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Kos facts for kids

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Kos
The harbour of Kos town
The harbour of Kos town
Kos is located in Greece
Kos
Kos
Location in Greece
Country Greece
Administrative region South Aegean
Regional unit Kos
Area
 • Municipality 290.3 km2 (112.1 sq mi)
 • Municipal unit 67.2 km2 (25.9 sq mi)
Highest elevation
843 m (2,766 ft)
Lowest elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Population
 (2011)
 • Municipality
33,388
 • Municipality density 115.012/km2 (297.88/sq mi)
 • Municipal unit
19,432
 • Municipal unit density 289.17/km2 (748.9/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+3 (EEST)
Website www.kos.gr

Kos is a Greek island, belonging to the Dodecanese island group in the Aegean Sea. People have lived on Kos since the 15th century BC. About 30,000 people now live on Kos, 16,000 of them in the island capital Kos City in the west of the island.

There is an international airport near Antimachia in the middle of the island and a sea harbour in Kos City.

Tourism is the main industry in Kos, the island's beaches being the primary attraction. The main port and population centre on the island, Kos town, is also the tourist and cultural centre, with whitewashed buildings including many hotels, restaurants. The seaside village of Kardamena is a popular resort for young holidaymakers.

About 300,000 tourists stay at Kos every year and a lot of tourists take a one-day trips to Kos from neighboring islands or the Turkish coast. 17 km overseas lies Bodrum, Turkey.

The most important tourist attraction is the Askelepsion, an old temple for the Greek god Askelapsios. It was built between the 5th and the 1st century BC. The physician Hippocrates was from Kos.

The ancient market place of Kos was considered one of the biggest in the ancient world. It was the commercial and commanding centre at the heart of the ancient city.

Farming is the second main industry, with the main crops being grapes, almonds, figs, olives, and tomatoes, along with wheat and corn. Cos lettuce may be grown here, but the name is unrelated.

The ancient physician Hippocrates is thought to have been born on Kos, and in the center of the town is the Plane Tree of Hippocrates, a dream temple where the physician is traditionally supposed to have taught. The branches of the now elderly tree are supported by scaffolding.

The small city is also home to the International Hippocratic Institute and the Hippocratic Museum dedicated to him. Near the Institute are the ruins of Asklepieion, where Herodicus taught Hippocrates medicine.

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See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Cos para niños

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