United States Geography

B13

b

Economy

A few specialized activities dominate the region’s commercial economy, including fishing in the waters off southwestern Alaska, logging activities, reindeer herding on the Seward Peninsula, and extensive oil and gas exploration along Prudhoe Bay, located on the north coast along the Arctic Ocean. Alaska’s North Slope provides one-fifth of all U.S. oil production, ranking second in yield after Texas.

B13

c

Population

A harsh environment, remote location, and inadequate transportation have kept the population in Alaska small. Historically, the Inuit (often referred to as Eskimos) lived in widely scattered settlements and relied on subsistence activities, such as hunting, fishing, and trapping. More recently, the trend has been toward larger concentrations of settlements. Some 15,000 whites have moved into the region, many of whom are military personnel, government employees, or oil company workers.

Anchorage, the dominant population and economic center in Alaska, contains approximately half of the state’s inhabitants, with a population of 275,043 (2005 estimate). Other large communities include Fairbanks and Juneau, the state capital.

B

14

Hawaii

The 2,600-kilometer-long (1,600-mile-long) string of tropical islands, islets, and reefs known as the Hawaiian Islands is the smallest geographic region in the United States, covering a total area of 28,311 sq km (10,931 sq mi). The region is located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, more than 3,200 km (2,000 mi) southwest of California. The majority of the land area is concentrated on eight islands, with the largest and easternmost island of Hawaii possessing almost twice as much area as the other seven major islands combined.

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Hawaii is the only island state of the United States. It has a tropical climate and spectacular mountain scenery that attracts millions of tourists each year. The population is varied, composed of a mix of Asian immigrants, native Hawaiians, and settlers from the U.S. mainland.

B14

a

Natural Features

Lying in a line that extends from southeast to northwest, the Hawaiian Islands themselves are the visible portion of a submarine mountain range, built through volcanic activity. The bases of these volcanoes lie some 5,000 m (18,000 ft) below sea level on the deep ocean floor of the mid-Pacific. The islands formed as the Pacific crustal plate moved slowly over a geological hot spot that sent an upwelling of magma, or molten lava, toward the earth’s surface. This process gradually created each of the islands. The older islands, located in the west, are no longer volcanically active. They display various degrees of erosion, which often creates rugged and visually impressive terrain. The big island of Hawaii in the east is the only island that remains volcanically active.

The mountainous terrain, characterized by steep slopes, precipitous cliffs, and rugged canyons, dominates the physical environment of Hawaii. The two highest volcanic peaks in the region, both found on the big island of Hawaii, are Mauna Kea (elevation 4,205 m/13,796 ft), and Mauna Loa (elevation 4,170 m/13,680 ft). Mauna Loa is the world’s largest active volcano, estimated to have collectively discharged more lava than any other volcano in history. Lava and ash have covered thousands of acres of land, displaced entire communities, and disrupted transportation on the islands. During eruptions, lava often pours into the ocean, generating steam clouds and super heating coastal waters.

B14

b

Economy

Tourism has become the most lucrative and fastest growing sector of the Hawaiian economy as 6.5 million visitors find their way to the region each year. Tourists crossing the Pacific from either direction stop to take advantage of the mild climate, the extraordinary scenery, and the ocean beaches. Defense expenditures generate the second highest amount of wealth in the area, with the federal government employing almost 20 percent of Hawaii’s labor force. Hawaii is the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Command because of its strategic location in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Hawaii has 449,201 hectares (1,110,000 acres) of farmland, devoted to sugarcane, pineapples, and tropical specialty crops, such as coffee. However, most of Hawaii’s agricultural land is used for cattle ranching.

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