The Township of Pelee is part of the county of Essex, Ontario, Canada except for purposes of government, and for that reason it has its own government being a Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and three Councillors. It is what is called a separated township. The township is comprised of 9 islands the largest being Pelee Island, the most southern island in the township of Pelee and in Canada is Middle Island, Hen Island, Big Chick Island, Little Chick Island, Chick Island, East Sister Island, North Harbour Island, and Middlle Sister Island, all make up the Township of Pelee. Pelee Island is the largest island in Lake Erie and the southern most populated point in Canada. The township of Pelee is on the same latitude as northern California and has substantially more growing units. It is about 10,500 acres (40 km²) and has a population of about 250 year-round, but that number can swell to over 1,500 during the summer months, and on long weekekends at least three thousand people are there. Due to its location it has a milder climate than inland areas. This climate is more comparable to the North Carolina and South Carolina region in the United States. For this reason, the climate conditions are known as Carolinian and the island has long been used for vineyards and wine making. The wine industry was sarted here in 1860 and it died out in the early twentieth century, and was brought back in the 1980's. The island is an agricultural based community which grows about 5000 acres (20 km²) of soybeans, about 1,000 acres (4 km²) of wheat, 500 acres (2 km²) of grapes, and a few acres of specialty corn. Pelee is world renowned for its fall pheasant hunting which sees the largest infux of tourist dollars in a six day span. The gross revenue to the hotels, motels, housewives, Bed & Breakfasts, the transportation companies, and the local businesses is about a million dollars for the six day period. The island has been moving gradually towards a tourist oriented economy every year. Pelee Island is also part of an important flyway for migrating birds between Ohio, the Lake Erie islands and Point Pelee.