According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.8 square miles (12.6 km²), of which, 3.5 square miles (9.0 km²) of it is land and 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²) of it (28.66%) is water.Kodiak is sometimes referred to as "Alaska's Emerald Isle" because it's appearance from a distance and climate are similar to Ireland. Kodiak's airport attracts both local and regional airlines, air taxis, and charter floatplanes and helicopters which provide transportation to residents and tourists on and off the island. The Alaskan Marine Highway provides further transportation via a ferry called the M/V Tustumena. The ship can carry a capacity of 210 people and services between Kodiak, Homer and Seward Alaska.

The Kodiak Archipelago has been home to native cultures for over 7000 years. In their language, "Kadiak" means island. The descendents of these peoples still occupy the island and are considered Alutiq, a term used to describe both their language and culture. When Russia sold Alaska to the United States in 1887, Kodiak became a center for commercial fishing and canneries dotted the island in the early 1900s until global farm-raised salmon eliminated these businesses. New processing centers emerged and the industry continues to evolve even today.