Hawaii County, Hawaii
Encyclopedia
Hawaii County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Hawaii
in the Hawaiian Islands
. It is coterminous with the Island of Hawaii
, often called the "Big Island" to distinguish it from the state as a whole. As of the 2010 Census the population was 185,079. The county seat
is Hilo. There are no incorporated cities
in Hawaii County (see Hawaii Counties). The Hilo Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Hawaii County. Hawaii County has a mayor-council
form of government.
Hawaii County is one of seven US counties to share its name with its state (the others are Arkansas County
, Idaho County
, Iowa County
, New York County, Oklahoma County
, and Utah County
).
's Sussex County
comes in second at 48.0 percent, while Rhode Island
's Providence County
is third at 39.55 percent.)
who had served a two-term limit. Legislative authority is vested in a nine-member County Council. Each member represents a geographical region of the island, which closely correlates to one of the nine tax map districts of Hawaii County. Members of the County Council are elected on a non-partisan basis to two-year terms, with the latest election occurring in November of 2010.
Administrative districts were originally based on the traditional land divisions called Moku of Ancient Hawaii
. Some of the more heavily populated districts have since been split into North and South districts to make them more comparable on a population basis.
The number following each district is the Tax Map Key (TMK) number, used to locate state property information. They are assigned in a counter-clockwise order beginning on the eastern side of the island.
County council districts do not directly match the property tax districts because of the variation in the population density of voters in urban areas to rural areas; Hilo & Kailua (Kailua-Kona) towns are densely populated areas, while other districts such as Kaū, Puna, Hāmakua, and North & South Kohala are more sparsely populated.
Several government functions are administered at the county level that are at the state or municipal level in other states. For example, the county has its own office of liquor control.
previously operated the Kulani Correctional Facility in Hawaii County, on the Island of Hawaii. In 2009, the Hawaii Department of Public Safety announced that Kulani Correctional Facility would close.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
in the Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
. It is coterminous with the Island of Hawaii
Hawaii (island)
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...
, often called the "Big Island" to distinguish it from the state as a whole. As of the 2010 Census the population was 185,079. The county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Hilo. There are no incorporated cities
Municipal corporation
A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. Municipal incorporation occurs when such municipalities become self-governing entities under the laws of the state or province in which...
in Hawaii County (see Hawaii Counties). The Hilo Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Hawaii County. Hawaii County has a mayor-council
Mayor-council government
The mayor–council government system, sometimes called the mayor–commission government system, is one of the two most common forms of local government for municipalities...
form of government.
Hawaii County is one of seven US counties to share its name with its state (the others are Arkansas County
Arkansas County, Arkansas
Arkansas County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2010 census, the population was 19,019. The county has two county seats, De Witt and Stuttgart...
, Idaho County
Idaho County, Idaho
Idaho County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2010 Census the county had a population of 16,267. The county seat is Grangeville...
, Iowa County
Iowa County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 16,355 in the county, with a population density of . There were 7,258 housing units, of which 6,677 were occupied.-2000 census:...
, New York County, Oklahoma County
Oklahoma County, Oklahoma
Oklahoma County is a county located in the central partof the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The population was 718,633 at the 2010 census. The county seat and principal city is Oklahoma City...
, and Utah County
Utah County, Utah
Utah County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000, the population was 368,536 and by 2008 was estimated at 530,837. It was named for the Spanish name for the Ute Indians. The county seat and largest city is Provo...
).
Geography
Hawaii County has a total area of 5086.7 square miles (13,174.5 km²); 4028.02 square miles (10,432.5 km²) is land and 1058.69 square miles (2,742 km²) is water (mostly all off the ocean shoreline but counted in the total area by the U.S. Census Bureau). The county's land area comprises 62.7 percent of the state's land area. It is the highest percentage by any county in the United States. (DelawareDelaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
's Sussex County
Sussex County, Delaware
Sussex County is a county located in the southern part of the U.S. state of Delaware. As of 2010 the population was 197,145, an increase of 25.9% over the previous decade. The county seat is Georgetown. The Seaford Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Sussex County.Sussex County is...
comes in second at 48.0 percent, while Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
's Providence County
Providence County, Rhode Island
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 621,602 people, 239,936 households, and 152,839 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,504 people per square mile . There were 253,214 housing units at an average density of 613 per square mile...
is third at 39.55 percent.)
