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Oahu () ( Hawaiian: ''Oʻahu'' ()), also known as "The
Gathering Place A gathering place is any place where people are able to congregate. Gathering places may be public; for example, city streets, town squares, and parks; or private; for example, churches, coffee shops, stadiums, and theaters. Examples of gatherin ...
", 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 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 state ...
. The island of O’ahu and the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands constitute the
City and County of Honolulu Honolulu County (officially known as the City and County of Honolulu, formerly Oahu County) is a consolidated city–county in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The city–county includes both the city of Honolulu (the state's capital and largest cit ...
. The state capital,
Honolulu Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...
, is on Oʻahu's southeast coast. Oʻahu had a population of 1,016,508 according to the 2020 U.S. Census, up from 953,207 people in 2010 (approximately 70% of the total 1,455,271 population of 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 state ...
, with approximately 81% of those living in or near the Honolulu urban area).


Name

The Island of O{{okinaahu in
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 state ...
is often nicknamed (or translated as) ''"The Gathering Place"''. It appears that O{{okinaahu grew into this nickname; it is currently the most populated
Hawaiian Island The Hawaiian Islands ( haw, Nā Mokupuni o Hawai‘i) are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Ku ...
, however, in ancient times, O{{okinaahu was not populous and was outranked by the status of other islands. The translation of ''"gathering place"'' was suggested as recently as 1922 by Hawaiian Almanac author
Thomas Thrum Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the Ap ...
. It has been speculated{{By whom, date=November 2019 that Thrum ignored or misplaced the {{okinaokina because the Hawaiian phrase "''{{okinao ahu''" could be translated as ''"gathering of objects"'' (''{{okinao'' is a subject marker and ''ahu'' means ''"to gather"''). The term {{lang, haw, Oʻahu has no confirmed meaning in Hawaiian, other than that of the place itself. The city of
Honolulu Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...
—largest city, state capital, and main deepwater marine
port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as H ...
for the State of {{lang, haw, Hawaiʻi, italic=no—is located here. As a jurisdictional unit, the entire island of Oʻahu is in
Honolulu County Honolulu County (officially known as the City and County of Honolulu, formerly Oahu County) is a consolidated city–county in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The city–county includes both the city of Honolulu (the state's capital and largest cit ...
, although as a place name, Honolulu occupies only a portion of the southeast end of the island. Well-known features found on Oʻahu include
Waikiki Waikiki (; haw, Waikīkī; ; also known as Waikiki Beach) is a neighborhood of Honolulu on the south shore of the island of Oahu in the U.S. state of Hawaii. Waikiki is most famous for Waikiki Beach, which is one of six beaches in the district ...
,
Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the Naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the R ...
, Diamond Head, {{lang, haw, Hanauma, italic=no, nocat=yes,
Kāneʻohe Bay Kāneohe Bay, at , is the largest sheltered body of water in the main Hawaiian Islands. This reef-dominated embayment constitutes a significant scenic and recreational feature along the northeast coast of the Island of Oahu. The largest populati ...
, Kailua Bay, North Shore, and the resort destination,
Ko Olina Ko Olina Resort is a master-planned vacation and residential community on the leeward coast of Oahu, west of Honolulu. Ko Olina has of coastal frontage and includes three natural and four man-made lagoons with white-sand beaches. The master-p ...
. While the island is designated the
City and County of Honolulu Honolulu County (officially known as the City and County of Honolulu, formerly Oahu County) is a consolidated city–county in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The city–county includes both the city of Honolulu (the state's capital and largest cit ...
, excluding the minor Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, residents identify settlements using town names (generally those of the
census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the count ...
s), and consider the island to be divided into various areas which may overlap. The most commonly accepted areas are the "City", "Town" or "Town side", which is the urbanized area from {{lang, haw, Halawa, italic=no to the area below Diamond Head (residents of the island north of the {{lang, haw, Koʻolau, italic=no, nocat=yes Mountains consider the Town Side to be the entire southern half), "West Oʻahu", which goes from Pearl Harbor to
Kapolei Kapolei () is a planned community in Honolulu County, Hawaiʻi, United States, on the island of Oʻahu. It is colloquially known as the "second city" of Oʻahu, in relation to Honolulu. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau ...
, {{lang, haw, ʻEwa, italic=no and may include the {{lang, haw, Waiʻanae, italic=no and {{lang, haw, Mākaha, italic=no areas; the " North Shore" (northwestern coast); the " Windward Side" (northeastern coast from {{lang, haw, Kahuku, italic=no to {{lang, haw, Kāneʻohe, italic=no); the "East Side" or "East Coast" (the eastern portion of the island, from {{lang, haw, Kāneʻohe, italic=no on the northeast, around the tip of the island to include much of the area east of Diamond Head); and "The Valley" or "Central Oʻahu" which runs northwest from Pearl Harbor toward {{lang, haw, Haleʻiwa, italic=no. These terms are somewhat flexible, depending on the area in which the user lives, and are used in a mostly general way, but residents of each area identify strongly with their part of the island, especially those outside of widely-known towns. For instance, if locals are asked where they live, they would usually reply "Windward Side" rather than "
Kailua Kailua () is a census-designated place (CDP) in Honolulu County, Hawaii, United States. It lies in the Koolaupoko District of the island of Oahu on the windward coast at Kailua Bay. It is in the judicial district and the ahupua'a named Ko'ol ...
".


