Koror is the state comprising the main commercial centre of the Republic of Palau. It consists of several islands, the most prominent being Koror Island (also Oreor Island). It is Palau’s most populous state.
In the oral tradition of Palau, Koror is one of the children of Milad, and thus occupies an important position in traditional belief. In addition, Koror is the home of the clan of the Ibedul, the high chief of Palau.
Several traditional villages in Koror span the volcanic and rock island portions. Many of the stone platforms , odesongel, serve as clan cemeteries, and other stone features serve as shrines. The lagoon is an important resource area, and was probably intensively exploited prehistorically.
The first sighting of Koror, Babeldaob, and Peleliu recorded by Westerners was by the Spanish expedition of Ruy López de Villalobos at the end of January, 1543. They were then charted as Los Arrecifes (The Reefs in Spanish). In November and December 1710 these three islands were again visited and explored by a Spanish missionary expedition commanded by Sargento Mayor Francisco Padilla on board the patache Santísima Trinidad.
Two years later they were explored in detail by the expedition of Spanish naval officer Bernardo de Egoy. He was part of the Captaincy General of the Philippines, dependent on the Viceroyalty of New Spain. In 1919 it became the capital of the South Seas Mandate. On 7 October 2006, Ngerulmud replaced Koror as Palau's capital city.
The state of Koror (population 11,444 ) contains about 65% of the population of the country. The nation's
former capital and largest town, also called Koror or Koror City, is located here. The town has a population of 11,200 and is located at .
Besides Koror City and the town of Meyuns, there are a total of 11 hamlets in the state of Koror:
Dngeronger
Idid
Ikelau
Iyebukel
Medalaii
Meketii
Ngarkesoal
Ngerbeched (Capital)
Ngerchemai
Ngerkebesang
Ngermid
Koror State stretches across a large portion of the lagoon extending from Babeldaob Island on the north almost to Beliliou Island to the south.