Claim: Hawaii's island farthest to the west is Niihau.

Hawaii -LRB- -LSB- langpronaudio = en-us-Hawaii . ogghəˈwaɪ.i , _ - ji , _ - ʔi -RSB- ; Hawai -LSB- - hawhəˈvɐjʔi -RSB- -RRB- is the 50th and most recent state to have joined the United States of America , having received statehood on August 21 , 1959 . Hawaii is the only U.S. state located in Oceania and the only one composed entirely of islands . It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia , occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean . Hawaii is the only U.S. state not located in the Americas .   The state encompasses nearly the entire volcanic Hawaiian archipelago , which comprises hundreds of islands spread over 1500 mi . At the southeastern end of the archipelago , the eight main islands are -- in order from northwest to southeast : Niihau , Kauai , Oahu , Molokai , Lānai , Kahoolawe , Maui , and the Island of Hawaii . The last is the largest island in the group ; it is often called the `` Big Island '' or `` Hawaii Island '' to avoid confusion with the state or archipelago . The archipelago is physiographically and ethnologically part of the Polynesian subregion of Oceania .   Hawaii 's diverse natural scenery , warm tropical climate , abundance of public beaches , oceanic surroundings , and active volcanoes make it a popular destination for tourists , surfers , biologists , and volcanologists . Because of its central location in the Pacific and 19th-century labor migration , Hawaii 's culture is strongly influenced by North American and Asian cultures , in addition to its indigenous Hawaiian culture . Hawaii has over a million permanent residents , along with many visitors and U.S. military personnel . Its capital is Honolulu on the island of Oahu .   Hawaii is the 8th-smallest and the 11th-least populous , but the 13th-most densely populated of the fifty U.S. states . It is the only state with an Asian plurality . The state 's coastline is about 750 mi long , the fourth longest in the U.S. after the coastlines of Alaska , Florida , and California .