Union Island

Union Island

Union Island is the southernmost island of the Grenadines and belongs to the state of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Main town is Clifton Harbour. 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.

Geography

Due to its vulcanic silhouette, it is also called the Tahiti of the West Indies. The island is approximately 3 miles long and 1 mile wide. Surrounding islands are Tobago Cays, Mayreau, Palm Island, and Petit St. Vincent. The highest peak is Mount Parnassus - 900 feet above sea level.

History

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 Cameroon and Angola. 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.

Economy

Today the day chartering business provides a lot of jobs, there are numerous boutiques and supermarkets, bars and restaurants, internet cafes and a dive operator. There are three hotels on Union Island.