Koster Islands

The Koster Islands are an archipelago in Sweden about 10 kilometers west of Strömstad, made up of South Koster, 8 square kilometers, and North Koster, 4 square kilometers. Their landscape reflects an origin in ancient volcanic rock later smoothed and shaped by glacial erosion during the Ice Age, producing rounded bedrock and a rocky coastline broken by sandy beaches such as Kilesand on South Koster's eastern shore, above the 200 meter deep Koster Fjord. About 340 people live on the islands year round, working in farming and fishing, and the surrounding waters and shores form the Kosterhavet National Park, known for rich marine and plant biodiversity. The islands draw roughly 90,000 visitors a year and are noted as one of Sweden's sunniest places.