Kona

Kona kōˈnə [key], district, along the western coast of the island of Hawaii. It is Hawaii's coffee belt and the only coffee-producing area in the United States. The Kona coast, with fine deep-sea fishing offshore, is a favorite tourist spot. On Kealakelua Bay stands a monument to English explorer Capt. James Cook, killed there by natives in 1779. Kailua Bay to the north was the landing site in 1820 of the first U.S. missionaries to Hawaii.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

See more Encyclopedia articles on: Miscellaneous U.S. Geography