History

{{unreferenced section, date=September 2011 The island has been inhabited since at least the 3rd century A.D. The 304-year-old Kingdom of Oʻahu was once ruled by the most ancient
aliʻi The aliʻi were the traditional nobility of the Hawaiian islands. They were part of a hereditary line of rulers, the ''noho aliʻi''. The word ''aliʻi'' has a similar meaning in the Samoan language and other Polynesian languages, and in Māori ...
in all of the Hawaiian Islands. The first great king of Oʻahu was Maʻilikūkahi, the lawmaker, who was followed by many generation of monarchs. Kualiʻi was the first of the warlike kings and so were his sons. In 1773, the throne fell upon Kahahana, the son of Elani of Ewa. In 1783,
Kahekili II Kahekili II, full name Kahekilinuiʻahumanu, (c. 1737–1794) was an ali'i (''Moʻi'') of Maui. His name was short for Kāne-Hekili after the Hawaiian god of thunder. Because Kāne-Hekili was believed to be black on one side, Kahekili tattooed on ...
, King of Maui, conquered Oʻahu and deposed the reigning family and then made his son, Kalanikūpule, king of O'ahu, turning O'ahu into a
puppet state A puppet state, puppet régime, puppet government or dummy government, is a state that is ''de jure'' independent but ''de facto'' completely dependent upon an outside power and subject to its orders.Compare: Puppet states have nominal sove ...
. Kamehameha the Great would conquer in the mountain Kalanikūpule's force in the
Battle of Nuʻuanu The Battle of Nuʻuanu ( Hawaiian: ''Kalelekaʻanae''; literally the leaping mullet), fought in May 1795 on the southern part of the island of Oʻahu, was a key battle in the final days of King Kamehameha I's wars to conquer the Hawaiian Islands ...
. Kamehameha founded the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi with the conquest of Oʻahu in 1795. Hawaiʻi would not be unified until the islands of Kauaʻi and
Niʻihau Niihau ( Hawaiian: ), anglicized as Niihau ( ), is the westernmost main and seventh largest inhabited island in Hawaii. It is southwest of Kauaʻi across the Kaulakahi Channel. Its area is . Several intermittent playa lakes provide wetland h ...
surrendered under King
Kaumualiʻi Kaumualiʻi (c. 1778–May 26, 1824) was the last independent aliʻi nui (supreme ruler of the island) of Kauaʻi and Niʻihau Niihau ( Hawaiian: ), anglicized as Niihau ( ), is the westernmost main and seventh largest inhabited island in Haw ...
in 1810. Kamehameha III moved his capital from Lāhainā, Maui to
Honolulu Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...
, Oʻahu in 1845.
ʻIolani Palace The Iolani Palace ( haw, Hale Aliʻi ʻIolani) was the royal residence of the rulers of the Kingdom of Hawaii beginning with Kamehameha III under the Kamehameha Dynasty (1845) and ending with Queen Liliʻuokalani (1893) under the Kalākaua D ...
, built later by other members of the royal family, is still standing, and is the only royal palace on American soil. Oʻahu was apparently the first of the Hawaiian Islands sighted by the crew of HMS ''Resolution'' on January 19, 1778, during Captain James Cook's third Pacific expedition. Escorted by HMS ''Discovery'', the expedition was surprised to find high islands this far north in the central Pacific. Oʻahu was not actually visited by Europeans until February 28, 1779, when Captain Charles Clerke aboard HMS ''Resolution'' stepped ashore at Waimea Bay. Clerke had taken command of the ship after James Cook was killed at
Kealakekua Bay Kealakekua Bay is located on the Kona coast of the island of Hawaii about south of Kailua-Kona. Settled over a thousand years ago, the surrounding area contains many archeological and historical sites such as religious temples (heiaus) and al ...
( island of Hawaiʻi) on February 14, and was leaving the islands for the North Pacific. With the discovery of the Hawaiian Islands came the introduction of disease, mosquitoes, and aggressive foreign animals. Although indirect, the simple exposure to these foreign species caused permanent damage to the Native Hawaiian people and environment. The
Imperial Japanese Navy The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's surrend ...
's
attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii ...
, Oʻahu on the morning of December 7, 1941 brought the United States into
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
. The surprise attack was aimed at destroying the American will to fight and make them sue for peace immediately by attacking the Pacific Fleet of the
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
and its defending Army Air Forces and Marine Air Forces. The attack damaged or destroyed twelve American warships, destroyed 188 aircraft, and resulted in the deaths of 2,335 American servicemen and 68 civilians (of those, 1,177 were the result of the destruction of the USS ''Arizona'' alone). Today, Oʻahu has become a tourism and shopping haven. Over five million visitors (mainly from the contiguous United States and Japan) flock there every year to enjoy the island.


