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COUNTY PROFILE <br />The County of Hawaii encompasses the island of Hawaii, which is the southeasternmost <br />and largest island of the Hawaiian archipelago. The land area of the County is approximately <br />twice the combined land area of all the other islands of the State. <br />The island of Hawaii has a diverse climate, topography and scenic beauty. Environments <br />include dense tropical forests; majestic snowcapped mountains; active volcanoes; black, white, <br />and green sand beaches; deeply eroded valleys; and large expanses of grazing land. Each district <br />provides a variety of settings for human activity, land and resource utilization, or wilderness areas <br />of minimal human intrusion. <br />The County of Hawaii has expanded into new fields of industry such as astronomy, high <br />technology, renewable energy, health and wellness, agricultural and eco -tourism, diversified <br />agriculture and aquaculture. The County's continuing support of research and development in <br />these emerging fields will ensure a promising future for the island's economy and its residents. <br />Specific examples include the establishment of the Agricultural Research Center of the Pacific, <br />conversion of the old sewer treatment plant near Puhi Bay in Hilo to an aquaculture facility, and <br />the construction of an agricultural water system in Ka'u. <br />The County's overall economic outlook remains mixed due to the County's dependence on <br />the condition of the State's economy. Since 1990, the State's economy has been in a period of <br />decline. While there are opportunities for expansion into new and existing industries, external <br />factors such as the world economy may have an impact on the County's future economy. <br />Throughout the County's history, agriculture has played an important role in the County's <br />economy. In the late 1700's, Hawaii's agricultural industry began by provisioning ships. During <br />the 1800's, sugar production and cattle ranching emerged as leaders of the modern agricultural <br />industry. These industries dominated the island's economy and social fabric well into the 1900s. <br />The 1980's and 1990's saw the demise of sugar cultivation and the steady decline in cattle <br />production. These once dominant industries have been replaced by fully diversified agriculture <br />including mowers and nursery products, coffee, macadamia nuts, tropical fruits, vegetable crops, <br />orchards, aquaculture, and forestry. Import replacement and expansion of export products and <br />markets are increasing. The three leading agricultural industries within the County are flowers <br />and nursery products, vegetables, and macadamia nuts. Combined, these three agricultural <br />industries accounted for over 50 per cent of the total value of agricultural production in the County <br />in 1997. When compared statewide, the County of Hawaii produces 35 per cent of fresh <br />vegetables, 72 per cent of bananas, 30 per cent of coffee, 95 per cent of macadamia nuts, and 51 <br />per cent of flowers and nursery products. Agriculture's future remains favorable with the strong <br />diversification and development of new export protocol and technology. <br />Within the past forty years, tourism has emerged as the primary economic activity on the <br />island. Much of the economic growth experienced during this period can be linked with the <br />expansion of the visitor industry. Both the statewide and local economies have been faced with an <br />economic downturn since 1990. Visitor arrivals to the island peaked in 1991 at 1,189,000 and <br />subsequently declined to a low of 1,079,000 in 1994 before rebounding to 1,286,000 in 1998. The <br />0 <br />Introduction <br />