kos

Kos is a Greek island in the southeastern Aegean Sea, part of the Dodecanese archipelago. It lies off the coast of Asia Minor, opposite Bodrum, Turkey, and is connected to other Dodecanese islands and mainland Greece by ferries and air links. The island covers about 290 square kilometers and features a terrain of rolling hills and fertile plains; Mount Dikaios rises to 846 meters, the highest point on the island. The capital and main port is Kos Town, which includes a medieval castle built by the Knights Hospitaller.

Historically, Kos was an ancient polis and a member of the Dorian hexapolis. It developed as a center for healing and medicine, most notably through the Asclepeion of Kos, an influential sanctuary dating to the Classical period. The site is associated with Hippocrates, often regarded as the father of medicine, and remains a major archaeological and tourist site, including the tree under which Hippocrates is said to have taught.

In late antiquity and the Middle Ages, Kos came under Byzantine and later Knights Hospitaller rule, followed by Ottoman administration. From 1912 to 1943 it was under Italian control, and after World War II it became part of Greece. The modern economy is dominated by tourism, with agriculture—especially citrus, olives, and grapes—playing a supporting role.

Kos is served by Kos Island International Airport (IATA: KGS, ICAO: LGKO) and by ferry links to Rhodes, Kalymnos, Leros, and other Dodecanese islands, as well as to Bodrum, Turkey. Notable sites include the Asclepeion, the Roman House (Casa Romana), the Castle of the Knights, and beaches such as Tigaki and Paradise Beach.