Climate

{, , - , {{climate chart , O‘ahu , 18, 27, 14 , 19, 27, 27 , 17, 27, 105 , 19, 30, 2 , 18, 29, 6 , 21, 31, 2 , 22, 30, 8 , 18, 28, 10 , 23, 28, 2 , 21, 28, 95 , 21, 28, 21 , 20, 25, 25 , float=left , clear=left , source = {{Cite web , url= http://neo.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/dataset_index.php, title= NASA Earth Observations Data Set Index, access-date = 30 January 2016 , publisher= NASA Oʻahu is also known for having the longest rain shower in history, which lasted for 200 consecutive days. Kāneʻohe Ranch reported 247 straight days with rain from August 27, 1993 to April 30, 1994. The average temperature in Oʻahu is around {{convert, 70-85, F and the island is the warmest in June through October. The weather during the winter is cooler, but still warm with an average temperature of {{convert, 68-78, F.


Geography

Oʻahu is {{convert, 44, mi, km, 0} long and {{convert, 30, mi, km, 0 across. Its shoreline is {{convert, 227, mi, km, 0} long. Including small associated islands such as
Ford Island Ford Island ( haw, Poka Ailana) is an islet in the center of Pearl Harbor, Oahu, in the U.S. state of Hawaii. It has been known as Rabbit Island, Marín's Island, and Little Goats Island, and its native Hawaiian name is ''Mokuumeume''. The is ...
plus those in
Kāneʻohe Bay Kāneohe Bay, at , is the largest sheltered body of water in the main Hawaiian Islands. This reef-dominated embayment constitutes a significant scenic and recreational feature along the northeast coast of the Island of Oahu. The largest populati ...
and off the eastern (
windward Windward () and leeward () are terms used to describe the direction of the wind. Windward is ''upwind'' from the point of reference, i.e. towards the direction from which the wind is coming; leeward is ''downwind'' from the point of reference ...
) coast, its area is {{convert, 596.7, sqmi, km2, 1, making it the 20th-largest island in the United States.{{cite web , year=2004 , title=Table 5.08 – Land Area of Islands: 2000 , url=http://www.hawaii.gov/dbedt/info/economic/databook/db2004/section05.pdf , access-date=July 23, 2007 , publisher=State of HawaiiThe windward side is known for some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. {{lang, haw, Lanikai, italic=no, nocat=yes Beach on the windward coast of Oʻahu has been consistently ranked among the best beaches in the world. The island is composed of two separate shield volcanoes: the Waiʻanae and
Koʻolau Range Koolau Range is a name given to the dormant fragmented remnant of the eastern or windward shield volcano of the Hawaiian island of Oahu. It was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1972. Geology It is not a mountain range in the normal ...
s, with a broad valley or saddle (the central Oʻahu Plain) between them. The highest point is Kaʻala in the Waiʻanae Range, rising to {{convert, 4003, ft, m, 0} above sea level.{{cite web , year=2004 , title=Table 5.11 – Elevations of Major Summits , url=http://www.hawaii.gov/dbedt/info/economic/databook/db2004/section05.pdf , access-date=July 23, 2007 , publisher=State of Hawaii Being roughly diamond-shaped, surrounded by ocean and divided by mountain ranges, directions on Oʻahu are not generally described with the compass directions found throughout the world. Locals instead use directions originally using Honolulu as the central point. To go {{lang, haw, ʻewa means traveling toward the western tip of the island, ''"Diamond Head"'' is toward the eastern tip, {{lang, haw, mauka is inland (toward the central {{lang, haw, Koʻolau, italic=no Mountain range, north of Honolulu) and {{lang, haw, makai toward the sea. When these directions became common, Diamond Head was the eastern edge of the primary populated area. Today, with a much larger populace and extensive development, the mountain itself is often not actually to the east when directions are given, and is not to be used as a literal point of reference—to go "Diamond Head" is to go to the east from anywhere on the island.


