Maui The Valley Isle
Landsat satellite image of Maui
Geography
Location in the state of Hawaii
Location	20°48′N, 156°20′W
Area	727. The Landsat program is the longest running enterprise for acquisition of imagery of Earth from space The State of Hawaii ( or həˈwaɪʔiː Hawaiian: Mokuāina o Hawaii) is a state in the United States located on an Archipelago in the 2 sq mi (1883. 5 km²)
Rank	2nd largest Hawaiian Island
Highest point	Haleakalā   10,023 ft (3,055 m)[1]
Demographics
Population	117,644 (as of 2000)
Density	162/sq mi (62/km²)
Official Insignia[2]
Flower	Lokelani
Color	Akala (Pink)

The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at 727. The Hawaiian Islands, once known as the Sandwich Islands, form an Archipelago of 19 Islands and Atolls numerous smaller Haleakalā or East Maui Volcano is a massive Shield volcano that forms more than 75% of the Hawaiian Island of Maui. Rosa × damascena, more commonly known as the Damask rose or simply as " Damask " or sometimes as the Rose of Castile An island (ˈaɪlənd or isle (/ˈaɪl/ is any piece of land that is completely surrounded by water in two dimensions above high tide and isolated from other significant The Hawaiian Islands, once known as the Sandwich Islands, form an Archipelago of 19 Islands and Atolls numerous smaller 2 square miles (1883. 5 km²) and is the 17th largest island in the United States. This is a list of Islands of the United States, as ordered by area. ^[3] Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest island in Maui County. The State of Hawaii ( or həˈwaɪʔiː Hawaiian: Mokuāina o Hawaii) is a state in the United States located on an Archipelago in the Maui County is a County located in the US state of Hawaii. It consists of the islands of Maui, Kahoolawe, Lānai, Three other islands, Lanai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai, also belong to Maui County. Lānai (in Hawaiian lɑːnɑʔi is the sixth-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. Kahoolawe is the smallest of the 8 main Volcanic islands in the Hawaiian Islands. Molokai (also Molokai) is an Island in the Hawaiian archipelago. Together, the four islands are known as Maui Nui. In 2000, Maui had a population of 117,644, the third-largest of the Hawaiian islands, behind that of Oahu and Hawaii. Oahu (usually Oahu outside Hawaiian and Hawaiian English) known as ''"The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island, is a volcanic Island in the U Kahului is the largest town on the island with a population of 20,146. Kahului is the largest town on the Hawaiian island of Maui and is located along the north shore of central Maui ^[4] Wailuku is the seat of Maui County. Wailuku is a Census-designated place (CDP in Maui County, Hawai{{okina}}i, United States.

Contents 1 Name 2 History 3 Modern development 4 Sister Cities 5 Economy 6 Geology and topography 7 Climate 8 Natural history 9 Tourism 10 Transportation 11 References 12 Sources and external links 12.1 News and resource links

Name

Native Hawaiian tradition gives the origin of the island's name in the legend of Hawaiʻiloa, the Polynesian navigator attributed with discovery of the Hawaiian Islands. "Kanaka" redirects here For the Tamil actress see Kanaka (actress. Polynesia (from Greek: πολύς many, νῆσος island) is a Subregion of Oceania, comprising a large grouping of over The story relates how he named the island of Maui after his son who in turn was named for the demigod Māui. In Hawaiian mythology, Māui is a Culture hero who appears in several different Genealogies. According to legend, the demigod Māui raised all the Hawaiian Islands from the sea. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions The Island of Maui is also called the "Valley Isle" for the large fertile isthmus between its two volcanoes. An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas

History

Polynesians, from Tahiti and the Marquesas, were the original peoples to populate Maui. Tahiti is the largest Island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the Archipelago of Society Islands in the The Tahitians introduced the kapu system, a strict social order that affected all aspects of life and became the core of Hawaiian culture. The Hawaiian word kapu is usually translated as "forbidden" Modern Hawaiian history began in the mid-1700s. King Kamehameha I took up residence (and later made his capital) in Lāhainā after conquering Maui in 1790, during the bloody Battle of Kepaniwai. Kamehameha I, also known as Kamehameha the Great, (born February 1758 or November 1737 or May 1, 1738 – died May 8, 1819) Lahaina is the largest town and Census-designated place (CDP in West Maui Maui County, Hawaii, United States, and the gateway to the The Battle of Kepaniwai (also called the "Battle of the Dammed Waters of Īao" or "Battle of the Clawed Cliffs" was fought in 1790 between Hawai{{okina}}i

