Hawaii County Map

Hawaii County Maps

Hawaii’s county situation is about as laid-back as the state itself. They’ve got 5 counties. Yep, you can count them all on one hand. It’s more like they threw some lines on a map and called it a day.

Hawaii Counties

Honolulu County, home to the state capital and nearly a million residents, takes the crown as the most populous. It’s no wonder, with Honolulu’s urban center, world-famous Waikiki Beach, and massive tourism industry.

On the flip side, Kalawao County is a tiny speck on the map, with fewer than 100 inhabitants. This remote county on Molokai’s northern shore was once a quarantine zone. Today, it’s a quiet sanctuary, accessible only by mule ride or hiking trail.

When it comes to size, Hawaii County (also known as the Big Island) lives up to its nickname. It’s a whopping 4,028 square miles. Yep, that’s larger than all the other Hawaiian islands combined. Meanwhile, tiny Kalawao County measures just 12 square miles. But size isn’t everything.

The story behind Hawaii’s counties is as fascinating as the islands themselves. The word “county” comes from the Hawaiian “kalana,” meaning a land division. Interestingly, the first county government wasn’t established until 1905, long after Hawaii became a U.S. territory.