Tourist attractions


Top beaches

* Ala Moana Beach *
Hanauma Bay Hanauma (; ) is a marine embayment formed within a tuff ring and located along the southeast coast of the Island of Oahu in the Hawaii Kai neighborhood of East Honolulu, in the Hawaiian Islands. Hanauma is one of the most popular tourist destin ...
*
Kāneʻohe Bay Kāneohe Bay, at , is the largest sheltered body of water in the main Hawaiian Islands. This reef-dominated embayment constitutes a significant scenic and recreational feature along the northeast coast of the Island of Oahu. The largest populati ...
*
Ko Olina Beach Park Ko Olina Beach Park is a public park on the west side of the island of Oahu, Hawaii within the Ko Olina Resort Community, part of the City and County of Honolulu. Located at the end of several high-end vacation resorts, the park is situated betw ...
*
Kailua Kailua () is a census-designated place (CDP) in Honolulu County, Hawaii, United States. It lies in the Koolaupoko District of the island of Oahu on the windward coast at Kailua Bay. It is in the judicial district and the ahupua'a named Ko'ol ...
*
Lanikai Beach Lanikai Beach or Kaōhao Beach is located in Kaōhao, a community in the town of Kailua and on the windward coast of Oahu, Hawaii. Although there is a widespread belief that the name Lanikai means "heavenly sea", that is a misconception and a gra ...
* Papailoa Beach * Sandy Beach * Sunset Beach *
Waikīkī Beach Waikiki (; haw, Waikīkī; ; also known as Waikiki Beach) is a neighborhood of Honolulu on the south shore of the island of Oahu in the U.S. state of Hawaii. Waikiki is most famous for Waikiki Beach, which is one of six beaches in the district ...
* Waimānalo Beach * Waimea Bay


