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  • August 21, 2016 marks 57 years since Hawaii gained statehood.

  • As an isolated archipelago with its own language, culture, and history, Hawaii is undoubtedly

  • the most unique US State, and it even has its own long-running sovereignty movement.

  • So, how would Hawaii fare on its own?

  • Just how powerful is Hawaii?

  • Well, Hawaii is a string of eight main islands and more than 100 smaller islands.

  • Although that may sound large, the state as a whole is very, very small.

  • All 137 islands combined amount to roughly 6,400 square miles, meaning they could fit

  • inside the state of New Jersey.

  • About 1.4 million people live in Hawaii, but the state’s de facto population is considerably

  • larger.

  • That’s because Hawaii is home to about 50,000 troops and sees roughly 8 million visitors

  • each year.

  • That said, it should come as no surprise that the tourism industry is the largest single

  • contributor to Hawaii’s economy, accounting for nearly a quarter of the state’s almost

  • $80 billion dollar GDP.

  • The island also relies heavily on agriculture, and, because of its tropical climate, it is

  • able to produce and export a number of specialty crops, like coffee and macadamia nuts.

  • When it comes to its economy, Hawaii’s extreme isolation is both a major benefit and a crippling

  • drawback With the nearest landmass more than 2,000 miles away, shipping costs are egregiously

  • high, leaving local producers unable to compete.

  • What’s more, the controversial Jones Act prohibits foreign container ships from picking

  • up goods from more than one US port, meaning that most ships bypass Hawaii on their way

  • to or from the mainland.

  • This takes a huge financial toll on Hawaiian residents and business-owners.

  • Not only do Hawaiians pay more taxes per person than anyone in the US, the high costs of gas,

  • electricity, housing and imported goods make the island the most expensive place to live

  • in the nation.

  • This is all against the backdrop of Hawaii’s complicated relations with the US.

  • Back in the 1800’s, Hawaii was an independent monarchy, and its economy was dominated by

  • sugarcane and pineapple production.

  • The beneficiaries were mostly American plantation-owners, many of whom clashed with the island’s royal

  • family over local political issues.

  • Meanwhile, the US had its eye on the archipelago as a strategic military base.

  • In the late 19th century, American businessmen partnered with US military to oust the Queen,

  • simultaneously banning Hawaiian language and culture.

  • The US has since apologized for the overthrow, however Hawaii’s small indigenous population

  • continues to experience disenfranchisement.

  • Native Hawaiians are disproportionately recognized in the state’s homeless and incarcerated

  • populations and are more likely to experience health problems.

  • Natives have long argued that the answer to these problems is regaining self-rule, either

  • through a semi-autonomous government, not unlike those of mainland Native American groups,

  • or through full-blown independence.

  • Some activists have even drafted their own constitution, and garnered support from high-profile

  • politicians like Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama.

  • However with no real plan in place for succession, it may be years before the island sees any

  • degree

  • of sovereignty.

August 21, 2016 marks 57 years since Hawaii gained statehood.

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夏威夷有多強大? (How Powerful Is Hawaii?)

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