Oʻahu (pronounced[oˈʔɐhu],/oʊˈɑːhuː/, sometimes writtenOahu) is the third-largest and most populated island of theHawaiian Islands and of theU.S. state ofHawaii.[1] The state capital,Honolulu, is on Oʻahu's southeast coast. The island of Oʻahu and the uninhabitedNorthwestern Hawaiian Islands[2] constitute theCity and County of Honolulu. In 2021, Oʻahu had a population of 995,638,[3] up from 953,207 in 2010 (approximately 70% of the total 1,455,271 population of the Hawaiian Islands,[4] with approximately 81% of those living in or near the Honolulu urban area).
Oʻahu is 44 miles (71 km) long and 30 miles (48 km) across. Its shoreline is 227 miles (365 km) long. Including small associated islands such asFord Island plus those inKāneʻohe Bay and off the eastern (windward) coast, its area is 596.7 square miles (1,545.4 km2), making it the20th-largest island in the United States.[5]
The Island of Oʻahu inHawaii is often nicknamed (or translated as) "The Gathering Place". The translation of"gathering place" was suggested as recently as 1922 byHawaiian Almanac author Thomas Thrum. Thrum possibly ignored or misplaced theʻokina because theHawaiian phrase "ʻo ahu" could be translated as"gathering of objects" (ʻo is a subject marker andahu means"to gather"). The termOʻahu has no other confirmed meaning in Hawaiian.[6]
It is uncertain when Oʻahu was first settled by humans. Early archaeological studies suggested thatPolynesian explorers from theMarquesas may have arrived as early as the 3rd century A.D.,[7] possibly with a second wave arriving fromTahiti around 1100 A.D.[8] However, more modern analyses indicate that the first settlers probably arrived around 900–1200 A.D.[9]
The first great king of Oʻahu wasMaʻilikūkahi, the lawmaker, who initiated a 304-year dynasty of monarchs. Kualiʻi was the first of the warlike kings and was succeeded by his sons. In 1773, the throne fell upon Kahahana, the son of Elani of Ewa.[citation needed]
On January 19, 1778, Oʻahu was the first of the Hawaiian Islands to be sighted by CaptainJames Cook during histhird voyage of discovery.[10] This was the first recorded encounter of the Hawaiian Islands by non-Polynesian people. Cook bypassed Oʻahu, landing instead at Kauai before continuing his original mission to explore the coast of North America. The next year, on February 27, 1779, Cook's second in command, CaptainCharles Clerke, became the first recorded non-Polynesian to visit Oʻahu when he landed atWaimea Bay. Earlier that month,Cook had been killed atKealakekua Bay on theisland of Hawaii when a dispute with the local people turned violent.[11] Clerke's visit to Oʻahu was brief and the expedition's two ships left Waimea Bay the same day after finding it difficult to obtain fresh water.[12]
At the time of Cook's visit, the Hawaiian Islands were divided among several warring chiefdoms. In 1783,Kahekili II, king of the island ofMaui, conquered Oʻahu. He then made his son,Kalanikūpule, king of Oʻahu turning it into apuppet state. Kalanikūpule was later defeated in theBattle of Nuʻuanu in 1795 byKamehameha I who then founded theKingdom of Hawaii. The Hawaiian islands were not fully unified untilKing Kaumualiʻi surrendered the islands ofKauai andNiihau in 1810.[13]: 29-60
By the late 18th century,Waikīkī was a major settlement on Oʻahu, serving as Kahekili II's residence after 1783.[13]: 34 However, as trade with foreigners intensified, the nearby town ofHonolulu came to eclipse it in size and importance due to its more accessible harbor.[13]: 27 In 1845,Kamehameha III moved his capital to Honolulu fromLahaina on the island of Maui.[13]: 228 Later,King Kalākaua had a modern residence built in Honolulu for the royal family – theʻIolani Palace which still stands as the only royal palace on American soil.[14] In January, 1893, a group of leading American businessmen took up arms near ʻIolani Palace and, along with US Marines from theUSS Boston that landed in Honolulu harbor, launcheda successfulcoup d'état against Queen Liliʻuokalani. The insurgents abolished the monarchy and established theRepublic of Hawaii, which later successfully lobbied the US government for annexation to the US.[15]
After World War II, Oʻahu became a tourism and shopping destination with more than five million visitors per year, mainly from thecontiguous United States and Japan.[18]
Like all other Hawaiian Islands, Oʻahu was formed from the volcanism associated with theHawaii hotspot; it started to grow from the sea floor 4 million years ago.[19] Today, the island is composed of the remnants of two extinct and extensively erodedshield volcanoes: theWaiʻanae andKoʻolau Ranges, with a broad valley or saddle between them.[20] The highest point isKaʻala in the Waiʻanae Range, rising to 4,003 feet (1,220 m) above sea level.[21]
Oʻahu is known for having the longest rain shower in recorded history. Kāneʻohe Ranch reported 247 straight days of rain from August 27, 1993, to April 30, 1994. The average temperature in Oʻahu is around 70–85 °F (21–29 °C). The island is the warmest from June through October. The winter is cooler, but still warm, with an average temperature of 68–78 °F (20–26 °C).
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