The residents of Molokai have fought hard to maintain a lifestyle based on indigenous subsistence practices. This lifestyle is not without challenges, however, and many live below the federal poverty line. Nearly a third of families use food stamps--twice the rate on Maui and triple that on Oahu.

Below 4,000 feet (1,200 m), the vegetation is dominated by introduced and invasive flora, including strawberry guava, eucalyptus, and cypress.