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Background:
|
 The
native Arawak Amerindians - who inhabited the island of
Hispaniola when it was discovered by Columbus in 1492 - were
virtually annihilated by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In
the early 17th century, the French established a presence on
Hispaniola, and in 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western
third of the island - Haiti. The French colony, based on
forestry and sugar-related industries, became one of the
wealthiest in the Caribbean, but only through the heavy
importation of African slaves and considerable environmental
degradation. In the late 18th century, Haiti's nearly half
million slaves revolted under Toussaint L'OUVERTURE and after
a prolonged struggle, became the first black republic to
declare its independence in 1804. Haiti has been plagued by
political violence for most of its history. It is the poorest
country in the Western Hemisphere. |
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Location:
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Caribbean,
western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between the
Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the
Dominican Republic |
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Geographic coordinates:
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19 00 N, 72 25 W |
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Map references:
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Central
America and the Caribbean |
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Area:
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total:
27,750 sq km
land: 27,560 sq km
water: 190 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller
than Maryland |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 360
km
border countries: Dominican Republic 360 km |
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Coastline:
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1,771 km |
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Climate:
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tropical;
semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds |
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Terrain:
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mostly rough and
mountainous |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m |
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Natural resources:
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bauxite, copper,
calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable land:
20.3%
permanent crops: 12.7%
other: 67% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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750 sq km (1998
est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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lies in the
middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from
June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes; periodic
droughts |
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Environment - current issues:
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extensive
deforestation (much of the remaining forested land is being
cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion;
inadequate supplies of potable water |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
Protection
signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes |
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Geography - note:
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shares island of
Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western one-third is
Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic) |
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Population:
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7,656,166
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into
account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can
result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and
death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in
the distribution of population by age and sex than would
otherwise be expected (July 2004 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years:
42.2% (male 1,646,216; female 1,583,294)
15-64 years: 54.1% (male 2,018,914; female 2,124,287)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 133,241; female 150,214)
(2004 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
18.1 years
male: 17.6 years
female: 18.7 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.71% (2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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33.76
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
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13.21
deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-3.4 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
74.38 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 68.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 79.83 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 51.78 years
male: 50.52 years
female: 53.12 years (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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6.1% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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250,000 (2001
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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30,000 (2001
est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Haitian(s)
adjective: Haitian |
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Ethnic groups:
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black 95%,
mulatto and white 5% |
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic
80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%, Adventist
1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% (1982)
note: roughly half of the population practices Voodoo |
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Languages:
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French
(official), Creole (official) |
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Literacy:
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definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 52.9%
male: 54.8%
female: 51.2% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: Republic of Haiti
conventional short form: Haiti
local short form: Haiti
local long form: Republique d'Haiti |
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Government type:
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elected
government |
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Capital:
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Port-au-Prince |
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Administrative divisions:
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9 departments (departements,
singular - departement); Artibonite, Centre, Grand 'Anse, Nord,
Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est |
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Independence:
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1 January 1804
(from France) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day,
1 January (1804) |
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Constitution:
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approved March
1987; suspended June 1988 with most articles reinstated March
1989; in October 1991 government claimed to be observing the
constitution; returned to constitutional rule in October 1994 |
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Legal system:
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based on Roman
civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Executive branch:
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chief of
state: Interim President Boniface ALEXANDER (since 29
February 2004)
note: Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE resigned as president on
29 February 2004
head of government: Prime Minister Gerald LATORTUE
(since 12 March 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in
consultation with the president
election results: Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE elected
president; percent of vote - Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE 92%
elections: president elected by popular vote for a
five-year term; election last held 26 November 2000 (next to
be held in 2004); prime minister appointed by the president,
ratified by the National Assembly |
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Legislative branch:
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bicameral
National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of the
Senate (27 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the
Chamber of Deputies (83 seats; members are elected by popular
vote to serve four-year terms)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - FL 26, independent 1; Chamber of
Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FL
73, MOCHRENA 3, PLB 2, OPL 1, vacant 1, other minor parties
and independents 3
elections: Senate - last held for two-thirds of seats
21 May 2000 with runoffs on 9 July boycotted by the
opposition; seven seats still disputed; election for remaining
one-third held on 26 November 2000 (next to be held in 2004);
Chamber of Deputies - last held 21 May 2000 with runoffs on 30
July boycotted by the opposition; one vacant seat rerun 26
November 2000 (next to be held in 2004) |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court or
Cour de Cassation |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Alliance for the
Liberation and Advancement of Haiti or ALAH [Reynold GEORGES];
Assembly of Progressive National Democrats or RDNP [Leslie
MANIGAT]; Convention for Democratic Unity or KID [leader NA];
Convergence (opposition coalition composed of ESPACE, OPL, and
MOCHRENA) [Gerard PIERRE-CHARLES, Evans PAUL, Luc MESADIEU,
Victor BENOIT]; Democratic Consultation Group coalition or
ESPACE [Evans PAUL, Victor BENOIT] composed of the following
parties: National Congress of Democratic Movements or KONAKOM,
National Progressive Revolutionary Party or PANPRA, Generation
2004, and Haiti Can; Haitian Christian Democratic Party or
PDCH [Marie-France CLAUDE]; Haitian Democratic Party or PADEM
[Clark PARENT]; Lavalas Family or FL [Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE];
Mobilization for National Development or MDN [Hubert DE
RONCERAY]; Movement for National Reconstruction or MRN [Rene
THEODORE]; Movement for the Installation of Democracy in Haiti
or MIDH [Marc BAZIN]; Movement for the Organization of the
Country or MOP [Gesner COMEAU and Jean MOLIERE]; National
Cooperative Action Movement or MKN [Volrick Remy JOSEPH];
National Front for Change and Democracy or FNCD [Evans PAUL
and Turneb DELPE]; New Christian Movement for a New Haiti or
MOCHRENA [Luc MESADIEU]; Open the Gate or PLB [Renaud
BERNARDIN]; Struggling People's Organization or OPL [Gerard
PIERRE-CHARLES] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Autonomous
Haitian Workers or CATH; Confederation of Haitian Workers or
CTH; Federation of Workers Trade Unions or FOS; National
Popular Assembly or APN; Papaye Peasants Movement or MPP;
Popular Organizations Gathering Power or PROP; Roman Catholic
Church |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Raymond VALCIN (as of December 2003)
chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC
20008
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York,
and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
FAX: [1] (202) 745-7215
telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador James B. FOLEY (as of September 2003)
embassy: 5 Harry S Truman Boulevard, Port-au-Prince
mailing address: P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince
telephone: [509] 222-0354, 222-0368, 222-0200, 222-0612
FAX: [509] 223-1641 |
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Economy - overview:
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In this poorest
country in the Western Hemisphere, 80% of the population lives
in abject poverty. Two-thirds of all Haitians depend on the
agriculture sector, which consists mainly of small-scale
subsistence farming. Following legislative elections in May
2000, fraught with irregularities, international donors -
including the US and EU - suspended almost all aid to Haiti.
