Hawaii General Information
Etiquette
Men and women greet each other with a smile and a handshake. Good friends and family members hug when they haven’t seen each other in a while. It is not unusual for Americans to greet strangers on the street with a hello or good morning. Various handshake sequences (e.g. the so-called “high five”) are very popular with young people. Except on formal occasions, Americans usually address each other by their first name, often immediately when they meet. You express respect when addressing someone by their title and last name. When they first get to know each other, Americans usually say Nice to meet you or How do you do?, a simple Hello or Hi is often heard and is less formal. Regional greetings are the aloha in Hawaii. Friends and acquaintances greet each other with How are you, the answer is then Fine, thanks. It is quite common to spontaneously touch your arm or shoulder during a conversation. An “O” from the thumb and forefinger (the other fingers are extended) means “O. K. ”. During a conversation, it is important to look the other person in the eye regularly in order to appear credible. Visits to friends, family and acquaintances are very important for people, long car, bus and train journeys or even air travel are accepted. The guests should feel comfortable and can sit where they want. Visitors do not have to bring a present, but many still present a bottle of wine or flowers. family and friends are very important to people, long car, bus and train journeys or even air travel are accepted. The guests should feel comfortable and can sit where they want. Visitors do not have to bring a present, but many still present a bottle of wine or flowers. family and friends are very important to people, long car, bus and train journeys or even air travel are accepted. The guests should feel comfortable and can sit where they want. Visitors do not have to bring a present, but many still present a bottle of wine or flowers.
World Heritage
National Park “Volcanoes of Hawaii”.
General holidays
New Years Day (January 1st) * Martin Luther King Day (3rd Monday in January) * President’s Birthday (3rd Monday in February) * Memorial Day (last Monday in May, start of high season) * Independence Day (4th July ) * Labor Day (1st Monday in September) * Columbus Day (2nd Monday in October) * Veterans Day (November 11th) * Thanksgiving (4th Thursday in November) * Christmas (December 25th).
DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS
German Honorary Consulate 2003 Kalia Rd., Apt. 1-I., Honolulu, Tel.: 808 946 3819
Austrian Consulate 1314 South King St., Suite 1260, Honolulu, Tel.: 808 9 23 8585
Swiss Consulate 4231 Papu Circle., Honolulu, Tel.: 808 737 5297.
FAMILY STRUCTURE
The US has one of the highest marriage rates in Western societies – but also the highest divorce rate in the world. The type and course of the wedding depend on religion, region, ethnic origin and financial situation. On average, men marry at the age of 26 and women at 24. More than half of all families are childless and only 25 percent form a core family – the extended family as a living community rarely occurs. The number of single parents has risen sharply in recent years. Every fourth child has parents who are not married to each other. Almost 45.7 percent of the workforce (1998) of all working Americans are women. If both partners have a job, men are expected to that they take on some of the housework and also help with raising children. More and more elderly people are running their own household. Those who can no longer care for themselves live in retirement homes and similar institutions or with their children.
TAKING PHOTOS
Except for military installations, you can safely take photos of everything.
GEOGRAPHY
Abbreviated as HI on ABBREVIATIONFINDER.ORG, Hawaii is an island chain that consists of a total of twenty Pacific islands. On Oahu is the capital Honolulu, which is also the business center of the archipelago; however, the largest island is Hawaii. Located 3862 km off the US Pacific coast, the islands are considered an Americanized version of Polynesia. Oahu has two diagonally running mountain ranges, Waianae and Koolau, with numerous magnificent waterfalls. Hawaii is covered in orchards and has rugged cliffs. The Hawaiian Islands have lush rainforests and green plains, but many of the volcanoes have virtually no vegetation.
POPULATION
There are 1.416 million residents in Hawaii.
HISTORY
The entire Hawaiian archipelago is of volcanic origin. The first islands arose around 25 million years ago.
Hawaiian history data
300–500 AD. Polynesians from the Marquesas Islands, 4,000 km away, discover and colonize the Hawaiian archipelago. 1000–1300 AD. A second wave of Polynesian immigrants, this time from Tahiti, displaces the first settlers. They were able to cover the enormous distance of 5,000 km with canoes. These sailing canoes were made of hollowed-out tree trunks sealed with resins. The sails were made of large leaves. The canoes, which were designed for up to 100 people, were made from coconut fibers. The New Hawaiians had various deities and an extensive social system. They established small tribal kingdoms, which are ruled by a noble caste with the help of powerful priests and strict taboo rules. A clan was led by the Alii, the chief, descended from the gods. Life was then determined by wars between the tribes and the individual islands.