Attractions

*
Ala Moana Ala Moana (meaning ''path to the sea'' in Hawaiian) is a commercial, retail, and residential district of Honolulu, Hawaii. It is located between Waikiki and Moiliili to the east, and Kakaako and Honolulu Harbor to the west. King Street, to th ...
*
Aloha Tower The Aloha Tower is a retired lighthouse that is considered one of the landmarks of the state of Hawaii in the United States. Opened on September 11, 1926, at a then astronomical cost of $160,000, the Aloha Tower is located at Pier 9 of Honolulu ...
* Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa * Banzai Pipeline * Bishop Museum * Diamond Head *
Dole Plantation Dole plc (previously named Dole Food Company, Standard Fruit Company) is an Irish agricultural multinational corporation headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. The company is among the world's largest producers of fruit and vegetables, operating wit ...
*
Foster Botanical Garden Foster Botanical Garden, measuring , is one of five public botanical gardens on Oahu. It is located at 50 North Vineyard Boulevard, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States, near Chinatown, Honolulu, Chinatown at the intersection of Nu'uanu Avenue and Vine ...
* Kaʻena Point *
Honolulu Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...
*
Honolulu Museum of Art The Honolulu Museum of Art (formerly the Honolulu Academy of Arts) is an art museum in Honolulu, Hawaii. The museum is the largest of its kind in the state, and was founded in 1922 by Anna Rice Cooke. The museum has one of the largest single co ...
* Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Garden *
ʻIolani Palace The Iolani Palace ( haw, Hale Aliʻi ʻIolani) was the royal residence of the rulers of the Kingdom of Hawaii beginning with Kamehameha III under the Kamehameha Dynasty (1845) and ending with Queen Liliʻuokalani (1893) under the Kalākaua D ...
*
Kualoa Ranch Kualoa is a private nature reserve and working cattle ranch, as well as a popular tourist attraction and filming location on the windward coast of Oahu in Hawaii. It is about from Honolulu, and from Haleiwa. The ranch consists of 3 valleys: ...
* Lāʻie Hawaii Temple * Nuʻuanu Pali Lookout * Mauna ʻAla * Makapuu Lighthouse *
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (informally known as Punchbowl Cemetery) is a national cemetery located at Punchbowl Crater in Honolulu, Hawaii. It serves as a memorial to honor those men and women who served in the United St ...
or "Punchbowl" * North Shore * Pali Lookout *
Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the Naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the R ...
*
Polynesian Cultural Center The Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) is a family-centered cultural tourist attraction and living museum located in Laie, on the northern shore of Oahu, Hawaii. The PCC is owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), wa ...
*
Triple Crown of Surfing The Triple Crown of Surfing is a Hawaii a specialty series of professional surfing events that have been held annually since 1983 on the North Shore of Oahu, a coastline whose winter swells can reach in height. The Triple Crown was founded by f ...
* USS ''Arizona'' Memorial * USS ''Missouri'' *
Valley of the Temples Memorial Park Valley of the Temples Memorial Park is a memorial park located on the windward (eastern) side of the Hawaiian island of Oahu at the foot of the Koolau mountains, near the town of Kāneohe. Thousands of Buddhist, Shinto, Protestant and Cathol ...
*
Waikīkī Waikiki (; haw, Waikīkī; ; also known as Waikiki Beach) is a neighborhood of Honolulu on the south shore of the island of Oahu in the U.S. state of Hawaii. Waikiki is most famous for Waikiki Beach, which is one of six beaches in the district ...
* Waikīkī Aquarium * Waimea Valley Audubon Center * Waimea Valley {{Panorama , image = File:Hanauma Bay Panoramic View.JPG , height = 220 , alt = Hanauma Bay , caption =
Hanauma Bay Hanauma (; ) is a marine embayment formed within a tuff ring and located along the southeast coast of the Island of Oahu in the Hawaii Kai neighborhood of East Honolulu, in the Hawaiian Islands. Hanauma is one of the most popular tourist destin ...


