The Sandwich Islands, also known as the Hawaiian Islands, are a chain of volcanic islands located in the Pacific Ocean.
The Hawaiian Islands are a group of eight major islands, six of which are permanently inhabited, and numerous smaller islets. The islands are part of the U.S. state of Hawaii, and the total land area is 6,423.4 square miles. The islands are 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. The islands are home to many endemic species of plants and animals, and much of the natural scenery is of great beauty.