Union Island

Union Island is part of the nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. It lies about 200 km West South West of Barbados and is within view of the islands of Carriacou and the mainland of Grenada, which lie directly south.

Clifton and Ashton are the two principal towns. The island is home to just under 3,000 residents. The official language is English, but French and German are spoken by some merchants in Clifton as well.

The island has an international airport which has domestic flights to Saint Vincent and some of the Grenadines and international flights to Barbados, Carriacou, Grenada and Martinique.

Due to its volcanic silhouette, it is also called the Tahiti of the West Indies. The island is approximately three miles (4.8 kilometres) long and one mile (1.6 kilometres) wide. Surrounding islands are Tobago Cays, Mayreau, Palm Island, and Petit Saint Vincent. The highest peak is Mount Taboi - 999 feet (304 metres) above sea level.

Union Island has a semi-arid climate – its hills are not high enough to produce the rainfall that transforms Grenada's northern coastal areas into rainforest. During the dry season, December/January through June, the only source of water on the island is the water stored during the rainy season (June–December).

After the original settlers, Arawak and Caribs, the island has been in the possession of French and English slave traders and plantation owners. They brought hundreds of Africans to the island, mostly from regions of Africa that are now Nigeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Ghana. Sea Island Cotton was an important export crop – Sea Island cotton trees may still be found on the island — a good example can be found in the Bougainvillia complex beside the Anchorage Yacht Club in Clifton Harbour.

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Wikipedia