In popular culture

* In the video games ''
Test Drive Unlimited ''Test Drive Unlimited'' is an open world racing video game developed by Eden Games and published by Atari for Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. Atari Melbourne House developed the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable versions. Being the ei ...
'' and '' Test Drive Unlimited 2'' players can drive around O'ahu island's {{convert, 1000, mi, km of road. * ''
Microsoft Flight ''Microsoft Flight'' is an amateur flight simulation from Microsoft Studios created as a spin-off of the ''Microsoft Flight Simulator'' series. The game is offered "free-to-play"; charging players for downloading extra content, aircraft or s ...
'', released in 2012 as the successor to the ''
Microsoft Flight Simulator ''Microsoft Flight Simulator'' is a series of amateur flight simulator programs for Microsoft Windows operating systems, and earlier for MS-DOS and Classic Mac OS. It was an early product in the Microsoft application portfolio and differed sig ...
'' series, was set on island of Hawaiʻi. The game had a piece of
downloadable content Downloadable content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can either be added for no extra cost or it can be a form of video game monetization, enabli ...
(DLC) called ''Hawaiian Adventure Pack''. Once purchased, it brought detail to all of the Hawaiian islands to the game, including Oʻahu. The DLC also brought new airports to land and take off from and new missions to complete, among other things. * ''Lost'' was filmed almost entirely on Oʻahu, with many locations on the island (predominantly Honolulu) serving as a stand-in for other locations (including US, Australia, UK and South Korea). Many of the show's stars still call the island home. The island's thick
rainforests Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainforest ...
and picturesque beaches are prominently featured. *
50 First Dates ''50 First Dates'' is a 2004 American romantic comedy drama film directed by Peter Segal and starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore with Rob Schneider, Sean Astin and Dan Aykroyd in supporting roles. It follows the story of Henry, a womanizing ...
, a movie that takes place on the island. * '' MythBusters'' shot their 2012 Season's "Duct Tape Island" episode on this island * The South Korean reality TV series ''Father and Me'' was filmed on Oʻahu in 2016 * ''The Reimanns'', a popular German reality TV series, has been filmed on the North Shore at the family's estate in Pūpūkea since December 2015. Beginning with a contract with the US Navy in 2001, Ocean Power Technologies began ocean-testing Azura, its
wave power Wave power is the capture of energy of wind waves to do useful work – for example, electricity generation, water desalination, or pumping water. A machine that exploits wave power is a wave energy converter (WEC). Waves are generated by win ...
generation system at the Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH) at
Kāneʻohe Bay Kāneohe Bay, at , is the largest sheltered body of water in the main Hawaiian Islands. This reef-dominated embayment constitutes a significant scenic and recreational feature along the northeast coast of the Island of Oahu. The largest populati ...
. The Oʻahu system was launched under the company's program with the US Navy for ocean testing and demonstration of such systems, including connection to the Oʻahu grid. The prototype can produce 20 kW, a system with 500 kW to 1 MW is planned to be installed at end of 2017. Oʻahu has 343 MW of
rooftop solar A rooftop solar power system, or rooftop PV system, is a photovoltaic (PV) system that has its electricity-generating solar panels mounted on the rooftop of a residential or commercial building or structure. The various components of such a syst ...
power, and potential for 92 MW of
wind power Wind power or wind energy is mostly the use of wind turbines to generate electricity. Wind power is a popular, sustainable, renewable energy source that has a much smaller impact on the environment than burning fossil fuels. Historically ...
.Wind resource
/ref>


