Hawaii is a lush island state full of resources that occur naturally in and around the land and can be used for economic or cultural gain. Though the total land mass of the Hawaiian Islands amounts to only 4,028 square miles, their natural resources are plentiful and include climate, vegetation, soil, and both salt and fresh water.
The climate of Hawaii is one of the state's major natural resources. Because they are located in a tropical climate, the islands are fairly warm all year round. The highs in summer average around 85 degrees Fahrenheit (29 degrees Celsius); in winter, it's closer to 78 degrees Fahrenheit (25.5 degrees Celsius). The climate is also bolstered by some of the cleanest air in the United States. Though climate may seem a strange natural resource, because so much of Hawaii's economy is based on tourism, its sunny climate proves to be one its most important resources indeed.
Because of its warm tropical climate, it's no surprise that Hawaii's vegetation is one of its main natural resources. Hawaii is home to some commercial cash crops, such as guava, coffee and macadamia nuts. Unique to Hawaii is the Lilikoi passion fruit tree, which has a rind that is yellow in color and a unique orange-colored, tart flesh. The Koa tree is also a well-known plant that is unique to Hawaii, and its wood is used in furniture production and woodworking.
With so much vegetation to support, soil is also an important natural resource for Hawaii. Because Hawaii was formed over the course of centuries by eruptions from underwater volcanoes, Hawaiian soil is composed of rich volcanic ash as well as soft stone. Volcanic ash is rich in nutrients, making it a prime growing soil. Due to the tropical climate and the robustness of the soil, Hawaii is able to produce crops and vegetation year round.
Fresh groundwater is in abundance in Hawaii. The islands are rife with volcanic-rock aquifers -- reservoirs of fresh water stored under ground. These aquifers are constantly replenished by the upwards of 21 billion gallons of rain the state receives per year -- though much of this runs off into the ocean. Groundwater is used for drinking, irrigation, and domestic and commercial needs. The ocean is also one of Hawaii's main natural resources. Not only are the coastal oceans a great draw for tourism, deep water pumping of cold ocean water powers some other economic necessities, such as energy production, growing cold-climate fruits and desalinating water.
