The True Size of Hawaii 🏝️ #Hawaii #USA #Geography

Hawaii is much bigger than it looks on a map. We usually see only 8 main Hawaiian Islands, but the state of Hawaii actually stretches far across the Pacific Ocean and includes 137 volcanic islands and atolls. The Main Hawaiian Islands and the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands form the Hawaiian Archipelago, which stretches for about 1,500 miles 🌋 These islands are only the visible peaks of an enormous volcanic chain rising from the ocean floor. It formed over millions of years as the Pacific Plate moved across the Hawaiian hotspot. Because the tectonic plate moves northwest, the 8 main islands are the youngest part of the chain 🏝️ Farther northwest lies Midway Atoll, one of the oldest atolls in the Hawaiian Archipelago. It was once a U.S. military base and the site of the famous Battle of Midway during World War II. Midway is not part of the state of Hawaii. It is a separate U.S. territory and today serves as an emergency landing site for trans-Pacific flights ✈️ #hawaii #hawaiianislands #northwesternhawaiianislands #volcano #pacificocean #midwayatoll #tectonicplates #islandchain #usa #unitedstates #states #forbiddenisland #isolatedplace #remoteisland #island #mysteryisland #hawaiianhotspot #history #geography #maps #learn