About 1,500 years ago a group of canoes came ashore to some of the islands now known as Hawaii. These people—the islands’ first known residents—had rowed about 2,000 miles from the Marquesas Islands to get here. People from what is now Tahiti—over 2,500 miles away—followed 500 years later. These cultures brought traditions of their own and over time created new traditions such as surfing, hula dancing, and exchanging flower garlands called leis. In 1810 Kamehameha became Hawaii’s first king. The islands continued to have royal rulers into the 1880s. In 1898 Hawaii became a U.S. territory. It was named the 50th state in 1959, and to this day you can still visit Iolani Palace, the only royal building on U.S. soil. Hawaii may have been named for Hawai’i Loa, a legendary figure who is said to have first discovered the islands. Hawaii’s nickname, the Aloha State, is no mystery: Aloha is a Hawaiian way to say hello and goodbye. Hawaii sits over 2,000 miles west of California. Hawaii is known for its beautiful beaches—some of them with unusual colors. Many beaches are filled with white sand, but other Hawaiian shores are covered with green, red, pink, and even black sand. Though Hawaii has thousands of plants and animals, it has only one native land mammal: the Hawaiian hoary bat. Hawaii’s other mammals, including the mongoose, rat, and feral pig, were brought to the islands by humans. Thousands of species of trees, from perfumed magnolias and plumeria to fruit-filled ohi’a ’ai trees grow on the islands. Thousands of flowering plants grow there too, including exotic orchids. Hawaii’s rich soil is considered one of its most important natural resources. Sugarcane, pineapples, coffee, macadamia nuts, and flowers are all important sources of income for the state’s economy. Tourism is the state’s leading source of income.