On January 18, 1778, Captain James Cook discovered Hawaii for the modern world on his third Pacific voyage. He was actually looking for a possible passage into the Atlantic between Alaska and Siberia with his ships. Cook landed on the islands of Oahu and Kauai. He names the archipelago -Sandwich Islands – in honor of the first lord of the British Admiralty. He traded jewelry with the Hawaiians for fresh supplies. In addition to pigs, goats and various seeds, his team also left venereal diseases behind on the island, which shrunk the population from 300,000 to 60,000 within 80 years. He left Hawaii in early February. When he returned to Hawaii a year later, he landed on the Big Island of Hawaii. By chance Cook had chosen one of the most sacred places at a time when the Hawaiians were holding a festival in honor of the god Lono. He is believed to be this god, followed by homage by the Hawaiians and a two-week festival. Cook then left the Big Island, but his ships were caught in a hurricane that caused severe damage and forced him to return. Hawaiians are amazed how such a mishap can happen to a deity. You are still friendly, but clearly disillusioned. Thefts are increasing, including a dinghy is also stolen. Cook is so angry that on February 13, 1779, he goes ashore with armed men and wants to take the chief prisoner. Due to a misunderstanding, they get into a scuffle with the locals. James Cook and four of his men are cruelly butchered.
1810 A war chief from the Big Island, later named Kamehameha I, united all the islands into one kingdom after long and bloody battles. Once in power, he proves to be a benevolent ruler who cares about traditions. 1820 After the death of Kamehameha I, his widow removes the all-determining taboos and opens the island kingdom to western influences. A year later, the first white missionaries go ashore on the Big Island. Soon the islands were Christianized, and the missionaries and their descendants assumed important political and economic positions in the kingdom.. from 1830 Protestant missionaries partly determine politics in Hawaii. The trade between Asia and America developed more and more. Hawaii is very successful in growing sugar cane and melons and whaling. More and more merchant ships and whalers are docking in the ports of Lahaina and Honolulu – with fatal consequences for the natives, thousands of whom are dying from imported diseases. 1848 Kamehameha III. divides the land between the royal family, nobles and the people – but just a few years later, white planters own most of the fertile soil. Chinese, Filipinos and Japanese are imported to work in the sugar cane plantations. 1893 Queen Liliuokalani, the last Queen of Hawaii, tries to save the monarchy after the death of King Kalakauas (the fun-loving), but is overthrown by white planters and traders in a bloodless coup. The five largest companies in Hawaii then had the greatest influence.
1935 PanAm Airways takes up scheduled flights between California and Honolulu. December 7, 1941 Japanese bombers attack the American base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu in the early morning hours of December 7, 1941, surprisingly and without any warning. With the exception of the aircraft carriers, almost the entire Pacific fleet of the United States is located there. The Japanese have approached Hawaii with six aircraft carriers and first switch off the air defense and then attack the ships lying in the port of Pearl Harbor with bombs and torpedoes. The battleship Arizona was hit so badly that it sank immediately and took over 1,000 of its crew into the depths. (The wreck will not be lifted later and the bodies will not be recovered. The Arizona Memorial is now located above the wreck.) In addition, the battleships Oklahoma, California, West Virginia, Nevada and Utah are sinking and 4 other battleships are damaged. The fleet is now completely out of action. World War II begins for Hawaii and America. Due to its strategic location, Hawaii is given an importance that it has not lost to this day.
1959 After a referendum, Hawaii is declared the 50th state of the United States of America in 1959. In the same year the first jet plane lands – the age of mass tourism begins. 1980 Sugar cane and pineapple cultivation lose their importance, the most important economic factor is now tourism with around 4 million visitors per year. 1983 The population of the islands exceeds the 1 million mark. 1992 Hurricane Iniki devastated the island of Kauai on September 12/13 with wind speeds of up to 280 km / h. The reconstruction takes several years. 1998 After a decline in visitor numbers during the economic crisis at the beginning of the 1990s, almost 7 million tourists are now vacationing in Hawaii again – many of them from Japan and other Asian countries.
CLOTHING AND LUGGAGE
MAINS VOLTAGE
Mains voltage 110 volts, 60 Hertz. You should bring a socket adapter for the (switchable!) Hairdryer or razor with you.
EMERGENCY CALL
The emergency number 911, which can be called toll-free from any telephone, is used almost everywhere in the USA. Only in some rural areas are there other emergency calls for the police, fire brigade and emergency doctor noted on the payphone. If in doubt, you can always contact the operator: dial 0.
OPENING HOURS
Shops: mainly Mon. – Sat. open from 9.30 am to 6 pm; the major shopping malls in Honolulu are open from 10 am to 9 pm and Sun from 12 pm to 5 pm. Grocery supermarkets and tourist stores are mostly open in the evenings and on weekends.
POST
The post offices are open Mon. – Fri. Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sat 8.30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
SAFETY
Current safety information from the Federal Foreign Office.
SPORTS
All kinds of water sports, of course, and surfing and surfing at the top.
PHONE
Area code to Germany: 01149, Austria 01143, Switzerland 01141, then the area code without the first 0 and then the phone number.
Hawaii Counties and Administrative Cities
According to Countryaah, there are a total of 5 counties in the state of Hawaii.
- Hawaii County (County Seat: Hilo)
- Honolulu County (County Seat: Honolulu)
- Kalawao County (County Seat: None)
- Kauai County (County Seat: Lihue)
- Maui County (County Seat: Wailuku)