On November 26, 1778, Captain James Cook became the first European explorer to see Maui. Events 43 BC - The Second Triumvirate alliance of Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus ("Octavian" later "Caesar Augustus" Year 1778 ( MDCCLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or Captain James Cook FRS RN ( – 14 February 1779) was an English Explorer, Navigator and Cook never set foot on the island because he was unable to find a suitable landing. The first European to visit Maui was the French admiral Jean François de Galaup de La Pérouse, who landed on the shores of what is now known as La Perouse Bay on May 29, 1786. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Jean François de Galaup comte de La Pérouse (23 August 1741&ndash1788? was a French Navy officer and Explorer whose expedition vanished in Oceania. La Perouse Bay is located south of the town of Wailea-Makena Hawaii at the end of Makena Alanui Road (State Highway 31 The bay's Hawaiian name is Keoneoio Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the Year 1786 ( MDCCLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common More Europeans followed: traders, whalers, loggers (e. g. , of sandalwood) and missionaries. for the film industry in India see Cinema of Karnataka Sandalwood is the name for several fragrant Woods and their Essential A missionary is a member of a Religion who works to convert those who do not share the missionary's faith someone who proselytizes. The missionaries began to arrive from New England in 1823, choosing Lāhainā because it was the capital. History See also History of New England New England's earliest inhabitants were Algonquian -speaking Native Americans including the They clothed the natives, banned them from dancing hula, and greatly altered the culture. Hula (ˈhuːlə is a dance form accompanied by chant or song It was developed in the Hawaiian Islands by the Polynesians who originally settled there They tried to keep whalers and sailors out of the bawdy houses. The missionaries taught reading and writing, created the 12-letter Hawaiian alphabet, started a printing press in Lāhainā, and began writing the islands' history, which until then existed only as oral accounts^[5]. The Hawaiian language (Hawaiian ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i) is an Austronesian language that takes its name from Hawai'i, the largest island in the tropical Ironically, the work of the missionaries both altered and preserved the native culture. The religious work altered the culture while the literacy efforts preserved native history and language for posterity. They started the first school in Lāhainā, which still exists today: Lāhaināluna Mission School. The Mission school opened in 1831 and was the first secondary school to open west of the Rocky Mountains. Mountain peaks of the Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a Mountain range in western North America.

At the height of the whaling era (1840-1865), Lāhainā was a major whaling center with anchorage in Lāhainā Roads; in one season over 400 ships visited Lāhainā and the greatest number of ships berthed at one time was about 100. Whaling is the hunting of Whales and dates back to at least 6000 BC Lahaina is the largest town and Census-designated place (CDP in West Maui Maui County, Hawaii, United States, and the gateway to the In an Archipelago like the Hawaiian Islands the water between Islands is typically called a channel or passage. A given ship tended to stay months rather than days which explains the drinking and prostitution in the town at that time. Prostitution is the act of performing Sexual activity in exchange for Money. Whaling declined steeply at the end of the 19th century as crude oil (petroleum) replaced whale oil. Petroleum ( L petroleum, from Greek πετρέλαιον, lit Petroleum ( L petroleum, from Greek πετρέλαιον, lit Whale oil is the oil obtained from the Blubber of various species of Whales particularly the three species of Right Whale ( Eubalaena japonica

