Hawaii became the 50th state in 1959. Climate is tropical which helps with its year round growing season and tourism. Tourism is one of its main source of income for the island. House prices and cost of living is very high compared to the rest of the United States. One of hte main reasons is that most products have to be shipped in from outside the state over great distances. The lava flows are a great interest to tourists and scientists a like. There is superstition that if you take a rock from the black beaches on Maui that you will be cursed and many have mailed the rocks back as a result of this.