Introduction to Molokai Island
An archipelago is a geological term that is used to denote a small collection of islands that are all in very close proximity to one another. Indonesia is an example of an archipelago country and Hawaii is an example of an archipelago region. Although it is part of the United States of America, Hawaii is its own separate landmass and is actually an archipelago of islands off in the Pacific Ocean. Hawaii is also sometimes referred to as a chain of islands because of the pseudo linear arrangement of the different parts of the archipelago.
By definition an archipelago has more than one island and Hawaii is no exception to this. Each island also has its own name and while one of the islands is named Hawaii, that is also the name given to the whole group of islands. One of the islands in the chain is known by the name of Molokai Island.
Demographics of Molokai Island
In terms of relative sizes Molokai Island is the fifth largest island by land area in the Hawaiian Island group. It is around 670 square kilometers in terms of surface area and part of the island is covered by dense and lush vegetation. The highest point on the island of Molokai is at a place called Kamakou which has a recorded height of 1,515 meters.
In terms of population the island of Molokai is only home to about 7,000 people and this small population serves to create a friendly atmosphere where everyone seems to know everyone else and new people are welcomed warmly. Because of the famous friendliness of people that are native to Molokai the island has earned the fond nickname of being The Friendly Island.
History of Molokai Island
There is not a whole lot of interesting history in terms of the island of Molokai so instead the geological history of the island will be discussed. In terms of formation Molokai is similar to the other major Hawaiian Islands. Due to the process of plate tectonics the plate upon which the Pacific Ocean rests moves at a rate of a few centimeters each year. Within the middle of the ocean is a hot spot that is constantly burning up through the lithosphere and creating seamount Volcanoes with the lava that is being ejected. Whenever a seamount volcano is moved by plate tectonics far enough away from the hotspot it becomes dormant and remains an island while a new island begins to be created. All of the Hawaiian Islands were formed in this manner and Molokai is no exception to that rule.
Interesting Tidbits About Molokai Island
- The island of Molokai was formed from two different dormant volcanoes and these two combined make up the surface area of the island. They are known as West Molokai and East Molokai respectively.
- The official flower of the island of Molokai is the Kukui and the official color is Omaomao which is a specific shade of green.
- Molokai is known far and wide to be one of the most under-developed islands in the country and while their population is only around 7,000 people during the high season of tourism the population can swell to many times that number.
Molokai Island Summary
So there you have it; a précis of things to see, things to do and the rich history of the fifth largest island in the Hawaiian island chain. Many tourists flock to Molokai every year because of the great number of things that there are to do there (not to mention all the events and amenities offered by the other Hawaiian Islands). If you are interested in a vacation to Molokai the best thing you can do is to book everything early. The closer you get to the day you want to leave; the more expensive the price becomes.