Kamehameha's descendants reigned in the islands until 1872. They were followed by rulers from another ancient family of chiefs, including Queen Liliuokalani who ruled in 1893 when the monarchy was overthrown. Liliuokalani ( September 2, 1838 – November 11, 1917) born Lydia Liliu Loloku Walania Wewehi Kamakaeha, was the last Until the 1890s the Kingdom of Hawai{{okina}}i was an independent sovereign state recognized by the United States the United Kingdom France Japan and Germany One year later, the Republic of Hawaii was founded. The Republic of Hawaii was the formal name of the government that controlled Hawai{{okina}}i from 1894 to 1898 when it was run as a Republic The island was annexed by the United States in 1898 and made a territory in 1900. Annexation ( Latin ad, to and nexus, joining is the legal incorporation of some territory into another geo-political entity (either adjacent or non-contiguous The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Year 1898 ( MDCCCXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Hawaii became the 50th U.S. state in 1959. A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Maui was centrally involved in the Pacific Theatre of World War II as a staging center, training base, and for rest and relaxation. The Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO was the World War II military activity in the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering it a geographic scope World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including At the peak in 1943-44, the number of troops stationed on Maui exceeded 100,000. The main base of the 4th Marines was in Haiku. The 4th Marine Regiment is an Infantry Regiment of the United States Marine Corps. Beaches (e. g. , in Kīhei) were used for practice landings and training in marine demolition and sabotage.

The Vibora Luviminda trades union conducted the last labor strike of an ethnic nature in the Hawaiian Islands against four Maui sugar plantations in 1937, demanding higher wages and dismissal of five foremen. The Vibora Luviminda, a Secretive organization focused largely on Filipino labor issues was founded in 1924 on the island of Maui by Manuel Fagel Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Manuel Fagel and nine other strike leaders were arrested, charged with kidnapping a worker. Fagel spent four months in jail while the strike continued. Eventually, Vibora Luviminda made its point and the workers won a 15% increase in wages after 85 days on strike, but there was no written contract signed.

Modern development

The island has experienced rapid population growth in recent years with Kīhei one of the most rapidly growing towns in the United States (see chart, below). The growth is occurring because many people, having visited Maui, decide to move or retire to the island.

Population growth is producing strains, including growing traffic congestion on many of the major roads. There is concern about the availability of affordable housing and access to water. Property prices have risen to levels such that families on average incomes find it difficult to afford renting or buying a home. Property developers have insufficient regulatory or financial incentive to build less expensive (affordable) homes. The Maui County Council seeks ways of amending this situation.

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1950	40,103		—
1960	35,717		−10. 9%
1970	38,691		8. 3%
1980	62,823		62. 4%
1990	91,361		45. 4%
2000	117,644		28. 8%
State of Hawaii [4]

There have been long-standing concerns about the reliability of Maui's potable water supply; droughts have been declared in most recent years and the Īʻao aquifer is being drawn from at what some believe are unsustainable rates of above 18 million U. Water of sufficient quality to serve as drinking water is termed potable water whether it is used for drinking or not S. gallons (68,000 m³) per day. While the long-term situation remains unclear and reliable supply has not been secured, recent estimates indicate that the total potential supply of potable water on Maui is around 476 million U. S. gallons (1,800,000 m³) per day, many times greater than any foreseeable demand.

Sugar cane cultivation once used over 80% of the island's water supply (The Water Development Plan of Maui, 1992 – Present?). Sugarcane was introduced to Hawaii by its first inhabitants in approximately 600 AD and was observed by Captain Cook upon arrival in the islands in 1778 One pound of refined sugar requires a ton of water to produce. The water used for sugar cultivation is taken mostly from the streams of East Maui, routed though a network of tunnels and ditches hand dug by Chinese labor over a century ago. The Chinese in Hawaii constitute about 47% of the state's population most of whom (75% have ancestors from Zhongshan in Guangdong. Controversy exists as to whether the sugar companies have a right to monopolize water from ditches dug on leased public land transporting public water. In 2006, the town of Paia successfully petitioned the County against mixing in treated water from wells known to be contaminated with both EDB and DBCP from former pineapple cultivation in the area (Environment Hawaii, 1996). Pāia ( pah-ee-ah) is a Census-designated place (CDP in Maui County, Hawai{{okina}}i, on the northern coast of the island of Maui Agricultural companies have been released from all future liability for these chemicals (County of Maui, 1999).

There is a great deal of discussion about the meaning of —and the way to achieve— smart development. There clearly exists a tension between economic growth and urbanization on the one hand, and the wish to preserve the beauty of Maui and a relaxed way of life on the other.

