Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument

This is a big part of the sea. It sits in the Pacific Ocean. It is near the Hawaiian Islands.

Many things live in these waters. There are more than 7,000 kinds of sea life. Some of these live only here.

There are also ten small islands. Most of the land is under the water. Some birds live on the land.

This place is very special. It is a safe home for many plants and fish. It helps them stay safe.

It is a very large area of blue water.

Papahānaumokuākea is a very large protected area in the Pacific Ocean.

It includes ten islands and atolls in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Most of this place is deep blue water. Only a tiny bit of land stays above the sea. This area is a World Heritage Site. It is also one of the largest protected areas in the world.

Many living things call this place home. There are more than 7,000 kinds of sea life. One quarter of these species live only in the Hawaiian Islands. Some are found only inside the monument. The area also protects many coral reefs.

On the small islands, many birds and plants live. Some of these plants are endangered. This means they are at risk of disappearing.

The name comes from a Hawaiian creation myth. It honors a goddess named Papahānaumoku. For Native Hawaiians, this place is very special. It shows a link between people and nature. The deep waters also hold history. They contain shipwrecks and planes from World War II. This makes the area important to many people.

Papahānaumokuākea is a huge protected area in the Pacific Ocean.

It covers 582,578 square miles of ocean waters. This is about the same size as the Gulf of Mexico. The area includes ten islands and atolls in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. It also protects many submerged banks, reefs, and seamounts. Most of this place is deep blue water. Only 5.8 square miles of land sits above the sea level. This area is a World Heritage Site and a very large protected space.

Many different kinds of living things live here. The monument is home to more than 7,000 marine species. One quarter of these species are endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. This means they are found nowhere else on Earth. Some of these creatures live only inside the monument. The area also protects 70% of the coral reefs in the United States. On the small islands, many birds and plants live. There are 21 seabird species and four migratory shorebird species found here. Some plants, like the Nīhoa carnation, are very rare.

This place has a very long and important history. The federal government first protected the area in 1909. President Theodore Roosevelt created a bird reservation there later on. In 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt made it a wildlife refuge. President George W. Bush created the monument in 2006.

He was inspired by a film about the area. Later, President Barack Obama expanded the monument in 2016. This made the protected area four times larger than before.

The name of the monument is very special to Native Hawaiians. It comes from a creation myth about a goddess. Her name is Papahānaumoku, and she is an Earth Mother. The name refers to the great expanse of the islands. For Native Hawaiians, this area shows a link between people and nature. The deep waters also hold many historical items. Maritime historians study shipwrecks and sunken aircraft found there. Some of these remains are from battles during World War II.

Many groups work together to look after this place. Four main partners manage the monument together. These include the State of Hawaiʻi and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. The Department of Commerce and the Department of the Interior also help. They work to keep the ocean and the islands safe. There is a rule that stops commercial fishing in the area. This helps the many species stay healthy. In 2025, parts of it became a national marine sanctuary too.

The Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument is a massive protected area in the Pacific Ocean. It is a designated World Heritage Site. This monument covers 582,578 square miles of ocean waters. That area is nearly as large as the Gulf of Mexico. It includes ten islands and atolls from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The monument also protects over 30 submerged banks and seamounts. These are underwater hills called seamounts. It is one of the largest protected areas in the entire world.

The boundaries of the monument are very wide. The area begins offshore of the island of Nīhoa in the southeast. It extends 1,200 miles northwest to reach Kure Atoll. The marine boundary goes out to the limit of the exclusive economic zone. This is a zone where a country has special rights over the water. The boundary even crosses the International Date Line. This means the protected waters are continuous across the antimeridian. Most of the land is part of the state of Hawaii. However, Midway Atoll is part of the United States Minor Outlying Islands.

This environment supports a huge variety of life. The monument is home to more than 7,000 marine species. One quarter of these species are endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Endemic means they are found nowhere else on Earth. Some of these creatures exist only within the monument itself. The area protects 70% of the coral reefs in the United States. This equals about 3.5 million acres of reefs. Only 5.8 square miles of land sits above sea level. This small amount of land provides habitat for many terrestrial species.

The islands host many rare plants and birds. There are 21 seabird species and four migratory shorebird species. The monument contains at least 27 endemic species of terrestrial plants. Five of these plants are endangered. These include the Nīhoa carnation and the Laysan sedge. Some plants, like the Laysan agrimony sandbur, may even be extinct. The islands also hold ancient archaeological sites. These sites are very important to Native Hawaiians. The deep waters contain shipwrecks and submerged aircraft. Some of these remains are from battles during World War II.

The history of protection for this area began long ago. The federal government first protected the area in 1909. President Theodore Roosevelt created a bird reservation to stop over-harvesting. President Franklin D. Roosevelt made it a wildlife refuge in 1940. In 2006, President George W. Bush established the national monument.

He was inspired by a documentary film. President Barack Obama expanded the area in 2016.

This expansion increased the size more than fourfold. In 2025, President Joe Biden designated the marine areas as a national marine sanctuary.

The name Papahānaumokuākea has a deep meaning. It refers to the Hawaiian creation myth. The name comes from the goddess Papahānaumoku. She is known as the Earth Mother or "Papa." The name includes words for giving birth and islands. It also refers to the great expanse of the islands. To Native Hawaiians, this place represents kinship between nature and humanity. They believe life begins and returns to these islands after death.

Managing such a large area requires many partners. Four co-trustees manage the monument together. These are the Department of Commerce and the Department of the Interior. The State of Hawai‘i and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs also help. The Secretary of Commerce manages the marine areas through NOAA. The Secretary of the Interior manages the wildlife refuges through the FWS. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs handles activities related to Native Hawaiian customs and rights. A seven-member management board helps guide these efforts. Commercial fishing is currently banned within the monument to protect the ecosystem.