiian Islands are the projecting tops of the biggest mountain range in the world.
Under-sea volcanoes that erupted thousands of years ago formed the islands of Hawaii.
The Hawaiian Archipelago consists of over 130 scattered points of land stretching some 1,600 miles in length from the Kure Atoll in the north to the Island of Hawaii in the south.
Hawaii is the most isolated population center on the face of the earth. Hawaii is 2,390 miles from California; 3,850 miles from Japan; 4,900 miles from China; and 5,280 miles from the Philippines.
Hawaii has its own time zone (Hawaiian Standard Time.) There is no daylight savings time. The time runs two hours behind Pacific Standard Time and five hours behind Eastern Standard Time.
There are four counties in Hawaii (Kauai; city and county of Honolulu; Maui; and Hawaii). Each city has a mayor and council in charge.
All subterranean minerals belong to the stateof Hawaii. Except for state owned water, some lava stone, and minor granites and semi-precious minerals, there are few underground minerals.
The Big Island is Hawaii's largest at 4,038 square miles. Hawaii is twice the size of all other Hawaiian Islands combined.
At 800,000 years the Big Island of Hawaii is the youngest of the Hawaiian island chain. However, it was the first Hawaiian island discovered by voyaging Polynesians.
Kilauea volcano in Hawaii is the world's most active volcano.
Ka Lae is the southernmost point in the United States. It is located at 18:54:49 N 155:41:00 W. There is a constant 27 knots per hour wind blowing east to west, 24 hours per day and 365 days per year.
Two of the tallest mountains in the Pacific - Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa - dominate the center of the Hawaii island.
Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain in the world (measured from its base at the ocean floor). Although a "mere" 13,796 feet are visible above ground, the mountain's base actually extends into the Pacific some 9 kilometers. In fact, the view from atop the Hawaiian mountain is so good that its peak is home to an international array of observatories and some of the world's most powerful telescopes.
Hawaii island houses the world's biggest telescope and more scientific observatories in one place than anywhere else in the world.
Hawaii island is the worldwide leader in harvesting macadamia nuts and orchids.
English navigator and explorer Captain James Cook, who is credited with "discovering" the Hawai'ian islands, sailed into Kealakekua Bay (on the Kona Coast) in late 1778 with his ships, "Resolution" and "Discovery." Although his initial attempt to establish a relationship with the Hawaiian local people seemed successful, the scene quickly turned ugly due to a handful of misunderstandings. During the tragic endgame, Cook's crew watched helplessly from their ships as the captain and four of his men were beaten and stabbed to death on the beach.
Kailua-Kona in Hawaii, was established by King Kamehameha I to be his seat of government (he originally was the chief of Kona, before unifying more and more of the archipelago under his rule), and the capital of the newly unified Kingdom of Hawaii. (The Hawaiian capital was later moved to Lāhainā, then, to Honolulu.) Royal fishponds at Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park were the hub of unified Hawaiian culture. Kailua Kona then functioned as a retreat of the Hawaiian royal family.
Hawai'i's greatest king, Kamehameha I, was born on the Big Island around 1753, near Mo'okini Heiau, the temple dedicated to the war god Ku. After assuming the mantle of moi (ruler) of Hawai'i, Kamehameha engaged in campaigns to unite the islands under a common throne. After slaying his final enemy ¬ his own cousin, Keoua ¬ and using the slain chief's body to dedicate a heiau (temple) at Kawaihae, Kamehameha the Lonely One became the sole ruler of the Hawai'ian islands, a position he held until his death in 1819.
Up until the late 1900’s, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii was primary a small fishing village.
Hawaii was the 50th state admitted to the US on August 20th, 1959. With its very low population, and lack of entertainment, the town was used to be called "Kailua-Koma" by the locals. More recently, this Hawaiian region has undergone a real estate and construction boom fueled by tourism and investment to become one of the most charming and desirable locations in Hawaii.
The highest recorded temperature is 96' F (Honolulu Airport), but temperatures over 92' F generally occur only once or twice a year.
The lowest temperature (under 3000 feet altitude) is 56' F. Temperatures under 60' F may occur but rarely more than once a year.
Average daytime temp. (July) is 82' F. Average daytime temperature in January is 72' F.
The coldest month in Kona is February and the average high in February is 80 F while the average low is 64 F.
August is the warmest month and the average high is 87 F while the average low is 69 F.
Humidity is between 50% and 80%. The temperature change between night and day is greater than the temperature change between winter and summer. Mornings are typically clear while thermal clouds created in the day raises the temperature during the day.
Vog can cover parts of the Kona coast from time to time depending on the activity of the Kilauea and the island winds. Kailua-Kona is located in the lee of the Hualalai Volcano sheltering the town from wind and rain.
The population of the Big Island of Hawaii is less than 150,000. Population of Kailua Kona is 29,711 /Based on zip code 96740/. As of the censusGR2 of 2000, in Kailua Kona there were:
9,870 people,
3,537 households,
2,429 families residing in the CDP.
The population density was 107.3/km² (278.0/mi²).
There were 4,322 housing units at an average density of 47.0/km² (121.7/mi²).
The racial makeup was:
38.65% White,
0.46% Black or African American,
0.46% Native American,
18.28% Asian,
13.16% Pacific Islander,
1.93% from other races,
27.07% from two or more races.
10.20% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 3,537 households out of which:
35.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them,
49.6% were married couples living together,
13.6% had a female householder with no husband present,
31.3% were non-families.
22.6% of all households were made up of individuals
7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.26.
