Hawaii consists of the world’s longest island chain, with no less than 130 islands; the majority of these islands are uninhabited. When people refer to Hawaii, it is usually with its main seven, inhabited islands in mind. Formed by volcanoes, Hawaii is known for its dramatic landscape. High, rugged cliffs and breathtaking waterfalls are found on each of the islands, as well as canyons and fertile plateaus. When living in Hawaii, it is possible to buy a home in the middle of a busy metropolis like Honolulu, or in the middle of a rain forest. The diversity of Hawaii represents a lot of different options from which residents can choose.

Hawaii is world-famous for its tropical, warm climate. While the rest of the world is shivering throughout winter, Hawaii residents can be found sunbathing on the beach, or watching surfers master the awesome waves found in the area during the winter. And while summers are known to be warm, cool winds are present to help keep the weather enjoyable.

The Hawaiian economy relies heavily on the popular tourist trade, which has provided many jobs in the last couple of years. In fact, job growth in Hawaii ranked seventh nationwide for all of 2005. While the economy does rely on tourism, food processing, and the growth of sugarcane and pineapples, there have been plenty of recent positions created in the non-tourist private sector to help accommodate Hawaii’s over 1.2 million population.