Kalaupapa is a small unincorporated community on the island of Molokai in the U.S. state of Hawaii, within Kalawao County. The village is located on the Kalaupapa Peninsula at the base of some of the highest sea cliffs in the world, dropping over 2,000 feet (610 m) to the Pacific Ocean.

Kalaupapa Peninsula was created when lava erupted from the ocean floor near Kauhako Crater and spread outward, forming a low,, shield volcano. This was the most recent volcanic episode on the island and of the larger Wailau. shield volcano, occurring after the formation of the cliffs by erosion. Today, the dormant crater contains a small lake more than 800 feet (240 m) deep

The village is the site of a former leprosy settlement. Settlement was first established in Kalawao in the east, opposite to the village corner of the peninsula. It was there where Father Damien settled in 1873. Later it was moved to the location of the current village, which was originally a Hawaiian fishing village. The settlement was also attended by Mother Marianne Cope, among others. At its peak, about 1,200 men, women, and children were in exile in this island prison. The isolation law was enacted by King Kamehameha V and remained in effect until 1969, when it was finally repealed. Today, about fourteen former sufferers of leprosy (now known as Hansen's Disease) continue to live there. The colony is now part of Kalaupapa National Historical Park

The settlement is home to some of the most unique and endagered creatures in all of the Hawaiian islands.This is why it is so important to ensure the preservation of one of the most isolated locations in all of the world.  The hydrological is crucial to the proper functioning and sucess of the ecosystems that surround this peninsula.  Without the presence of tradewinds bringing in the necessary precipitation, these endangered species would have no chance of survival. It is the josb of the state of Hawaii to ensure to the survival of this endagered paradise.