The Hawaiian Islands were formed by volcanic activity. The archipelago is made up of 132 islands, atolls, reefs, shallow banks, shoals, and seamounts stretching over 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the southeast to Kure Atoll in the northwest.
The island of Hawaiʻi is the youngest and largest island in the Hawaiian chain. Nearly twice as big as all of the other Hawaiian Islands combined (hence, its nickname, “Big Island”), its sheer size is awe-inspiring. With incredibly diverse landscapes from molten lava rivers to snow-capped mountains to beautiful rainforests and black sand beaches, this island is a place of wonder and excitement.