The economy shrank an estimated 1.2% in 2001 and an estimated
0.9% in 2002. Suspended aid and loan disbursements totaled
more than $500 million at the start of 2003. Haiti also
suffers from rampant inflation, a lack of investment, and a
severe trade deficit. The resumption of aid flows from all
donors will alleviate but not end the nation's bitter economic
problems. Extensive civil strife in early 2004, marked by the
flight of President ARISTIDE, further impoverished Haiti. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power
parity - $12.18 billion (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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-1% (2003 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power
parity - $1,600 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
30%
industry: 20%
services: 50% (2001 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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80% (2003 est.) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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37.3% (2003 est.) |
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Labor force:
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3.6 million
note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor
abundant (2003) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 66%,
services 25%, industry 9% |
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Unemployment rate:
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widespread
unemployment and underemployment; more than two-thirds of the
labor force do not have formal jobs (2002 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$273 million
expenditures: $361 million, including capital
expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est.) |
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Industries:
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sugar refining,
flour milling, textiles, cement, light assembly industries
based on imported parts |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA |
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Electricity - production:
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580 million kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel:
60.3%
hydro: 39.7%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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539.4 million kWh
(2001) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2001
est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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11,000 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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coffee, mangoes,
sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum, wood |
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Exports:
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$321 million
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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manufactures,
coffee, oils, cocoa |
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Exports - partners:
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US 84.5%,
Dominican Republic 6.7%, Canada 2.5% (2002) |
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Imports:
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$1.028 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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food,
manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, fuels,
raw materials |
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Imports - partners:
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US 52.5%,
Dominican Republic 5.2%, Colombia 3.4% (2002) |
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Debt - external:
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$1.2 billion
(1999) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$120 million
(FY02) |
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Currency:
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gourde (HTG) |
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Currency code:
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HTG |
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Exchange rates:
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gourdes per US
dollar - 40.5 (2003), 29.25 (2002), 24.43 (2001), 21.17
(2000), 16.94 (1999) |
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Fiscal year:
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1 October - 30
September |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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130,000 (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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140,000 (2002) |
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Telephone system:
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general
assessment: domestic facilities barely adequate;
international facilities slightly better
domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk
service
international: country code - 509; satellite earth
station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 41, FM 26,
shortwave 0 (1999) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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2 (plus a cable
TV service) (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.ht |
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Internet hosts:
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NA |
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Internet users:
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80,000 (2002) |
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Railways:
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total: 40
km
narrow gauge: 40 km 0.760-m gauge; single-track
note: privately owned industrial line; closed in early
1990s (2001 est.) |
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Highways:
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total:
4,160 km
paved: 1,011 km
unpaved: 3,149 km (1999 est.) |
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Waterways:
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less than 100 km
navigable |
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Ports and harbors:
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Cap-Haitien,
Gonaives, Jacmel, Jeremie, Les Cayes, Miragoane,
Port-au-Prince, Port-de-Paix, Saint-Marc |
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Merchant marine:
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none |
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Airports:
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12 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 5 (2003 est.) |
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Military branches:
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Haitian National
Police (HNP)
note: the regular Haitian Army, Navy, and Air Force
have been demobilized but still exist on paper until or unless
they are constitutionally abolished |
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Military manpower - military age:
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18 years of age
(2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males age
15-49: 1,792,112 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males age
15-49: 975,341 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
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males:
97,429 (2004 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$25.8 million
(2003) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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0.9% (2003) |
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Disputes - international:
|
despite efforts
to control illegal migration, Haitians fleeing economic
privation and civil unrest continue to cross into Dominican
Republic and to sail to neighboring countries; Haiti claims
US-administered Navassa Island |
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Illicit drugs:
|
major Caribbean
transshipment point for cocaine en route to the US and Europe;
substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics
traffickers favor Haiti for illicit financial transactions;
pervasive corruption |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
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