Honolulu

Honolulu
City and County of Honolulu
Honolulu skyline
Honolulu Hale
Aerial view of Pearl Harbor
Waikiki
Statue of King Kamehameha I
Diamond Head
Clockwise from top: downtown; Pearl Harbor; statue of King Kamehameha I in front of Aliʻiōlani Hale downtown; Diamond Head; waterfront on Waikiki Beach; and Honolulu Hale (city hall)
Official seal of Honolulu
Nicknames: 
Crossroads of the Pacific, Sheltered Bay, HNL, The Big Pineapple, Paradise
Motto: 
Haʻaheo No ʻO Honolulu (The Pride of Honolulu)[1]
Urban Honolulu and East Honolulu CDPs (combined) in Honolulu County and the state of Hawaii
Urban Honolulu and East Honolulu CDPs (combined) in Honolulu County and the state of Hawaii
Honolulu is located in Hawaii
Honolulu
Honolulu
Location in Hawaii (of the 2000 U.S. Census definition)
Coordinates: 21°18′25″N 157°51′30″W / 21.30694°N 157.85833°W / 21.30694; -157.85833
CountryUnited States
StateHawaii
CountyHonolulu
IncorporatedApril 30, 1907[2]
Government
 • MayorRick Blangiardi (I)
 • Council
Members
Area
 • City68.4 sq mi (177.2 km2)
 • Land60.5 sq mi (156.7 km2)
 • Water7.9 sq mi (20.5 km2)
 • Urban
145.0 sq mi (375.5 km2)
Elevation16 ft (5 m)
Population
 • City350,964 (US: 56th)
 • Density5,791/sq mi (2,236.1/km2)
 • Urban
853,252 (US: 54th)
 • Urban density5,885/sq mi (2,272.4/km2)
 • Metro
1,016,508[5] (US: 56th)
DemonymHonolulan
Time zoneUTC−10:00 (Hawaiian (HST))
ZIP Codes
96801–96826, 96828, 96830, 96836-96841, 96843-96844, 96846-96850
Area code808
FIPS code15-17000
GNIS feature ID366212[4]
Websitewww.honolulu.gov

Honolulu (/ˌhɒnəˈll/ hah-nə-LOO-loo;[7] Hawaiian: [honoˈlulu]) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. An unincorporated city, it is the county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island of Oʻahu,[a] and is the westernmost and southernmost major U.S. city. Honolulu is Hawaii's main gateway to the world. It is also a major hub for business, finance, hospitality, and military defense in both the state and Oceania. The city is characterized by a mix of various Asian, Western, and Pacific cultures, reflected in its diverse demography, cuisine, and traditions.

Honolulu is Hawaiian for "sheltered harbor"[9] or "calm port";[10] its old name, Kou, roughly encompasses the area from Nuʻuanu Avenue to Alakea Street and from Hotel Street to Queen Street, which is the heart of the present downtown district.[11] The city's desirability as a port accounts for its historical growth and importance in the Hawaiian archipelago and the broader Pacific region. Honolulu has been the capital of the Hawaiian Islands since 1845, firstly of the independent Hawaiian Kingdom, and since 1898 of the U.S. territory and state of Hawaii. The city gained worldwide recognition following the Empire of Japan's attack on nearby Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, which prompted the entry of the U.S. into World War II; the harbor remains a major U.S. Navy base, hosting the United States Pacific Fleet, the world's largest naval command.[12]

Hawaii is the only state with no incorporated places below the county level.[13] The U.S. Census Bureau recognizes the approximate area commonly referred to as the "City of Honolulu" as a census county division (CCD).[14] As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the population of Honolulu was 350,964,[15] while that of the urban Honolulu census-designated place (CDP) was 802,459. The Urban Honolulu Metropolitan Statistical Area had 1,016,508 residents in 2020.[5] With over 300,000 residents, Honolulu is the most populous Oceanian city outside Australasia.[16][17]

Honolulu's favorable tropical climate, rich natural scenery, and extensive beaches make it a popular global destination for tourists. With over 2.7 million visitors as of 2019, Honolulu is the seventh-most visited city in the United States after New York City, Miami, Los Angeles, Orlando, San Francisco, and Las Vegas.[18]

  1. ^ Honolulu And Kapolei Share City Lights 2005, Honolulu, HI, US: Honolulu County, Hawaii, November 29, 2005, archived from the original on November 5, 2013, retrieved June 30, 2012
  2. ^ "About the City, Official Website of the City and County of Honolulu". City and County of Honolulu. April 24, 2012. Archived from the original on October 12, 2004. Retrieved April 24, 2012.
  3. ^ "Geographic Ientifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Urban Honolulu CDP, Hawaii". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
  4. ^ a b "Honolulu". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved December 29, 2013.
  5. ^ a b "2020 Population and Housing State Data". United States Census Bureau, Population Division. August 12, 2021. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
  6. ^ "Urban Honolulu, Hawaii". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  7. ^ Dictionary Reference
  8. ^ US Census Bureau – Population Division. "Places Cartographic Boundary Files Descriptions and Metadata". Washington, D.C., US: U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 10, 2012. Retrieved July 14, 2012. Hawaii is the only state that has no incorporated places recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau. All places shown in the data products for Hawaii are CDPs. By agreement with the state of Hawaii, the U.S. Census Bureau does not show data separately for the city of Honolulu, which is coextensive with Honolulu County.
  9. ^ "About the City". Honolulu.gov. Archived from the original on February 1, 2015. Retrieved October 21, 2014.
  10. ^ "etymonline.com entry for Honolulu". Retrieved August 27, 2013.
  11. ^ "This Is Your City and County of Honolulu Government". honolulu.gov. Archived from the original on October 12, 2004. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
  12. ^ "Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet". www.cpf.navy.mil. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  13. ^ "Census of Population and Housing, 2000 [United States]: Summary File 2, Hawaii". ICPSR Data Holdings. March 19, 2002. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  14. ^ "2010 Census – Honolulu CCD Population". United States Census Bureau, Population Division. April 1, 2010. Archived from the original on October 21, 2013. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  15. ^ "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Urban Honolulu CDP, Hawaii". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
  16. ^ Ash, Russell (1998). The top 10 of everything. p. 100.
  17. ^ Long-Range Futures Research: An Application of Complexity Science, Robert Samet, 2009, 272
  18. ^ "America's 10 most visited cities", World Atlas, September 23, 2021


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