Sister Cities

• Dublin, Ireland

Economy

In August 2006, Fitch Ratings assigned a "AA" (double-A) rating to US$29. Dublin (ˈdʌblɨn/ /ˈdʊblɨn or /ˈdʊbəlɪn/, bˠalʲə aːha klʲiəh or cliə(ɸ is both the largest city and capital of Ireland. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world 2 million of the County of Maui's General Obligation (GO) Bonds (2006 Series A). It also affirmed the US$217. 6 million in outstanding GO bonds. The bonds will sell via negotiation by UBS Investment Bank during the week of August 7. Events 322 BC - Battle of Crannon between Athens and Macedon following the death of Alexander the Great. The Rating Outlook is Stable. According to Fitch, the double-A rating ". . . reflects Maui's solid financial results, healthy economic activity, low debt burden, and conservative [county government] management policies. " For two years running, revenue growth has exceeded the growth of expenditures, keeping the balances of the county's General Fund in the positive column. Earlier draw-downs of the GF's balance in 2002 and 2003 were used to soften the effects of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the economy. Events 9 - The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest ends 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul Fitch views these prudent fiscal actions as "instrumental in maintaining the county's strong credit standing. " The county's debt burden, relatively speaking, is very low, which is typical of all the Hawaiian counties, considering the state's broad functions. (Read the entire article about Maui's 2006 Fitch Rating. ) (See also "Fitch Ratings")

Unemployment Rate – The 2005 unemployment rate fell to 2. Fitch Ratings Ltd is an international Credit rating agency dual-headquartered in New York City and London. 6 percent, lower than the 2. 8 percent rate for Hawaii as a whole and 5. 1 percent for the nation.

Major Industries - Traditionally, the two major industries on Maui are agriculture and tourism. Agriculture is a major industry in the United States and the country is a net exporter of food Tourism in the United States is a large industry that serves millions of international and domestic tourists yearly However, government research groups and high technology companies have discovered that Maui has a business environment favorable for growth in those sectors. Agriculture value-added enterprises are growing rapidly.

Agriculture – Coffee, macadamia nuts, papaya, tropical flowers, sugar and fresh pineapple are just some of Hawaii's premium exports and are a great example of their diversified agriculture. But Maui Land & Pineapple Company and Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Company (HC&S, a subsidiary of Alexander and Baldwin Company) dominate agricultural activity. HC&S produces sugarcane on about 37,000 acres (150 km²) of the Maui central valley, the largest sugarcane operation remaining in Hawaii. The cane is irrigated mostly with water drawn from aqueducts that run from the windward (northern) slopes of Haleakalā that receive considerable rainfall. Haleakalā or East Maui Volcano is a massive Shield volcano that forms more than 75% of the Hawaiian Island of Maui. A controversial feature of Maui sugarcane production is the harvesting method of controlled cane field fires for nine months of the year. Controlled burns are performed to reduce the crop to bare canes just before harvesting. The fires produce smoke that towers above the Maui central valley most early mornings, and ash (locally referred to as "Maui snow") that is carried downwind (often towards north Kīhei).

Tourism and the Hospitality Industry

See Tourism in Hawaii

High Technology and Government Contracting – The Maui High Performance Computing Center (MHPCC) in Kihei is a U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory Center which is managed by the University of Hawaii. Hawai{{okina}}i is the name of a chain of several islands and are among the numerous Pacific Islands in the Pacific The University of Hawaii, formally the University of Hawaii System and popularly known as UH, is a public co-educational college and university system that confers It provides more than 10,000,000 hours of computing time per year to the research, science, and warfighter communities.