The population of 9,870 people was spread out with:
27.3% under the age of 18,
9.0% from 18 to 24,
28.8% from 25 to 44,
24.9% from 45 to 64,
10.0% who were 65 years of age or older.
The median age was 36 years.
For every 100 females there were 98.8 males.
For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.8 males.
The median income for a household was $40,874, and the median income for a family was $46,657. Males had a median income of $30,353 versus $26,471 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $20,624. 10.8% of the population and 6.5% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 11.9% of those under the age of 18 and 3.9% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
There are no racial or ethnic majorities in Hawaii in general. Everyone is a minority. Caucasians (Haoles) constitute about 34%; Japanese-American about 32%; Filipino-American about 16% and Chinese-American about 5%. It is very difficult to determine racial identification as most of the population has some mixture of ethnicities.
Agriculture: Coffee, sugarcane, tropical fruit, nursery stock, livestock, macadamia nuts. /Hawaii is the only state that grows coffee in USA and more than one-third of the world's commercial supply of pineapples comes from Hawaii./
Industry: Tourism, food processing, apparel, fabricated metal products, stone, clay, and glass products.
Hawaiian State Flag: Hawaii was once an independent kingdom. (1810 - 1893) The flag was designed at the request of King Kamehameha I. It has eight stripes of white, red and blue that represent the eight main islands. The flag of Great Britain is emblazoned in the upper left corner to honor Hawaii's friendship with the British.
Hawaiian State Bird: The Nene (pronounced "nay-nay") is a land bird and a variety of Hawaiian Goose. It has adapted itself to life in the harsh lava country by transforming its webbed feet into a claw-like shape and modifying its wing structure for shorter flights. They are protected by law and a restoration project was established in 1949.
Hawaiian State Flower: Pua Aloalo ;
Hibiscus brackenridgei
The hibiscus, all colors and varieties, was the official Territorial Flower, adopted in the early 1920s. At statehood in 1959, the first state legislature adopted many of Hawaii's symbols as part of the Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS, state laws). It wasn't until 1988, however, that the yellow hibiscus which is native to the islands was selected to represent Hawaii. For this reason, you will see many older photos and postcards with the red hibiscus, or any other color for that matter, as the state flower. These weren't incorrect at the time.
Hawaiian State Marine Mammal: Humpback Whale
Hawaiian State Fish: Rectangular Triggerfish, also known as the Humuhumunukunukuapua'a is the unofficial state fish of Hawaii. Although it is widely recognized as the state fish, the Hawaiian State Legislature has never actually made it official. There are various translations of the word humuhumunukunukuapua'a including "fish with a snout like a pig." Another translation says that the name means (loosely) a fish put together in pieces like a jigsaw puzzle, with a face like a pig. Another rumored reason for the name is that when it is caught and brought out of the water, it snorts like a pig. One of its defensive characteristics is its ability to puff up somewhat, wedging itself between rocks or in coral. When it is brought to the surface, this air is released, making the snorting noise. The word "pua'a" in Hawaiian means "pig." According to this version, the name, humuhumunukunukuapua'a literally means "fish who comes out of the water and sounds like a pig."
The Hawaiian language (Hawaiian: ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i) is an Austronesian language that takes its name from Hawai'i, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language of the State of Hawaii, one of the United States. King Kamehameha III established the first Hawaiian-language constitutions in 1839 and 1840.
For various reasons, the number of native speakers of Hawaiian gradually dropped during the period from the 1830s to the 1950s. Hawaiian was essentially displaced by English on six of the seven inhabited islands. As of 2000, native speakers of Hawaiian amount to under 0.1% of the statewide population. Linguists are desperately worried about the fate of this and other endangered languages.
Nevertheless, from about 1949 to the present, there has been a gradual increase in attention to, and promotion of, the language. Public Hawaiian-language immersion pre-schools called Pūnana Leo were started in 1984; other immersion schools followed soon after.
A type of "local English" spoken in Hawaii is technically called "Hawaiian Creole English", abbreviated "HCE". It developed from pidgin English and is often called simply "pidgin" (or Hawaiian Pidgin). It should not be mistaken for the Hawaiian language.
There are only 12 letters in the Hawaiian alphabet.
Vowels: A, E, I, O, U
Consonants: H, K, L, M, N, P, W
The Hula
The hula is a beautiful flowing Hawaiian dance that tells a story. The music is comprised of repetitive chants, called mele, either alone or combined with music. The hula began in ancient Hawaii as a form of worship. The musical instruments were often made of gourds, coconuts, or logs covered with shark-skin membrane - and of course, the ukulele. The hand and leg movement combined with facial expressions and the dance itself tell the story of the hula. The hula survives today through study, competitions, shows, and the dances for the visitors’ enjoyment.
Leis Leis have many meanings and uses; the maile lei is the traditional offering to Laka, goddess of the dance, which is one of the reasons the hula dancers are so adorned with them. Leis are given to people arriving and leaving Hawaii meaning love, or friendship. Leis are used in worship or to mark special achievements like graduations, weddings, anniversaries. Leis can be made with flowers, leaves, shells, feathers, seeds, ivory and animal teeth. They can be braided, woven, plaited, knotted, winded, sewed, or tied.
The Luau
The Luau is known as the Hawaiian barbecue. It is normally a large party with a live show of Hawaiian music and dances. The Hawaiian food includes main course of Kalua pig - a whole pig, wrapped in ti leaves and steamed in an imu (underground oven). There are also some pupus (hawaiian appetizers), limu (seaweed), lomi-lomi salmon (salmon cooked with tomato and onion), and haupia (coconut and pineapple pudding).
