Area:
Total 272.1 km²
Land 222.0 km²
Water 50.1 km²
Honolulu is the largest city and the capital of the U.S. state of Hawai‘i. In the Hawaiian language, honolulu means "sheltered bay" or "place of shelter." The city is located along the southeast coast of the island of O‘ahu. The term also refers to the District of Honolulu.
Downtown Honolulu is the commercial and governmental center of Hawai‘i. On the waterfront is Aloha Tower, which for many years was the tallest building in Hawai‘i. Currently the tallest building is the 450-foot-tall First Hawaiian Tower, located on King & Bishop Streets. On the eastern side of downtown is the historic center of Hawai‘i's state government: the Hawai‘i State Capitol, ‘Iolani Palace, Honolulu Hale, and the statue of King Kamehameha I are the central features of this area, along with numerous government buildings. Kaka‘ako is a former light-industrial district between Downtown and Waikīkī that has seen a large-scale redevelopment effort in the past decade. It is home to two major shopping areas, Ward Warehouse and Ward Centre.
Several other redevelopment projects are planned in this area, including a new medical school for the University of Hawai‘i. Waikīkī is the famous tourist district of Honolulu, located between the Ala Wai Canal and the Pacific Ocean. Numerous hotels, shops, and other nightlife are located along Kalākaua and Kuhio Avenues. World-famous Waikīkī Beach attracts thousands of visitors a year. Just west of Waikīkī is Ala Moana Center, the world's largest open-air shopping center. A majority of the hotel rooms on O‘ahu are located in Waikīkī.The Honolulu District is located on the southeast coast of O‘ahu between Makapu'u and Hālawa. The District boundary follows the Ko'olau crestline, so Makapu'u Beach is in the Ko'olaupoko District. On the west, the district boundary follows Hālawa Stream, then crosses Red Hill and runs just west of Āliamanu Crater, so that Aloha Stadium, Pearl Harbor (with the USS Arizona Memorial), and Hickam Air Force Base are actually all located in the island's 'Ewa District.
