| Koror City | |
| Official Name: | City of Koror |
| Settlement Type: | City |
| Pushpin Map: | Palau |
| Pushpin Label: | Koror City |
| Pushpin Label Position: | left |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Palau |
| Coordinates: | 7.3419°N 162.75°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | ---- |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Title1: | Vice Mayor |
| Established Title: | Founded |
| Established Date: | 1866 |
| Population As Of: | 1993 |
| Population Total: | 7,000 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone: | Palau Standard Time |
| Utc Offset: | +9 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postcodes |
| Area Code: | (+680) 488 |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
| Blank Name Sec1: | License plate |
Koror City (;[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 was the administrative center of the Japanese South Sea Mandate, and thousands of Japanese lived in the city.[3] 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.
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.
Koror has a tropical rainforest climate (Köppen Af)[7] with hot, humid weather conditions throughout the year.
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.
Koror City is twinned with:
Angeles City, Philippines[8] Davao City, Philippines[9]
Gilroy, United States[10]
Manado, Indonesia