Notable people

{{Category see also, People from Oahu{{div col, colwidth=30em *
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the ...
, 44th President of the United States * Benny Agbayani, professional baseball player *
Keiko Agena Christine Keiko Agena (born October 3, 1973) is an American actress. She is mostly known for playing Lane Kim in ''Gilmore Girls'' and NYPD medical examiner Dr. Edrisa Tanaka on FOX's crime drama ''Prodigal Son'' (2019–2021). Personal life Ag ...
, actor *
Gabe Baltazar Gabriel Ruiz Hiroshi Baltazar Jr. (November 1, 1929 – June 12, 2022) was an American jazz alto saxophonist and woodwind doubler. Background and early years His mother, born Chiyoko Haraga on a Hawaii sugarcane plantation, was the daughter of ...
, clarinet and saxophone player * Alexandria Boehm, scientist * Darren Brooks, actor, writer, producer *
Max Holloway Jerome Max Keli'i Holloway (born December 4, 1991) is an American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Featherweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A professional since 2010, Holloway became the ...
, MMA Fighter, Former
UFC The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...
Featherweight Champion *
Angelique Cabral Angelique Cabral is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Colleen Brandon-Ortega on CBS' sitcom '' Life in Pieces'' (2015–2019) and Staff Sergeant Jillian Perez on Fox's comedy television series ''Enlisted'' (2014). She has a ...
, actor *
Tia Carrere Althea Rae Duhinio Janairo (born January 2, 1967), known professionally as Tia Carrere (), is an American actress, singer and former model who got her first big break as a regular on the daytime soap opera '' General Hospital''. Carrere played C ...
, actor *
Brian Ching Brian Ching (born May 24, 1978) is an American former professional soccer player who played for twelve years in Major League Soccer and represented the U.S. national team for eight years. Ching's professional career began when he was the 16th ...
, Major League Soccer *
Dennis Chun Dennis Chun (born March 18, 1952) is an American actor. He is the son of ''Hawaii Five-O'' star Kam Fong Chun, and portrayed Sgt. Duke Lukela in the reboot of the series, in which his father was known for playing Chin Ho Kelly from the origi ...
, actor ( Hawaii Five-0), son of Kam Fong * Bryan Clay, Olympic decathlete 2008 * Scott Crary, film director and producer *
Auliʻi Cravalho Chloe Auliʻi Cravalho (; born November 22, 2000) is an American actress and singer who made her acting debut as the voice of the titular character in the 2016 Disney 3D computer-animated musical feature film '' Moana''. She went on to star in ...
, actor, singer *
Mark Dacascos Mark Alan Dacascos (born February 26, 1964) is an American actor, martial artist and television personality. He won numerous karate and kung fu championships between the ages of 7 and 18. He is known for his roles as Wo Fat in '' Hawaii Five-0' ...
, actor *
Caitlin Doughty Caitlin Marie Doughty (born August 19, 1984) is an American mortician, author, blogger, YouTube personality, and advocate for death acceptance and the reform of Western funeral industry practices. She is the owner of Clarity Funerals and Cremat ...
, mortician, author and
YouTube personality A YouTuber is an online personality and/or influencer who produces videos on the video-sharing platform YouTube, typically posting to their personal YouTube channel. The term was first used in the English language in 2006. Influence Influen ...
* Diana Ewing, actor *
Sid Fernandez Charles Sidney Fernandez (born October 12, 1962) is an American former professional baseball left-handed pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies, and ...
, baseball *
Maile Flanagan Maile Flanagan () is an American television, film, and voice actress known for her work in cartoons, anime and video games. Some of her prominent roles include Naruto Uzumaki in the English dub of ''Naruto'', Piggley Winks in ''Jakers! The Adve ...
, actor *
Kam Fong Kam Fong Chun (born Kam Tong Chun; May 27, 1918 – October 18, 2002) was an American police officer and actor, best known for his role as Chin Ho Kelly, a police detective on the CBS television network series ''Hawaii Five-O''. Life Kam F ...
, actor * Lauren Graham, actor *
Erin Gray Erin Gray (born January 7, 1950) is an American model, casting agent, and actress whose roles include Colonel Wilma Deering in the science fiction television series '' Buck Rogers in the 25th Century'' and Kate Summers-Stratton in the situat ...
, actor *
Brian Grazer Brian Thomas Grazer (born July 12, 1951) is an American film and television producer and writer. He founded Imagine Entertainment in 1986 with Ron Howard. The films they produced have grossed over $15 billion. Grazer was personally nominated f ...
, Oscar-winning film and television producer * Coco Ho, pro surfer *
Don Ho Donald Tai Loy Ho (August 13, 1930 – April 14, 2007) was a Hawaiian traditional pop musician, singer and entertainer. He is best known for the song "Tiny Bubbles" from the album of the same name. Life and career Ho was a singer of Native ...
