18 Hawaii Flag Facts: Eight Horizontal Stripes Of White, Red, And Blue!

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Abhijeet Modi
Oct 06, 2023 By Abhijeet Modi
Originally Published on Mar 11, 2022
Let us learn some interesting Hawaiian flag facts.

Hawaii is a state of the United States of America.

It is situated in the Pacific ocean. It is 2,000 mi (3218.6 km) from the U.S. Mainland.

It is located in the western part of the United States of America. It is the only archipelago in the tropical mainland of the United States of America.

It has 137 volcanic islands. It is the eighth smallest and eleventh least populous island in us. It is also called aloha state as its nickname.

It has the largest Buddhist community in America. East Asian and Asian American populations in America. It is the third wealthiest state in America and has a higher cost of living.

It has an official Hawaiian flag like the rest of the states. Adopted in 1845, the flag of Hawaii features the UK union jack flag at the upper left corner and eight stripes as islands.

If you like this article, make sure to check out these Fun Fact articles: Japan flag facts and Alabama state flag facts.

Characteristics of Hawaii Flag

It is the only state that has the flag of another country included in it.

There are 8horizontal stripes of white, red, and blue colors. These colors appear alternately. The Hawaii state was under the strong influence of the united kingdom and had good relations with them, so at the top left corner of the flag is the union jack.

There are eight stripes in the Hawaiian flag. The stripes represent the eight major islands of Hawaii. Until recently, there were only seven stripes, an eight stripe was then introduced in 1845.

Among the 72 us states and Canadian territories, the flag of Hawaii is the 11th most popular among people. This survey of popularity was conducted by the North American Vexillological Association (NAVA). Hawaiin flag day is celebrated on July 31st.

British flag in Hawaii Flag

The king of Hawaii, King Kamehameha I, had good relations with the British royal navy. Till the year 1816, the British flag flew in the state of Hawaii, without the inclusion of stripes which represent the islands. Hawaii was surprisingly never ruled by the British.

The colonies that came there did not settle as they did in the rest of the states of America. The flag was adapted from the British East India company. Hawaii was ruled under monarchy till 1893.

The US marines invaded Honolulu on 1893, January 16. A majority of foreigners wanted to annex the state of Hawaii to the united states.

In 1898, the US succeeded completely in adding the Hawaiian archipelago as one of its states. There are eight stripes in the Hawaiian flag. There is also a Hawaiian Flag day!

Colors in Hawaii Flag

The Hawaiian flag name is Ka Hae Hawaii.

It was adopted in 1845, on December 29. It was last modified in 1898.

The colors of the flag of Hawaii have no symbolism. The red, white, and blue colors are used because of the influence of the foreign powers which were n contact with the state such as Russia, France, the UK, and the U.S.

It is also because other pacific islands use the same color. Apart from the national state flag which flows today, there were also many versions of the Hawaiin flag namely the jack, naval ensign, and royal standard.

Cultural factors in Hawaii Flag

King Kamehameha III set the stripes of the national flag to eight from seven.

The eight major islands include Hawaii, Kuaui, Lanai, Maui, Molokai, Niihau, Oahu, and Kahoolawe. The first Hawaiian flag was flown in the land as a token of friendship from King George III.

His advisors advised against it saying that the Hawaiian kingdom might be seen as an ally of the united kingdom in international conflicts. So, the king lowered the British flag.

In the war of 1812, to represent its support of America, it raised the American flag in places of honor. This caused disputes among the British envoys in the court. So, the flag of Hawaii became the hybrid of the two flags.

In the year 1816, Hawaii had made its official flag to avoid these conflicts. Inspired by the British naval flag, the flag was made by Kamehameha's counselor.

John Waihee, the governor of Hawaii declared July 31 to be the Hawaiin flag day. It has been celebrated since the year 1990.

The flag of the governor had a different flag and did not have eight horizontal stripes. It is a 2 color horizontal stripes, red and blue bi flag with eight stars in a circle in the middle.

The words TH were put in the middle, which meant territory of Hawaii. It was when it was recognized as a territory of the united states.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Hawaii flag facts then why not take a look at Ireland Flag Facts, or Colombia flag facts?

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Written by Abhijeet Modi

Master of Computer Science

Abhijeet Modi picture

Abhijeet ModiMaster of Computer Science

An experienced and innovative entrepreneur and creative writer, Abhijeet holds a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Computer Application from Birla Institute of Technology, Jaipur. He co-founded an e-commerce website while developing his skills in content writing, making him an expert in creating blog posts, website content, product descriptions, landing pages, and editing articles. Passionate about pushing his limits, Abhijeet brings both technical expertise and creative flair to his work.

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