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Kalawao County ( haw, Kalana o Kalawao) is a
county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
in the
U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
of
Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
. It is the smallest
county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
in the 50 states by land area and the second-smallest county by population, after
Loving County, Texas Loving County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. With a population of 64 per the 2020 census, it is the least-populous county in the United States. Its county seat and only community is Mentone. The county was originally created in 1887, ...
. The county encompasses the Kalaupapa or Makanalua Peninsula, on the north coast of the island of
Molokai Molokai , or Molokai (), is the fifth most populated of the eight major islands that make up the Hawaiian Islands archipelago in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It is 38 by 10 miles (61 by 16 km) at its greatest length and width with a us ...
. The small peninsula is isolated from the rest of Molokai by cliffs over a quarter-mile high; the only land access is a
mule The mule is a domestic equine hybrid between a donkey and a horse. It is the offspring of a male donkey (a jack) and a female horse (a mare). The horse and the donkey are different species, with different numbers of chromosomes; of the two po ...
trail. Because of the small population, Kalawao County does not have the same functions as other Hawaii counties. Instead, it is a judicial district of
Maui County Maui County, officially the County of Maui, is a county in the U.S. state of Hawaii. It consists of the islands of Maui, Lānai, Molokai (except for a portion of Molokai that comprises Kalawao County), Kahoolawe, and Molokini. The latter two a ...
, which includes the rest of the island of Molokai. The county has no elected government. It was developed and used from 1866 to 1969 for settlements for treatment of quarantined persons with
Hansen's disease Monster Beverage Corporation is an American beverage company that manufactures energy drinks including Monster Energy, Relentless and Burn. The company was originally founded as Hansen's in 1935 in Southern California, originally selling juice ...
(leprosy).


History

The
Kingdom of Hawaii The Hawaiian Kingdom, or Kingdom of Hawaiʻi ( Hawaiian: ''Ko Hawaiʻi Pae ʻĀina''), was a sovereign state located in the Hawaiian Islands. The country was formed in 1795, when the warrior chief Kamehameha the Great, of the independent islan ...
, the
Republic of Hawaii The Republic of Hawaii ( Hawaiian: ''Lepupalika o Hawaii'') was a short-lived one-party state in Hawaii between July 4, 1894, when the Provisional Government of Hawaii had ended, and August 12, 1898, when it became annexed by the United State ...
, the
Territory of Hawaii The Territory of Hawaii or Hawaii Territory ( Hawaiian: ''Panalāʻau o Hawaiʻi'') was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from April 30, 1900, until August 21, 1959, when most of its territory, excluding ...
, and the
state of Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
all exiled persons suffering from
Hansen's disease Monster Beverage Corporation is an American beverage company that manufactures energy drinks including Monster Energy, Relentless and Burn. The company was originally founded as Hansen's in 1935 in Southern California, originally selling juice ...
to the peninsula, from 1866 to 1969. The
quarantine A quarantine is a restriction on the movement of people, animals and goods which is intended to prevent the spread of disease or pests. It is often used in connection to disease and illness, preventing the movement of those who may have been ...
policy was only lifted after effective
antibiotic An antibiotic is a type of antimicrobial substance active against bacteria. It is the most important type of antibacterial agent for fighting bacterial infections, and antibiotic medications are widely used in the treatment and prevention ...
treatments were developed that could be administered on an outpatient basis and patients could be rendered non-contagious. Many of the residents nonetheless chose to remain on the peninsula, as they believed their disfigurements from the illness would make reintegration into society impossible. The state promised that they could live there for the rest of their lives. No new patients, or other permanent residents, were later admitted. Visitors are permitted only as part of official tours. State law prohibits anyone under the age of 16 from visiting or living there, although exceptions have been made for children visiting their relatives. In 1980, the
Kalaupapa National Historical Park Kalaupapa National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park located in Kalaupapa, Hawaii, on the island of Molokai. Coterminous with the boundaries of Kalawao County and primarily on Kalaupapa peninsula, it was established by ...
was established to preserve the county's history and environment. It is coterminous with the boundaries of Kalawao County.


Government

Kalawao County lacks a local, county government. Instead, Kalawao County is administered by the
Hawaii Department of Health The Hawaii State Department of Health (DOH) is a state agency of Hawaiʻi, with its headquarters in Honolulu CDP, Honolulu County on the island of Oʻahu. The Hawai'i Department of Health is organized into three administrations: Health Resources, ...
because of the history of the settlement and current patients living there. Under Hawaiian state law, the Director of the Hawaii Department of Health, who is appointed by the
Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
, also serves as the
Mayor of Kalawao County The Mayor of Kalawao County is the chief executive officer of Kalawao County in the U.S. state of Hawaii. Kalawao County, which lacks a local government, is administered by the Hawaii Department of Health. Under Hawaii state law, the Director of t ...
. The Mayor holds executive powers within the county; the mayor also appoints a county
sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...
, who is selected from local residents. The only county statutes that apply to Kalawao County directly are those on matters of health. Kalawao is part of the First Judicial Circuit, which includes the entire island of
Oahu Oahu () ( Hawaiian: ''Oʻahu'' ()), also known as "The Gathering Place", is the third-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is home to roughly one million people—over two-thirds of the population of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The island of O ...
. For the purpose of notarization, the designated venue for the First Judicial Circuit is "State of Hawaii, City and County of Honolulu."


