Koror (city)

Koror City (English: /ˈkɔːˌrɔːr/, KAW-rawr;^[1]) is the largest city and the commercial center in Palau, home to about half of the country's population, located on Koror Island (also Oreor Island). During the interwar period it served as the capital of the South Seas Mandate, a group of islands that made up the League of Nations mandated territory held by the Empire of Japan. It was subsequently the capital of Palau until it was replaced by Ngerulmud in 2006.^[2]

Koror City
City
City of Koror
Top: Koror coastline; Middle: Koror State Government Building, Belau National Museum; WCTC Shopping Center, Eptison Museum
Location within Koror
Koror City Location in Palau
Coordinates: 7°20.5167′N 134°28.75′E
Country	Palau
State	Koror
Founded	1866
Population  (1993)
• Total	7,000
Time zone	UTC+9 (Palau Standard Time)
Area code	(+680) 488

History

Koror was the administrative center of the Japanese South Sea Mandate, and thousands of Japanese lived in the city.^[3]

• Images of Koror during the Japanese period
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Parts of the city were destroyed by American aerial bombardment during World War II, and after the United States occupied the city they burnt or tore down the remainder of the city, leaving only a few buildings for the occupation forces.^[4][5]

In 1976, a copra-processing plant was opened in Koror.

Today Koror remains a commercial center for its importance of tourism as the city's economy.

Geography

In 1993, Koror was home to more than 7,000 people, but in the recent past the number was at times even greater as large numbers of people from other areas would stay in Koror to conduct business. The town is composed of ten hamlets where traditional roots are strong. Koror sprawls across the western end of Oreor Island along a low ridge. This is the volcanic island half of Oreor; the rock island half is, like most of the rock islands, uninhabited.^[6] Koror is a part of the Koror Metropolitan Area.

Climate

Koror has a tropical rainforest climate (Köppen Af)^[7] with hot, humid weather conditions throughout the year.

Climate data for Palau
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	30.6 (87.1)	30.6 (87.1)	30.9 (87.6)	31.3 (88.3)	31.4 (88.5)	31.0 (87.8)	30.6 (87.1)	30.7 (87.3)	30.9 (87.6)	31.1 (88.0)	31.4 (88.5)	31.1 (88.0)	31.0 (87.7)
Daily mean °C (°F)	27.3 (81.1)	27.2 (81.0)	27.5 (81.5)	27.9 (82.2)	28.0 (82.4)	27.6 (81.7)	27.4 (81.3)	27.5 (81.5)	27.7 (81.9)	27.7 (81.9)	27.9 (82.2)	27.7 (81.9)	27.6 (81.7)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	23.9 (75.0)	23.9 (75.0)	24.1 (75.4)	24.4 (75.9)	24.5 (76.1)	24.2 (75.6)	24.1 (75.4)	24.3 (75.7)	24.5 (76.1)	24.4 (75.9)	24.4 (75.9)	24.2 (75.6)	24.2 (75.6)
Average rainfall mm (inches)	271.8 (10.70)	231.6 (9.12)	208.3 (8.20)	220.2 (8.67)	304.5 (11.99)	438.7 (17.27)	458.2 (18.04)	379.7 (14.95)	301.2 (11.86)	352.3 (13.87)	287.5 (11.32)	304.3 (11.98)	3,758.3 (147.97)
Average rainy days	19.0	15.9	16.7	14.8	20.0	21.9	21.0	19.8	16.8	20.1	18.7	19.9	224.6
Mean monthly sunshine hours	198.4	194.9	244.9	234.0	210.8	168.0	186.0	176.7	198.0	179.8	183.0	182.9	2,357.4
Source: Hong Kong Observatory[8]

Economy

Koror is the main tourist destination in Palau and has many resorts, nightclubs, restaurants, and hotels. The government is also a large employer in the city. Tuna export and copra production are two other economic activities of the city.^[1]

Places of interest

• Belau National Museum
• Etpison Museum
• Palau High School
• Palau National Stadium
• Palau Public Library

Twin towns and sister cities

Koror City is twinned with:

• Angeles City, Philippines^[9]
• Davao City, Philippines^[10]
• Gilroy, United States^[11]
• Manado, Indonesia^{[citation needed]}

References

1. Koror, World Book Advanced, World Book, Chicago
2. Hollywood, Mike (2006-01-12). Papa Mikeýs Palau Islands Handbook. iUniverse. p. 37. ISBN 978-0-595-82000-9.
3. Pacific Islands (Trust Territory). (1953). The Koror community centre: reports. Technical paper (South Pacific Commission) ;no. 46. Noumea, New Caledonia: South Pacific Commission. p. 1.
4. Dunnahoo, Terry (1988). "Palau". U.S. Territories and Freely Associated States. New York: F. Watts. pp. 65–66. ISBN 978-0-531-10605-1. OCLC 1151687005.
5. Ehrlich, Paul R. (1984). Koror: a center of power, commerce and colonial administration. Saipan, C.M.: Micronesian Archaeological Survey, Office of the High Commissioner, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. p. 61.
6. Snyder, David.; Adams, William Hampton; Butler, Brian M. (1997). Archaeology and historic preservation in Palau. Anthropology research series / Division of Cultural Affairs, Republic of Palau 2. San Francisco: U.S. National Park Service.
7. "Koror, Palau Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase)". Weatherbase. Retrieved 2019-03-28.
8. "Climatological Information for Palau Islands, Pacific Islands, United States". Hong Kong Observatory. Archived from the original on 1 October 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2011.
9. "Angeles, Davao mayors ink sisterhood pact". sunstar.com.ph. SunStar Philippines. 2015-02-24. Retrieved 2020-10-16.
10. "City eyes sisterhood pact with town in Bulacan". mindanews.com. Mindanao Times. 2020-02-13. Retrieved 2020-10-16.
11. "Koror". gilroysistercities.org. Gilroy Sister Cities Association. Retrieved 2020-09-17.

 This article incorporates public domain material from Snyder, David.; Adams, William Hampton; Butler, Brian M. (1997). Archaeology and historic preservation in Palau. Anthropology research series / Division of Cultural Affairs, Republic of Palau 2. San Francisco: U.S. National Park Service.