Honolulu is the county seat of the City and County of Honolulu. It is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Hawaii Situated on the island of Oahu, it is known worldwide as a major tourist destination; Honolulu is the main gateway to Hawaii and a major gateway into the United States of America. It is also a major hub for international business, military defense, as well as famously being host to a diverse variety of east-west and Pacific culture, cuisine, and traditions. Honolulu is both the southernmost and westernmost major United States city. For statistical purposes, the U.S. Census Bureau recognizes the approximate area commonly referred to as "City of Honolulu" (not to be confused with the "City and County") as a census county division (CCD). Honolulu is a major financial center of the islands and of the Pacific Ocean. The population of Honolulu CCD was 390,738 at the 2010 census, while the population of the consolidated city and county was 953,207. Honolulu is the most populous state capital relative to state population. In the Hawaiian language, Honolulu means "sheltered bay" or "place of shelter"; alternatively, it means "calm port". The old name is said to be Kou, a district roughly encompassing the area from Nuuanu Avenue to Alakea Street and from Hotel Street to Queen Street which is the heart of the present downtown district. The city has been the capital of the Hawaiian islands since 1845 and gained historical recognition following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor near the city on December 7, 1941. Honolulu experiences a tropical semi-arid climate (Köppen classification Bsh) with a mostly dry summer season due to a rain shadow effect that suppresses summer rains and winter rainfall. Temperatures vary little throughout the months, with average high temperatures of 80--90 °F (27--32 °C) and average lows of 65--75 °F (18--24 °C) throughout the year. Temperatures reach or exceed 90 °F (32 °C) on an average 38 days annually, with lows in the upper 50s °F (14--15 °C) occurring once or twice a year. The highest recorded temperature was 95 °F (35 °C) during a heat wave in September 1998. The highest recorded temperature in the state was also recorded later that day in Ni'ihau. The lowest recorded temperature was 52 °F (11 °C) on February 16, 1902, and January 20, 1969. Waters off the coast of Honolulu average 82 °F (28 °C) in the summer months and 77 °F (25 °C) in the winter months. Annual average rain is 17.05 in (433 mm), which mainly occurs during the winter months of October through early April, with very little rainfall during the summer. Honolulu has an average of 278 sunny days and 90 wet days per year. Although Honolulu is known to have a wet and dry season, it is unnoticeable. This is mainly because light showers fall in the summer while heavier rain falls during the winter. Yet, both seasons experience the same amount of rainy days. Although the city is situated in the upper tropics, hurricanes are quite rare. The last recorded hurricane that hit the area was Category 4 Hurricane Iniki in 1992. Tornadoes are also uncommon and usually strike once every 15 years. Waterspouts off the coast are somewhat more common, hitting about once every five years. Kirk Caldwell was elected mayor of Honolulu County on November 6, 2012, and has began serving as the county's 14th mayor on January 2, 2013. The municipal offices of the City and County of Honolulu, including Honolulu Hale, the seat of the city and county, are located in the Capitol District, as are the Hawaii state government buildings. The Capitol District is within the Honolulu Census County Division (CCD), the urban area commonly regarded as the "City" of Honolulu. The Honolulu CCD is located on the southeast coast of Oahu between Makapuu and Halawa. The division boundary follows the Koolau crestline, so Makapuʻu Beach is in the Koolaupoko District. On the west, the division boundary follows Halawa Stream, then crosses Red Hill and runs just west of Aliamanu Crater, so that Aloha Stadium, Pearl Harbor (with the USS Arizona Memorial), and Hickam Air Force Base are actually all located in the island's Ewa CCD. The Hawaii Department of Public Safety operates the Oahu Community Correctional Center, the jail for the island of Oahu, in Honolulu CCD. The United States Postal Service operates post offices in Honolulu. The main Honolulu Post Office is located by the international airport at 3600 Aolele Street. Federal Detention Center, Honolulu, operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, is in the CDP.

• published: 03 Sep 2013
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