Another promoter of high technology on Maui is the Maui Research and Technology Center, also located in Kihei. The MRTC is a program of the High Technology Development Corporation (HTDC), an agency of the State of Hawaii, whose focus is to facilitate the growth of Hawaii's commercial high technology sector. ^[6]

Maui is also an important center for advanced astronomical research. The Haleakala Observatory [1] was Hawaii's first astronomical research and development facility at the Maui Space Surveillance Site (MSSS) electro-optical facility. The Haleakala High Altitude Observatory site on the Island of Maui is the site of Hawaii 's first astronomical research observatory "At the 10,023 feet summit of the long dormant volcano Haleakala, operational satellite tracking facilities are co-located with a research and development facility providing superb data acquisition and communication support. The high elevation, dry climate, and freedom from light pollution offer virtually year-round observation of satellites, missiles, man-made orbital debris, and astronomical objects. "^[7]

Geology and topography

Maui's wide variety of landscapes have resulted from a unique combination of geology, topography, and climate. Each volcanic cone in the chain of the Hawaiian Islands is built of dark, iron-rich/quartz-poor rocks, which poured out of thousands of vents as highly fluid lava, over a period of millions of years. The Hawaiian Islands, once known as the Sandwich Islands, form an Archipelago of 19 Islands and Atolls numerous smaller Lava is molten rock expelled by a Volcano during an eruption When first expelled from a volcanic vent it is a Liquid at Temperatures Several of the volcanoes were close enough to each other that lava flows on their flanks overlapped one another, causing several volcanoes to merge into a single island. Maui is such a "volcanic doublet", formed from two shield volcanoes that overlapped one another to form an isthmus between them. A shield volcano is a large Volcano with shallow-sloping sides An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas ^[8]

The older, western volcano has been eroded considerably and is cut by numerous drainages, forming the peaks of the West Maui Mountains (in Hawaiian Mauna Kahalawai). The West Maui Mountains or West Maui Volcano, known to the Hawaiians as Mauna Kahalawai, form a much eroded Shield volcano that constitutes the Pu'u Kukui is the highest of the peaks at 5,788 feet. The larger, younger volcano to the east, Haleakala, rises to more than 10,000 feet (3,050 m) above sea level, but measures five miles (8 km) from seafloor to summit. Haleakalā or East Maui Volcano is a massive Shield volcano that forms more than 75% of the Hawaiian Island of Maui. The eastern flanks of both volcanoes are cut by deeply incised valleys and steep-sided ravines that run downslope to the rocky, windswept shoreline. The valley-like Isthmus of Maui that separates the two volcanic masses was formed by recent lava flows and erosion of material from the steep slopes of the volcanoes. This prominent topographic feature is the reason why Maui is known as "The Valley Isle".

The last eruption (originating in Haleakala's Southwest Rift Zone) occurred around 1790; two of the resulting lava flows are located (1) at Cape Kina'u between Ahihi Bay and La Perouse Bay on the southwest shore of East Maui, and (2) at Makaluapuna Point on Honokahua Bay on the northwest shore of West Maui. La Perouse Bay is located south of the town of Wailea-Makena Hawaii at the end of Makena Alanui Road (State Highway 31 The bay's Hawaiian name is Keoneoio Although considered to be dormant by volcanologists, Haleakala is certainly capable of further eruptions. Volcanology (also spelled vulcanology) is the study of Volcanoes, Lava, Magma, and related geological and Geophysical phenomena

The island of Maui is one of the four main Hawaiian Islands that formed the much larger island, Maui Nui that submerged about 200,000 years ago, and is now about 1,650 feet (500 m) below sea level. Maui Nui or Greater Maui, is a modern geologists' name given to a prehistoric Hawaiian Island built from seven Shield volcanoes. The other three islands that made this prehistoric island are Lanai, Molokai and Kahoolawe. Lānai (in Hawaiian lɑːnɑʔi is the sixth-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. Molokai (also Molokai) is an Island in the Hawaiian archipelago. Kahoolawe is the smallest of the 8 main Volcanic islands in the Hawaiian Islands. ^[9]

Climate

Main article: Climate of the Hawaiian Islands

The climate of the Hawaiian Islands is characterized by a two-season year, mild and uniform temperatures everywhere (except at high elevations), marked geographic differences in rainfall, high relative humidity, extensive cloud formations (except on the driest coasts and at high elevations), and dominant trade-wind flow (especially at elevations below a few thousand feet). The Hawaiian Islands, once known as the Sandwich Islands, form an Archipelago of 19 Islands and Atolls numerous smaller Maui itself has a wide range of climatic conditions and weather patterns that are influenced by several different factors in the physical environment:

• Half of Maui is situated within five miles of the island's coastline. This, and the extreme insularity of the Hawaiian Islands themselves account for the strong marine influence on Maui's climate.
• Gross weather patterns are often determined by an area's elevation and whether it faces into or away from the Trade winds (prevailing air flow from the northeast quadrant).
• Maui’s rugged, irregular topography produces marked variations in conditions from one locality to another. Air swept inland on the Trade winds is shunted one way or another by the mountains, valleys, and vast open slopes. This complex three-dimensional flow of air results in striking differences from place to place in wind speed, cloud formation, and rainfall. When irregular topography is combined with variations in elevation, marked differences in air temperature are the result.

