Hawaii (officially spelled Hawai`i) is a remote archipelago in the Pacific Ocean. Only Easter Island is located farther away from any other landmass on Earth. Hawaii is made up of eight islands and atolls, all created through volcanic activity.

Geologists believe that Hawaii is located above a volcanic hotspot in the Pacific Ocean. The hotspot remains stationary, but as the tectonic plate over it moves northwest, new islands are formed. The "Big Island" of Hawaii is the newest.