Lānaʻi

Lanai

Nickname: The Pineapple Isle
Location in the state of Hawaii
Geography
Location	North Pacific Ocean
Archipelago	Hawaiian Islands
Administration
United States
State	Hawaii
Area covered	364 km2 (141 sq mi)

Lānaʻi (sometimes spelled Lanai) is sixth largest of the Hawaiian Islands, in the United States. It is also known as the "Pineapple Island". The island is almost a circle in shape and is 18 miles wide in the longest direction. The land area is 140 sq. miles (367 km²). It is separated from the island of Moloka'i by the Kalohi Channel to the north. To the east, the Auʻau Channel separates Lānaʻi from Maui. Billionaire businessman Larry Ellison, founder of Oracle Corporation, owns 98 percent of the island of Lānaʻi. The remaining 2 percent is owned by the state of Hawaii or private smaller landowners.

History

Lānaʻi was first seen by Europeans on 25 February 1779 by Captain Clerke, with HMS Resolution on the James Cook Pacific Ocean trip. Clerke took command of the ship after Capt. Cook was killed at Kealakekua Bay on February 14, and was leaving the islands for the North Pacific.

In 1922, Jim Dole, the president of Dole Pineapple Company, bought the island of Lānaʻi. He made a large part of it into the world's largest pineapple plantation.

Tourism

Tourism on Lānaʻi started not long ago. That was when the growing of pineapple was slowly coming to an end in the Islands. On Lānaʻi, you can be with nature and feel the mood of the Hawaiian countryside. Not like nearby O'ahu, the only town (Lānaʻi City) is small. It has no traffic or shopping centers. Tourists come mainly to relax.

There are three hotels on Lānaʻi and several golf courses.