These seemingly contradictory factors combine to create a unique and diverse set of climatic conditions, each of which is specific to a loosely defined sub-region of the island chain. These sub-regions are defined by major physiographic features (such as mountains and valleys) and by location (i. e. , is it on the windward or leeward side of the island). These sub-regions (and their characteristic climates) are as follows.

• Windward Lowlands – Below 2,000 feet on north- to northeast-sides of an island. Region is oriented roughly perpendicular to direction of flow of prevailing trade winds. Moderately rainy; frequent trade wind-induced showers. Skies are often cloudy to partly cloudy. Air temperatures are more uniform (and mild) than those of other regions.

• Leeward Lowlands – Daytime temperatures are a little higher and nighttime temperatures are lower than in windward locations. Dry weather is prevalent, with the exception of sporadic trade winds showers that drift over from the mountains to windward and during short-duration storms.

• Interior Lowlands – Intermediate conditions, often sharing characteristics of other lowland sub-regions. Occasionally experience intense local afternoon showers from well-developed clouds that formed due to local heating of the land during the day.

• Leeward Side High-Altitude Mountain Slopes with High Rainfall – Extensive cloud cover and rainfall all year long. Mild temperatures are prevalent, but humidity is higher than any other sub-region.

• Lower Mountain Slopes on Leeward Side – Rainfall is higher than on the adjacent leeward lowlands, but much less than at similar altitudes on the windward side; however, maximum rainfall usually occurs leeward of the crests of lower mountains. Temperatures are higher than on the rainy slopes of the windward sides of mountains; cloud cover is almost as extensive.

• High Mountains – Above about 3,000 feet on Haleakala, rainfall decreases rapidly with elevation. Relative humidity may be ten percent or less. The lowest temperatures in the state are experienced in this region: air temperatures below freezing are common.

Rainfall – Showers are very common; yet while some of these are very heavy, the vast majority are light and brief – a sudden sprinkle of rain and it's over. Even the heaviest rain showers are seldom accompanied by thunder and lightning. Summer is the warmer season; with an overwhelming dominance of trade winds, it is the season when widespread rainstorms are rare. Throughout the lowlands, summer is the drier season in terms of average monthly rainfall. At one extreme, the annual rainfall averages 17 to 20 inches or less in leeward coastal areas, such as the shoreline from Maalaea Bay to Kaupo, and near the summit of Haleakala. Ma'alaea Bay is a large bay in the southwestern coast of Maui, in the Hawaiian islands At the other extreme, the annual average rainfall exceeds 300 inches along the lower windward slopes of Haleakala, particularly along the Hana Highway. If the islands of the State of Hawaii did not exist, the average annual rainfall on the same patch of water would be about 25 inches. Instead, the actual average is about 70 inches. Thus, the islands extract from the air that passes over them about 45 inches of rainfall that otherwise would not fall. The mountainous topography of Maui and the other islands is responsible for this added water bonus.

Daily Variations in Rainfall – In the lowlands, throughout the year, rainfall is most likely to occur during the night or morning hours, and is least likely to occur during mid-afternoon. The most pronounced daily variations in rainfall occur during the summer because most summer rainfall consists of Trade winds showers that most often to occur at night. Winter rainfall in the lowlands is the result of storm activity, which is as likely to occur in the daytime as at night. Rainfall variability is far greater during the winter, when occasional storms contribute appreciably to rainfall totals, than during summer, when trade-wind showers provide most of the rain. With such wide swings in rainfall, it is inevitable that there are occasional droughts, sometimes with severe economic losses. The real drought years are the ones where the winter rains fail, when there are only a few (or even no) significant rainstorms. Droughts hit hardest in the normally dry areas that depend on winter storms for their rainfall and receive little rain from the Trade wind showers.

