The Hawaiian Islands, once known as the Sandwich Islands, form an archipelago of 19 islands and atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts trending northwest by southeast in the North Pacific Ocean between latitudes 19° N and 29° N. The archipelago takes its name from the largest island in the group and extends some 1,500 miles (2,400 km) from the Island of Hawai i in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll. Excluding Midway, which is an unincorporated territory of the United States, the Hawaiian Islands form the U.S. State of Hawaii.

This archipelago represents the exposed peaks of a great undersea mountain range known as the Hawaiian-Emperor seamount chain, formed by volcanic activity over a hotspot in the earth's mantle. At about from the nearest continent, the Hawaiian Island archipelago is the most isolated grouping of islands on Earth.

Islands and reefs

The Hawaiian Islands comprise a total of 137 islands and atolls, with a total land area of . Except for Midway, which is an unincorporated territory of the United States, these islands and islets are administered as the State of Hawaii — the 50th state of the United States of America.

Main islands

The eight main Hawaiian islands (also known as the Hawaiian Windward Islands) are listed here from East to West. All except Kaho olawe are inhabited.

• Hawai i (also known as the Big Island)
• Maui
• Kaho olawe (uninhabited; temporary residential facilities)
• Lāna i
• Moloka i
• O ahu
• Kaua i
• Ni ihau

Smaller islands, atolls, reefs

Smaller islands, atolls, and reefs (beyond Ni ihau and all uninhabited); called the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, or Hawaiian Leeward Islands:

• Nihoa (Mokumana)
• Necker (Mokumanamana)
• French Frigate Shoals (Mokupāpapa)
• Gardner Pinnacles (Pūhāhonu)
• Maro Reef (Nalukākala)
• Laysan (Kauō)
• Lisianski Island (Papa āpoho)
• Pearl and Hermes Atoll (Holoikauaua)
• Midway Atoll (Pihemanu) (temporary residential facilities)
• Kure Atoll (Kānemiloha i)

Islets