Maui is the second largest island in the state of Hawaii and is the 17th largest island in the US. It is part of Maui County, together with other three other islands: Lana'I, Kaho'olawe, and Moloka'i. The four islands are collectively known as Maui Nui. Kahului is the largest town in Maui and Wailuku is the seat of the County. The city has two airports that provide scheduled air service to and from the island.

Agriculture and tourism are the two most prominent industries in Maui. Agriculturally, the city is known for its crop of coffee, tropical fruits such as papaya and pineapple, macadamia nuts, sugar and tropical flowers.

The city has one of the biggest tourism industries in the country. Around 2 to 3 million, American and foreign, tourists visit Maui each year. In 2006, the city logged a total tourist expenditure of 3.5 billion USD. One of the major tourist attractions in Maui is Lahaina where an entire street is lined with restaurants and shops that lead to the wharf. Popular tourist activities include surfing, whale watching, snorkeling, and other water sports. The Haleakala National Park is also a major tourist attraction and is home to the dormant volcano of the same name.