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The island of Hawaii is often referred to as the Big Island in order to avoid confusion with the state of Hawaii. With an area of 4,028 square miles, the Big Island is the largest and youngest of the eight major Hawaiian Islands, which include Ni’ihau, Kaua’i, O’ahu, Moloka’i, Lana’i, Kaho’olawe, Maui, and the island of Hawai’i. The volcanic island is said to have been named for Hawai’iloa, the Polynesian navigator who is believed to have been the first person to discover the Hawaiian Islands.

Another story also claims that the island was named after Hawaiki, a place where the Polynesians believed they came from and where they would go to in the afterlife. The Big Island is administered as the County of Hawaii, and the county seat is Hilo, which is also the largest community on the Big Island, with a population just over 200,000.

The Big Island is perhaps most well known for its volcanoes, especially Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa, and Kilauea, which is also one of the most active volcanoes in the world. The most popular volcanic attractions on the island is the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which is home to both Mauna Loa and Kilauea, as well as a volcano museum and hotel called the Volcano House. Aside from the town of Hilo, which is located on the island’s east coast, the other major settlement on the Big Island is Kailua-Kona, which is located on the island’s west coast. Most visitors to the island stay at either Hilo or Kailua-Kona, where most of the island’s dining, shopping, and entertainment opportunities are located.