Natural history

Maui is a leading whale-watching center in the Hawaiian Islands due to Humpback whales wintering in the sheltered ʻAuʻau Channel between the islands of Maui county. The humpback whale ( Megaptera novaeangliae) is a Baleen Whale. In an Archipelago like the Hawaiian Islands the water between Islands is typically called a channel or passage. The whales migrate approximately 3,500 miles (5,600 km) from Alaskan waters each autumn and spend the northern hemisphere winter months mating and birthing in the warm waters off Maui. Alaska ( Аляска Alyaska) is a state in the United States of America, in the northwest of the North American continent The whales are typically sighted in pods: small groups of several adults, or groups that contain a mother and her calf. Humpbacks are an endangered species protected by U. An endangered species is a population of an organism which is at risk of becoming Extinct because it is either few in numbers or threatened by changing environmental or predation S. federal and Hawaiʻi state law. There are estimated to be about 18,000 humpbacks in the North Pacific.

Maui's Humpback whales are facing many dangers more recently due to increased levels of pollution, high speeds of commercial vessels, and military sonar testing.

Tourism

Maui County welcomed 2,207,826 tourists in 2004; 2,263,676 tourists in 2005; and 2,405,257 tourists in 2006 with total tourist expenditures of US$3. 5 billion for the Island of Maui alone. While the Island of Oahu is most popular with Japanese tourists, the Island of Maui tends to appeal to visitors mostly from the U. S. mainland and Canada: in 2005, there were 2,003,492 domestic arrivals on the island, compared to 260,184 international arrivals. The big tourist spots in Maui include the Road to Hana, Haleakala National Park, and Lahaina.

The Road to Hana is a highway that runs along the east coast Maui which curves along many mountains and beaches. Even though the drive is very long and curvy, the beautiful waterfalls and black sand beaches are well worth it. Haleakala National Park is home to one of the most beautiful sunrises in the world. Drive up the cold, dormant volcano to view the sunrise, but be sure to bring some blankets because it is much different from the weather during the day at the beach. The temperature from atop the summit can be as much as 32 degrees colder than the resort areas. Lahaina is one of the main attractions on the island with an entire street of shops and restaurants which lead to a wharf where many set out for a sunset cruise or whale watching journey. Snorkeling with exotic underwater creatures can be done at almost any beach along the Maui coast.

The main tourist hotel and condo areas are West Maui (Kaanapali, Lahaina, Honokowai, Kahana, Napili, Kapalua), and South Maui (Kihei, Wailea).

In April of 2008, Hawaii suffered a major loss in tourism due to the bankruptcies from both ATA and Aloha Airlines. The increased demand on the remaining airlines forced prices up, making travel to Hawaii less desirable.

Transportation

Two airports provide scheduled air service to Maui:

• Kahului Airport in central Maui
• Kapalua Airport in western Maui

References

Sources and external links

• Official site of Maui County
• Maui County QuickFacts from the U.S. Census Bureau
• Hawaii Dept. of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism
• High Tech Maui – A program of the Maui Economic Development Board
• Roadside Geology of Hawaii, 1996 (Third Printing 2002), R. W. Hazlett and D. W. Hyndman, Mountain Press Publishing Co. (part of the "Roadside Geology" series).
• East Maui Water: East Maui Water Development Plan, East Maui Water History, undated, Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter, Maui Group.
• Maui travel guide from Wikitravel
• visitmaui.com - Maui history
• Maui Information Guide - A guide to all of Maui, Hawaii
• Maui Beach Guide A guide to Maui's beaches

News and resource links

• The Maui News ~ main local newspaper
• Maui No Ka 'Oi Magazine ~ Maui County regional magazine
• Maui Free Press Haleakala Times
• Maui Weekly ~ the South Maui newspaper
• Lahaina News ~ the West Maui newspaper
• Maui Weather Today - Glenn's daily Weather Narrative
• Pacific Disaster Center - The Source for Daily Disaster News

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