O'ahu is far from being the largest of the Hawaiian Islands, but with the only natural deep water port in the islands, it became the focus point of the state due to the military influence on the island. Now with a resident population nearing a million (and a transient visitor population of an additional 8 million per year) O'ahu, and specifically the area of Waikiki and Honolulu, is as big city as it gets with all the benefits and vices one would expect... just a lot cleaner and much nearer to the beach than most cities.