Geography

According to the
U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (77.3%) is water. By land area, it is the smallest true county in the United States; some
independent cities An independent city or independent town is a city or town that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity (such as a province). Historical precursors In the Holy Roman Empire, and to a degree in its successor state ...
in
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...
are smaller and are sometimes considered to be “county equivalents” for statistical purposes such as with the US Census Bureau.


Kalaupapa Peninsula

Kalaupapa Peninsula contains the county's only settlement,
Kalaupapa Kalaupapa () is a small unincorporated community on the island of Molokai, within Kalawao County in the U.S. state of Hawaii. In 1866, during the reign of Kamehameha V, the Hawaii legislature passed a law that resulted in the designatio ...
. The Kalaupapa Peninsula developed from lava that erupted from the ocean floor near Kauhakō Crater and spread outward, forming a low
shield volcano A shield volcano is a type of volcano named for its low profile, resembling a warrior's shield lying on the ground. It is formed by the eruption of highly fluid (low viscosity) lava, which travels farther and forms thinner flows than the more vi ...
. This was the most recent volcanic episode on the island and of the larger
East Molokai The East Molokai Volcano, sometimes also known as Wailau for the Wailau valley on its north side, is an extinct shield volcano comprising the eastern two-thirds of the island of Molokai in the U.S. state of Hawaii. Description The East Molokai h ...
shield volcano, occurring after the formation of the cliffs by erosion.


Subdivisions

Kalawao County is composed of four
ahupuaʻa Ahupuaʻa () is a Hawaiian term for a large traditional socioeconomic, geologic, and climatic subdivision of land (comparable to the tapere in the Southern Cook Islands). It usually extends from the mountains to the sea and generally includes ...
. From west to east:


Demographics

As of the
census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
of 2000, 147 people, 115 households, and 21 families resided in the county, declining to 90 inhabitants in 2010. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...
was 11 people per square mile (4/km2). The 172 housing units produced an average density of 13 per square mile (5/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 48%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 26%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 17% Asian, 3% from
other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 6% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or Latino of any race made up 4%. Kalawao County has the highest Pacific Islander population percentage of any U.S. county, and is the only county where they make up a plurality. 2% of households housed children under the age of 18. 17% were married couples living together. 3% had a female householder with no husband present. 81% were non-families. 79% of all households were made up of individuals, and 31% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.28 and the average family size was 2.27. 2% under the age of 18, 1% from 18 to 24, 18% from 25 to 44, 46% from 45 to 64, and 32. who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 59 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.6 males. The population has declined since 1900: ImageSize = width:600 height:200 PlotArea = width:80% height:70% left:20% bottom:20% AlignBars = late DateFormat = yyyy Period = from:0 till:1200 TimeAxis = orientation:vertical ScaleMajor = increment:200 start:0 PlotData= color:drabgreen bar:1900 from:start till:1177 bar:1910 from:start till:785 bar:1920 from:start till:667 bar:1930 from:start till:605 bar:1940 from:start till:446 bar:1950 from:start till:370 bar:1960 from:start till:279 bar:1970 from:start till:172 bar:1980 from:start till:144 bar:1990 from:start till:130 bar:2000 from:start till:147 bar:2010 from:start till:90 bar:2020 from:start till:82 TextData= pos:(100,190) fontsize:M text:Population at censuses of 1900 through 2020 Current residents include 16 former patients, 40 federal employees who work on preservation projects, and some state-employed health workers.


Transportation

The only access to Kalawao County is by air, or by a steep mule trail that descends 1,600 feet from the rest of Molokai.
Kalaupapa Airport Kalaupapa Airport is a regional public use airport of the state of Hawaii, located on the northern peninsula of the island of Molokai, two nautical miles (4  km) north of Kalaupapa Settlement, in Kalawao County. Most flights to Kalaup ...
has scheduled air service to
Molokai Airport Molokai Airport, also known as Hoolehua Airport is a state-owned, public use airport located six nautical miles (7  mi, 11  km) northwest of Kaunakakai, on the island of Molokai in Maui County, Hawaii, United States. It is the pr ...
and to
Honolulu Airport Daniel K. Inouye International Airport , also known as Honolulu International Airport, is the main airport of Oahu, Hawaii.