HI · City and County of Honolulu · 350,964 (2020) · state capital · Hawaii–Aleutian time (no DST)
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu lies on the south shore of Oahu, 2,400 miles from the US mainland, between the Koolau Range and the Pacific. It is the capital and largest city of Hawaii and the most isolated large city in the United States.
- State
- Hawaii
- County
- City and County of Honolulu (island of Oahu)
- Population (2020)
- 350,964
- Rank
- 46th of the 50 cities mapped here; outside the national top 50
- Coordinates
- 21.31°N, 157.86°W
- Time zone
- Hawaii
- Metro area
- about 1.0 million (Oahu)
- State capital
- Yes – capital of Hawaii
Where Honolulu is
Honolulu is at 21.31°N, 157.86°W on the island of Oahu, the third-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is the southernmost large city in the US and the only one in the tropics. The City and County of Honolulu is a consolidated government covering the whole of Oahu (600 square miles) plus the uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands; the 2020 figure used here is for the Urban Honolulu census-designated place, the built-up strip about 10 miles long between the harbor and the mountains. Elevation runs from sea level at Waikiki to about 3,000 feet on the Koolau crest at the city's back. San Francisco is 2,400 air miles northeast and Los Angeles 2,560; Tokyo is closer than New York.
Population and rank
The 2020 Census counted 350,964 residents in Urban Honolulu, 46th among the 50 cities on this site and just outside the national top 50. Because Honolulu is not a separately incorporated city, Census rankings treat it as a census-designated place; the whole City and County of Honolulu — all of Oahu — has about 1.0 million people, about 70 percent of the state's 1,455,271. The Urban Honolulu metropolitan area is the same as Oahu. The population of the urban core fell slightly between 2010 and 2020 while the rest of the island grew.
Geography
- Pacific Ocean — Honolulu Harbor is the state's main port; Waikiki Beach and the south-shore reefs face the open ocean. See US coastlines.
- Koolau Range — the eroded remains of a shield volcano forming the spine of Oahu behind the city, with sheer fluted cliffs (pali) and the Nuuanu Pali lookout.
- Diamond Head and Punchbowl — tuff cones of late volcanic activity; Diamond Head (760 ft) marks the east end of Waikiki, and Punchbowl holds the national cemetery.
- Pearl Harbor — the large drowned river valley west of the city, the largest natural harbor in Hawaii and the home of the Pacific Fleet.
Nearest large cities
No other US city is within 2,000 miles. Distances below are approximate air miles, since there are no roads.
| City | State | Road distance (mi) | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | CA | 2,400 (air) | NE |
| Los Angeles | CA | 2,560 (air) | NE |
| Seattle | WA | 2,680 (air) | NE |
| Anchorage | AK | 2,780 (air) | N |
| San Diego | CA | 2,610 (air) | NE |
Honolulu as state capital
Honolulu has been the capital of Hawaii since King Kamehameha III moved his court here from Lahaina in 1845; it remained the capital of the republic, the territory and, from 1959, the state. Iolani Palace, the only royal palace on US soil, served as the capitol until the present State Capitol opened next to it in 1969. Honolulu is both the capital and the largest city. Hawaii does not observe daylight saving time, so Honolulu is two hours behind Pacific time in winter and three in summer. See the Honolulu capital page.
Related maps
- Hawaii map — the state with its 5 counties.
- Honolulu, state capital — capital facts and history.
- US cities map.
- US coastlines, highest points and national parks maps.
- Nearest large cities: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Anchorage.
- Pacific division · Hawaii–Aleutian Time Zone.