The state of Hawaii is located 2367 km north of the Equator, and 4025 km south-west of the nearest continental mass. The six main islands are part of an archipelago made up of 128 islands that stretches for 2452 km from Kure Atoll, north-west, to the Big Island, south-west. The islands are Oahu, Maui and Kauai (the Neighbor Islands), the Big Island (Hawaii), Molokai and Lanai. These are rocky outcrops, formed following the fracture of the Earth's mantle from which 25 million years is immense masses spill molten lava. The Big Island, the southernmost island, is still in its formative stages. Its most active volcano, Kilauea has erupted over the past 12 years more than

two billion cubic meters of lava. The flora and fauna of these remote islands, which developed in almost complete absence of obstacles or predators, they faced a tough fight against the most aggressive species introduced by Polynesian settlers and Western. The islands are thousands of different species, but almost half of the 2400 species of native plants are endangered. Marine life has had a happier outcome. The Hawaiian monk seals, dolphins and whales are permanent residents in Hawaii, but the kind that everyone would like to observe the whales are migratory. In Hawaii, there are only two national parks: the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and Haleakala National Park. The archipelago enjoys a fabulous climate: mild and warm, with most of the north-eastern trade winds. In coastal areas the average temperatures are pleasant (27 ° C), and the difference between summer and winter ranges from 5 to 10 degrees. The rainy period is from December to March. In general, the dry weather and warmer and calmer waters are found in south-western areas of the islands, the leeward. In contrast, the areas north-east, or upwind, are more humid: Hilo, the rainiest city in the United States, is located on the upwind side of Big Island.