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One of four states
that constitute the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Kosrae has been
described as Tahiti without development.
It is a lush, tropical, high island, almost circular in shape, and about
eight miles at its widest point. There are several small, associated islands on
its surrounding reefs. The total land area is 42.3 square miles. Geologically,
Kosrae consists of mountainous peaks covered with dense tropical vegetation.
About 70% of the land mass is mountainous; only 30% is habitable.
Kosrae is located
2,960 miles southwest of Honolulu, 3,529 miles
southeast of Tokyo, and 3,417 miles northeast of
Sydney. It is
relatively isolated; its nearest neighbor, Pohnpei, is 347 miles to the
northwest. Kosrae's temperature is quite uniform year round: hot, wet, and
humid. The mean annual temperature is 83 degrees with only minor seasonal
variation. Rainfall is plentiful and averages 180 inches a year on the
east coast and more than 250 inches in the west. Trade winds blow predominantly
from the northeast. The flora of the island is typical of high equatorial
islands in the Pacific. Check the Links page for information about many other
aspects of Kosrae.
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