Exploring Hawaii Trivia Quiz

Answer: introduction of new diseases

In January, 1778, British Captain James Cook and his crew of about 180 men arrived in Hawaii bringing, among other things, the European diseases smallpox, measles, influenza and whooping cough, for which the natives had no resistance. It is estimated that between 250,000 and 350,000 Hawaiians died in the next 100 years.

At that point native Hawaiians still comprised about 75% of the population but that percentage has declined as people from all over the world settled in Hawaii and expanded their families or intermarried.

Answer: Arcturus

Called Hokule'a by Hawaiians, Arcturus is the brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere. It is in the constellation Bootes.

Answer: world's largest dormant volcano

Besides being the world's largest dormant volcano, Haleakala composes 75% of the island of Maui. The other 25% is from Mauna Kahalawai, another volcano.

Answer: Ka Lae

Key West, Florida is the southernmost point of the continental United States but Ka Lae, on the island of Hawaii is southernmost overall. Key West is located at 24.5551 degrees North latitude, Ka Lae at 18.9136 degrees North latitude, about 111 km/69 mi. further south. There you will find a constant 27 knots per hour wind blowing all day, every day.

Answer: Mauna Loa

Located on the Big Island of Hawaii, Mauna Loa is an active shield volcano with a volume of approximately 18,000 cubic miles (75,000 cubic km). It is thought to have been erupting for at least 700,000 years!

Answer: No

Though it became a part of American culture ("Book 'em, Danno!") there was never a real Hawaiian police agency called 5-0. The name was created for the TV show from the fact that Hawaii is the 50th U.S. state.

Answer: It is privately owned.

Ni'ihau is located southwest of Kauai. It was purchased in 1864 from King Kamehameha by Elizabeth Sinclair, who must have been very wealthy and very persuasive. It has remained in the family ever since. There is no modern technology there, on purpose; it has been the family's mission to preserve much of old Hawaii. Only recently have visitors been allowed on the island.

Answer: Honolulu

According to Hawaii's constitution, any island not belonging to a county belongs to Honolulu. So all unincorporated islands in the archipelago, which stretches to Midway Island, is part of Honolulu, all 1,500 miles (2,404 km) of it. The city of Honolulu is therefore wider than half the distance across the 48 contiguous states.

Answer: Hawaiian-Emperor

The "Hawaiian-Emperor seamount chain" of mountains is about 3,600 mi./5,800 Km in length. Mauna Kea is the range's highest point at 13, 802 ft./4,207 m. There are about 152 islands in the archipelago including four of the Midway Atoll.

Answer: Hawaii

The Keck optical and infrared telescopes are the largest in the world. Each weighs 300 tons. Their primary mirrors are 10 meters/32 feet in diameter. There are eleven other telescopes on the mountain, many of which work in the infrared, radio and submillimeter bands.

The atmosphere at the top of the mountain is dry and cloudless and so has few atmospheric pollutants, enhancing the abilities of the non-visual telescopes.