Honolulu
is the seat of Honolulu County on the southeastern coast of
the island of Oahu, between Pearl City and Waimanalo Beach.
It lies along Interstate H1 near Pearl Harbor and Mamala Bay.
Honolulu's
harbor was entered in 1794 by an English captain, William Brown.
Evolving from a mud hut settlement into the residence of Hawaiian
royalty, Honolulu became of the kingdom of Hawaii's permanent
capital in 1845. Whalers and sandalwood traders sailed into
its port and the city was occupied by Russian, British and French
forces in succession. It continued as Hawaii's capital with
the United States' annexation of the islands in 1898 and statehood
in 1959.
The city
of Honolulu and Honolulu County are one government entity with
a 2000 census of 876,156. It is an ethnically diverse city and
the crossroads of the Pacific. Tourism, diversified industry
and luxury hotels have made Honolulu Hawaii's business and population
center.
Even amid
Honolulu's urban development, you are never more than a glimpse
from an ocean or mountain view that can take your breath away.