Union Island is part of the nation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It has a surface of and lies about west-southwest of Barbados within view of the islands of Carriacou and the mainland of Grenada, which lies 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; however, French and German are spoken by some merchants in Clifton as well. The island has an airport, Union Island Airport, with domestic flights to Saint Vincent and some of the Grenadines, as well as international flights to Barbados, Carriacou, Grenada and Martinique. Geography Due to its volcanic silhouette, it is also called the Tahiti of the West Indies. The island is approximately long and wide. Surrounding islands are Tobago Cays, Mayreau, Palm Island, and Petit Saint Vincent. The highest peak is Mount Taboi, which is 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 rainforests. During the dry season (December to June), the only source of water on the island is the water stored during the rainy season (June to December). History After the original settlers, the 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. When slavery was abolished, people still relied on farming and fishing. As a result, a lot of men went to sea to work on freighters to support their families. Union Island was the centre of some political unrest in the late 1970s when a group of residents were in favour of secession from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and merger with southern neighbour Grenada. The insurrection was put down by forces of the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Government. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spent much of a year working on Union Island and completed a new Coast Guard Jetty and shore office at the mouth of Clifton Harbour. Economy Today the yacht services business and tourist day-chartering business provide many jobs. There are also numerous boutiques, supermarkets, bars, restaurants, internet cafes and, a dive operator. There are several hotels and guest houses on