Kiawah is a sea island, or barrier island, on the Atlantic coast of the United States. Located 25 miles southwest of Charleston in Charleston County, South Carolina, it is operated today largely as a gated beach and golf resort—the Kiawah Island Golf Resort—with spacious villas, beaches, large and acclaimed golf courses, and other attractions. As of the 2010 census, Kiawah Island's population was 1,626, up from 1,163 at the 2000 census.