County government
Executive authority is vested in the Mayor of Hawaii County who is elected for a four-year term. Since 2004, the election by the voters has been on a non-partisan basis. In 2008, William "Billy" Kenoi was elected Mayor, succeeding Harry KimHarry Kim (politician)
Harry Kim is a former mayor of Hawaii County, Hawaii. Hawaii County is the government of Hawaii island, known as the Big Island. He was elected in 2000, and served until 2008.- Life :...
who had served a two-term limit. Legislative authority is vested in a nine-member County Council. Each member represents a geographical region of the island, which closely correlates to one of the nine tax map districts of Hawaii County. Members of the County Council are elected on a non-partisan basis to two-year terms, with the latest election occurring in November of 2010.
Administrative districts were originally based on the traditional land divisions called Moku of Ancient Hawaii
Ancient Hawaii
Ancient Hawaii refers to the period of Hawaiian human history preceding the unification of the Kingdom of Hawaii by Kamehameha the Great in 1810. After being first settled by Polynesian long-distance navigators sometime between AD 300–800, a unique culture developed. Diversified agroforestry and...
. Some of the more heavily populated districts have since been split into North and South districts to make them more comparable on a population basis.
The number following each district is the Tax Map Key (TMK) number, used to locate state property information. They are assigned in a counter-clockwise order beginning on the eastern side of the island.
| Nr. | District | Area mi² Square mile The square mile is an imperial and US unit of measure for an area equal to the area of a square of one statute mile. It should not be confused with miles square, which refers to the number of miles on each side squared... |
Population 2000 |
moku | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Puna | 499.45 | 31335 | Puna | |
| 2 | South Hilo | 394.38 | 47386 | Hilo | |
| 3 | North Hilo | 370.65 | 1720 | Hilo | |
| 4 | Hāmākua Hamakua thumb|right|280px|Districts of [[Hawaii |Hawaii island]]: from northernmost, clockwise; [[Kohala, Hawaii|Kohala]], Hāmākua , [[Hilo, Hawaii|Hilo]], [[Puna, Hawaii|Puna]], [[Kau, Hawaii|Kaū]], [[Kona District, Hawaii|Kona]]... |
580.50 | 6108 | Hāmākua | |
| 5 | North Kohala | 132.92 | 6038 | Kohala | |
| 6 | South Kohala | 351.72 | 13131 | Kohala | |
| 7 | North Kona | 489.01 | 28543 | Kona | |
| 8 | South Kona | 335.38 | 8589 | Kona | |
| 9 | Kaū | 922.22 | 5827 | Kaʻū | |
| Hawaiʻi County | 4028.02 | 148677 | 6 moku |
County council districts do not directly match the property tax districts because of the variation in the population density of voters in urban areas to rural areas; Hilo & Kailua (Kailua-Kona) towns are densely populated areas, while other districts such as Kaū, Puna, Hāmakua, and North & South Kohala are more sparsely populated.
Several government functions are administered at the county level that are at the state or municipal level in other states. For example, the county has its own office of liquor control.
State government
Hawaii Department of Public SafetyHawaii Department of Public Safety
The Hawaii Department of Public Safety is a department with in the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state of Hawaii. It is headquartered in Room 400 in the 919 Ala Moana Boulevard building in Honolulu CDP, City and County of Honolulu...
previously operated the Kulani Correctional Facility in Hawaii County, on the Island of Hawaii. In 2009, the Hawaii Department of Public Safety announced that Kulani Correctional Facility would close.
Census-designated places
|
|
|
Wainaku, Hawaii Wainaku is a census-designated place in Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States. The population was 1,227 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Wainaku is located at .... |
Other communities
- AhualoaAhualoa, HawaiiĀhualoa is an unincorporated rural area along the Hamakua Coast on the Island of Hawaii, Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States.The name is believed to mean either "long mound" or "long cloud", in the Hawaiian language...
- HakalauHakalau, HawaiiHakalau is a small unincorporated community located along the Hamakua coast about north of Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii in the U.S. state of Hawaii at ....
- Waiohinu
National protected areas
- Ala Kahakai National Historic TrailAla Kahakai National Historic TrailAla Kahakai National Historic Trail is a long trail located on the island of Hawaii. It is not yet a continuous "trail", but can be accessed at several broken segments along the coastline of the Big Island. The trail was established to access the traditional Ancient Hawaiian culture along with...