, singer * Kelly Ann Hu, actor *
Carrie Ann Inaba Carrie Ann Inaba (born January 5, 1968) is an American television personality, dancer, choreographer, actress, and singer. She is best known for her work on ABC TV's ''Dancing with the Stars'' for which she has served as a judge since 2005. She c ...
, dancer, actor, musician * Daniel Inouye, US Senator, Medal of Honor recipient * Jack Johnson, musician, folk rock singer-songwriter * Duke Kahanamoku, pro swimmer, surfer, sheriff *
Samuel Kamakau Samuel Mānaiakalani Kamakau (October 29, 1815 – September 5, 1876) was a Hawaiian historian and scholar. His work appeared in local newspapers and was later compiled into books, becoming an invaluable resource on the Hawaiian people, Hawaiian ...
, historian *
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
, musician * Maxim Knight, actor *
Olin Kreutz Olin George Kreutz (; born June 9, 1977) is an American former professional football player who was a center in the National Football League (NFL) for fourteen seasons. He played college football for University of Washington, and earned consen ...
, football player Chicago Bears *
Clyde Kusatsu Clyde Kusatsu (born September 13, 1948) is an American actor and trade union leader of Japanese descent. Since 2013, he has served as the National Vice President of SAG-AFTRA Los Angeles Local. Life and career Clyde Kusatsu was born in Hawaii a ...
, actor * Teri Ann Linn, actor *
Jack Lord John Joseph Patrick Ryan (December 30, 1920 – January 21, 1998), best known by his stage name, Jack Lord, was an American television, film and Broadway actor, director and producer. He starred as Steve McGarrett in the CBS television progra ...
, actor *
Marcus Mariota Marcus Ardel Taulauniu Mariota (born October 30, 1993) is an American football quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted second overall by the Tennessee Titans in the 2015 NFL Draft. Mariota pl ...
, NFL football player, Atlanta Falcons * Markiplier (Mark Edward Fischbach), Internet personality, video game commentator *
Bruno Mars Peter Gene Hernandez (born October 8, 1985), known professionally as Bruno Mars, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is known for his stage performances, retro showmanship, and for performing in a wide range of musical ...
, singer-songwriter, record producer, musician *
Julie McCullough Julie Michelle McCullough (born January 30, 1965) is an American model, actress and stand-up comedian. She was ''Playboy'' magazine's Playmate of the Month for February 1986, and played the role of Julie Costello on ''Growing Pains'' in 1989–90. ...
, actor * Zack Merrick, drummer in American rock band
All Time Low All Time Low is an American rock band from Towson, Maryland, formed in 2003. Consisting of lead vocalist/rhythm guitarist Alex Gaskarth, lead guitarist Jack Barakat, bassist/backing vocalist Zack Merrick, and drummer Rian Dawson, the band to ...
* Bette Midler, singer, actor, comedian *
Jason Momoa Joseph Jason Namakaeha Momoa (; born August 1, 1979) is an American actor. He made his acting debut as Jason Ioane on the syndicated action drama series '' Baywatch: Hawaii'' (1999–2001), which was followed by portrayals of Ronon Dex on the S ...
, actor * Carissa Moore, pro surfer * Tahj Mowry, actor * Don Muraco, professional wrestler * Jamie O'Brien (surfer), Jamie O'Brien, surfer * Ellison Onizuka, NASA astronaut, STS-51-C, STS-51-L, Space Shuttle Challenger disaster * Noelani Pantastico, ballet dancer * Janel Parrish, actor, singer * Kelly Preston, actor * Maggie Q, actor * Jonah Ray, actor, comedian, writer * Makua Rothman (born 1984), world champion surfer * Anthony Ruivivar, actor * Jesse Sapolu, retired football player, San Francisco 49ers * Garret T. Sato, actor * Amanda Schull, actor * James Shigeta, actor * Jake Shimabukuro, ʻukulele player * Karen Steele, actor * Don Stroud, actor * Tua Tagovailoa, NFL football player, Miami Dolphins * Ronald Takaki, academic, historian, ethnographer and author * Akebono Tarō, sumo wrestler * Kristi Tauti, professional figure competitor and fitness model * Manti Te'o, NFL football player, Los Angeles Chargers * Paul Theroux, author * Michelle Wie West, golf LPGA * Taylor Wily, actor * Kirby Wright, poet and writer * Keone Young, actor {{div col end


See also

{{Portal, Hawaii * Honolulu Volcanics * National Register of Historic Places listings in Oahu, National Register of Historic Places listings in Oʻahu


References


Citations

{{Reflist


Sources

* David W. Doyle, Doyle, David W., 2001. ''Rescue in Paradise: Oahu's Beaches and their Guardians''. Island Heritage. * Macdonald, Gordon A., Agatin T. Abbott, and Frank L. Peterson, 1983. ''Volcanoes in the Sea''. University of Hawaii Press, University of Hawaiʻi Press, Honolulu. 517 pp. * Pukui, M. K., S. H. Elbert, and E. T. Mookini, 1976. ''Place names of Hawaiʻi''. University of Hawaiʻi Press. 289 pp.


External links

* {{commons-inline, Oahu * {{Wikivoyage-inline {{Honolulu County, Hawaii {{Hawaii {{Hawaiian volcanism {{Portalbar, Hawaii, Islands {{Authority control Oahu, Articles containing video clips Geography of Honolulu County, Hawaii Islands of Hawaii