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When the United Nations established International Day of the Tropics in 2016, the goal was to honor the incredible diversity of the world’s regions that flank the equator and land in between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn. The date of June 29 was chosen for the holiday because it marks the anniversary of when the United Nations’ inaugural State of the Tropics Report was published in 2014.
The tropics hold a critical part of the world’s ecological and cultural riches. The tropics contain some 80% of the world’s biodiversity and 95% of mangrove forests situated in the tropics, not to mention that some 40% of the world’s landmasses are found within the tropics and much of the world economy is driven by activities in that region, from tourism to agriculture and so much more. Unfortunately, a disproportionate amount of the world’s poverty, malnourishment, and climate change impacts are felt in the tropics, giving rise to international efforts to help provide aid and other assistance to the most vulnerable in this part of the world.
Hawaii is the only state in the United States that is completely contained within the tropics, and the state has been represented on various coins. Among the most recent is the 2012 Hawai’i Volcanoes Quarter, an entry in the America The Beautiful Quarters program. The 2012 Hawai’i Volcanoes Quarter pays homage to the state’s dynamic volcanoes, which helped create the islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean over the last 5 million years. Hawai’i is one of the most photographed locations in the world. Given its incredible biodiversity, cultural contributions, and massive tourism economy, Hawai’i serves as a shining example of socioeconomic success and environmental preservation in the tropics.