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.
Travelling to Kosrae