How many islands does the Hawaiian chain consist of?

The answer is 136 islands in the Hawaiian Island chain. There are more in the Emperor chain of volcanic seamounts that stretches to the Aleutian Trench off Kamchatka, Russia.

The 8 major islands are the largest and newest geologically. They are in the southeast of the chain and are (from NW to SE) st) Niʻihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, Kaho'olawe, Maui and the "big island" of Hawaii.