and her husband then came to
power. In 1479 BC her husband died.
Thutmose III, her stepson, then became
king. But he was too young to rule. So
Hatshepsut governed for him.
Hatshepsut steadily gained in influence.
She soon had herself crowned as pharaoh
(the supreme ruler). To strengthen
The state Capitol is a government building
in Hartford, Connecticut. It has a dome that
is covered in gold.
A statue of Hatshepsut was carved nearly
3,500 years ago.
24 Hatshepsut BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
her image as ruler, she wore the traditional
clothing of a pharaoh. She even
wore the usual false beard.
The queen had a temple built in her
honor near the city of Thebes. Paintings
on the temple walls record major events
of her reign. She also made an effort to
expand Egypt’s trading. She sent ships
to the southern coast of the Red Sea.
The ships returned with valuable goods
including gold, ebony, animal skins, and
spices.
As the queen and her supporters grew
older and weaker, Thutmose III and his
followers grew stronger. Hatshepsut died
in about 1458 BC. Thutmose III then
took power.
..More to explore
Egypt, Ancient • Pharaoh
Havana
Population
(2006 estimate)
2,174,790
Havana is the capital of Cuba, an island
country in the Caribbean Sea. It is the
largest city in the Caribbean region.
Havana is known for its many buildings
from the time Cuba was a Spanish
colony. The city lies on a bay with a
protected harbor.
Havana is the island’s main port. It is
also Cuba’s center of business and
industry. Factories in the city build ships
and make processed foods, cloth, and
chemicals. Havana cigars are world
famous. Tourism also brings money to
the city.
Spanish conquerors took over Cuba in
the early 1500s. They founded Havana
in 1519. The city later became the center
of Spanish government in Cuba. It
was also the main base for Spain’s navy
in the Americas. In the 1700s and 1800s
Havana grew into a major port for trade.
In 1898 Cuba became an independent
country with Havana as its capital. The
city was famous for its lively nightclubs
and places to gamble. Until 1959
Havana was a popular vacation spot for
wealthy people from Cuba and the
United States.
In 1959 Fidel Castro took power in
Cuba. The United States disapproved of
Castro and the government that he
established. People from the United
States stopped traveling to Havana. Castro
also focused on improving conditions
in the countryside, instead of in
Havana. The city began to decline.
In 1982 the United Nations named Old
Havana, the most historic part of the
city, aWorld Heritage site. Then the
government began to restore Havana’s
historic buildings.
..More to explore
Cuba
Havana has
several forts
called castles.
The oldest was
built in the
1500s.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Havana 25
Hawaii
Hawaii is the only U.S. state that
is made up entirely of islands.
Some of the area’s first settlers
came from a place called Hawaiki. It is
believed that the state’s name was
formed from this word. According to
legend, a man named Hawaii Loa discovered
the islands. Hawaii is nicknamed
the Aloha State. Aloha is a
Hawaiian word with several meanings. It
is often used to mean “welcome,”
“hello,” or “good-bye.” The capital of
Hawaii is Honolulu.
Geography
Hawaii is made up of about 132 islands
and islets. The island chain is located in
the Pacific Ocean about 2,400 miles
(3,860 kilometers) from the western
coast of the U.S. mainland. The Hawaiian
Islands were formed by volcanoes
and were built up over millions of years.
The eight main islands in the chain are
Hawaii, Maui, Oahu, Kauai, Molokai,
Lanai, Niihau, and Kahoolawe.
The island of Hawaii is often called the
Big Island. That is partly because it is
the largest of the islands. The nickname
also helps distinguish it from the state as
a whole. Hawaii is the youngest of the
islands. It includes Mauna Loa, the
world’s largest volcano, and Kilauea, one
of the world’s most active volcanoes.
The island is still growing. As the lava
from Kilauea cools, it hardens and adds
to the land.
The entire state is known for its pleasant
weather. Despite the state’s tropical location,
cooling ocean currents keep the
climate mild.
People
Hawaii is the only state in which the
majority of the population does not
trace its heritage back to Europe. The
first people to live in Hawaii were probably
people who sailed from the Mar-
Steep cliffs in the U.S. state of Hawaii meet
the deep blue waters of the Pacific Ocean.
Tourists from all over the world visit Hawaii
to see its great natural beauty.
26 Hawaii BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
quesas Islands. The Marquesas are part
of a region called Polynesia. The Polynesians
arrived in Hawaii perhaps as early
as AD 400. The current population
includes whites, Japanese, Hawaiians,
Filipinos, and Chinese. Many people are
of mixed ancestry. Oahu has the largest
population of all the islands. The city of
Honolulu is on Oahu.
Economy
Tourism is the basis of Hawaii’s
economy. Almost 7 million tourists visit
each year to enjoy the island scenery,
mild weather, and beautiful beaches.
Hawaii also has several military bases.
Military spending plays an important
