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HILO, HAWAII - USA
Hilo is the largest town on the island of Hawai‘i, and the county seat of
Hawai‘i County, Hawai‘i. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total
population of 40,759.
Hilo's location on the eastern side of the island of Hawai‘i (windward
relative to the trade winds) makes it one of the wettest cities in the world.
An average of 129.19 inches of rain falls on Hilo annually.
Its location on the shore of funnel-shaped
Hilo Bay also makes it vulnerable to tsunamis. On April 1, 1946 a 7.8
magnitude earthquake near the Aleutian Islands created a 14-meter high
tsunami that hit Hilo hours later killing 159 people. As a result, an early
warning system was established to track these killer waves and provide
warning. On May 23, 1960, another tsunami, caused by an 8.6 magnitude
earthquake off the coast of Chile the previous day, claimed 61 lives
allegedly due to people's failure to heed warning sirens. Low-lying bayfront
areas of the city, previously populated, were rededicated as parks and
memorials.
The Merrie Monarch Festival, a week-long celebration of ancient and modern
hula, takes place here each year in the week following Easter.
Geography
Hilo is located at 19°42'20" North, 155°5'9" West (19.705520, -155.085918)1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of
151.4 km² (58.4 mi²). 140.6 km² (54.3 mi²) of it is land and 10.7 km² (4.2
mi²) of it is water. The total area is 7.10% water. Hilo is the southernmost
city in the United States.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 40,759 people, 14,577 households, and
10,101 families residing in the town. The population density is 289.9/km²
(750.8/mi²). There are 16,026 housing units at an average density of 114.0/km²
(295.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 17.12% White, 0.45% African
American, 0.34% Native American, 38.30% Asian, 13.12% Pacific Islander,
0.94% from other races, and 29.74% from two or more races. 8.78% of the
population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 14,577 households out of which 30.6% have children under the age
of 18 living with them, 48.5% are married couples living together, 15.2%
have a female householder with no husband present, and 30.7% are non-families.
24.1% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.6% have someone
living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is
2.70 and the average family size is 3.19.
In the town the population is spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18,
10.3% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.7% who
are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 39 years. For every 100
females there are 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there
are 91.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town is $39,139, and the median
income for a family is $48,150. Males have a median income of $36,049 versus
$27,626 for females. The per capita income for the town is $18,220. 17.1% of
the population and 11.1% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the
total people living in poverty, 23.5% are under the age of 18 and 6.7% are
65 or older.
History
Although archaeological evidence is scant, people certainly inhabited the
areas along Hilo Bay, Wailuku and Wailoa Rivers before the Western world
made contact. Missionaries came to Hilo in the early to middle 1800s,
founding several churches, notably Haili Church. The sugar industry led to
an increased population, especially of workers from Asia. Its proximity to
many sugar plantations meant Hilo grew as a trading center. A breakwater
across Hilo Bay was begun in the 1900s and completed in 1929. Despite this,
the 1946 and 1960 tsunamis managed still to destroy the parts of Hilo on
Waiakea peninsula and along Hilo Bay. From the 1960s, Hilo expanded inland.
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