- Hakalau Forest National Wildlife RefugeHakalau Forest National Wildlife RefugeHakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge is a protected area on the Big Island of Hawaii. It is one of two units, along with the Kona Forest National Wildlife Refuge that is managed as part of the Big Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex...
- Hawaii Volcanoes National ParkHawaii Volcanoes National ParkHawaii Volcanoes National Park, established in 1916, is a United States National Park located in the U.S. State of Hawaii on the island of Hawaii. It encompasses two active volcanoes: Kīlauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes, and Mauna Loa, the world's most massive volcano...
- Honokōhau Settlement and Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park
- Kona Forest National Wildlife Refuge
- Puuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park
- Puukoholā Heiau National Historic Site
Top employers
According to the County's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the county are:| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | State of Hawaii | 8,115 |
| 2 | Hawaii County | 2,745 |
| 3 | United States Government | 1,364 |
| 4 | Hilton Waikoloa Village Hilton Hotels & Resorts Hilton Hotels & Resorts is an international chain of full-service hotels and resorts founded by Conrad Hilton and now owned by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton hotels are either owned by, managed by, or franchised to independent operators by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton Hotels became the first coast-to-coast... |
984 |
| 5 | Wal-Mart Wal-Mart Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000... |
852 |
| 6 | KTA Super Stores | 800 |
| 7 | Mauna Loa Resort | 685 |
| 8 | The Fairmont Orchid The Fairmont Orchid The Fairmont Orchid is a luxury hotel on the Kohala Coast of the island of Hawaii. It is managed by Fairmont Hotel and Resorts.-History:The history of Keawaiki Bay is preserved in archeological sites, lava formations, and footpaths leading everywhere from burial sites to cave complexes... |
577 |
| 9 | Four Seasons Resort Hualalai Four Seasons Resort Hualalai Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Kaūpūlehu is a Four Seasons resort in Kaūpūlehu, on the Kona-Kohala Coast of the island of Hawaii. The resort was designed by Hill Glazier Architects, with original interior design by Wilson & Associates . Landscape architecture was by Bensley Design,... |
562 |
| 10 | Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel | 487 |
Sister cities
Hawaii County has 10 sisters:- Hualien CityHualien CityHualien City is the capital of Hualien County, Taiwan. It is located on the East coast of Taiwan, by the Pacific Ocean, and has a population of 110,000 inhabitants.- History :...
, TaiwanTaiwanTaiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
(1971) - La Serena, ChileChileChile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
(1994) - Legazpi City, PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
(1970) - Nago CityNago, Okinawais a city located in the northern part of Okinawa Island, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 60,598 and the density of 288 persons per km². The total area is 210.30 km². The city was founded on August 1, 1970, and hosted the G-8 Summit in 2000.-...
, Okinawa, JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
(1986) - OshimaOshima-Places: :** Nii Ōshima Island, part of Niihama in Ehime Prefecture** Ōshima, Ehime, an island connected by the Hakata-Ōshima Bridge and the Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge...
, Japan (1962) - Sao Miguel IslandSão Miguel IslandSão Miguel Island , nicknamed "The Green Island", is the largest and most populous island in the Portuguese Azores archipelago. The island covers and has around 140,000 inhabitants, 45,000 of these people located in the largest city in the archipelago: Ponta Delgada.-History:In 1427, São Miguel...
, PortugalPortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
(1980) - Shibukawa, Gunma PrefectureGunma Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the northwest corner of the Kantō region on Honshu island. Its capital is Maebashi.- History :The remains of a Paleolithic man were found at Iwajuku, Gunma Prefecture, in the early 20th century and there is a public museum there.Japan was without horses until...
, Japan (1997) - Sumoto, Japan (2000)
- TasmaniaTasmaniaTasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
(1997) - Yurihama, Tottori PrefectureTottori Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region. The capital is the city of Tottori. It is the least populous prefecture in Japan.- History :Before the Meiji Restoration, Tottori encompassed the old provinces of Hōki and Inaba...
, Japan (1996)
External links
- County website
- Mayor's office
- Volcanoes National Park
- [www.co.hawaii.hi.us/general_plan_rev/revision/economic.doc Economic background from the Revision of the Hawaii County General Plan]