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Haiti
Physical. Haiti covers the
western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, which lies southeast of Cuba in
the Caribbean Sea. It covers an area slightly smaller than Maryland. The climate
in Haiti is tropical for the most part and semiarid where mountains in the east
cut off incoming trade winds. The terrain is fairly rough in most parts with
extensive mountainous formations. The country has few natural resources and lies
in the middle of the hurricane belt.
People. Over 7,656,000 people
live in Haiti. French and Creole are the official languages. The Haitian
population is composed of black citizens (95%) as well as a minority of mulatto
and white citizens (5%). Although nearly half the population simultaneously
practices Vodun, the religious breakdown of Haitians
may be considered Roman Catholic (80%) and Protestant (16%).
Government. Aristide was
elected in 1991, but was ousted by the army. In 2006, President Rene Paul was
elected with 51% of the vote. He promised to come to the aid of the poor.
Between coups, irregular elections and divided ruling parties, Haiti has only
seen effective government sporadically during the period of the 90s and the
beginning the new century. Previously, Haiti was run by a series of
authoritarian regimes. The people live in poverty.
Economy. It is the poorest
country in the hemisphere and one of the least developed in the world.
Agriculture remains the main employer of the population and is pressed beyond
the limits of available land. The result has been catastrophic deforestation and
erosion. While only 30% of the land is actually suitable for planting, 50% is
under cultivation. Poor farming techniques and low investment also help account
for soil erosion. The labor sector is not organized and the workers suffer from
miserable wages. The unemployment rate is high.
Until 30 years ago, Haiti
was self-sufficient in food production, but now must import a third of its food
to meet the needs of its rapidly expanding population, which will double in 35
years. However all calculations for population take into account the 5.6%
HIV/AIDS rate in adults.
Areas of Concern. Government
stability is needed to attend to the dire poverty, violence from demobilized
soldiers and soaring crime rates. Environmental concerns include extensive
deforestation, soil erosion and inadequate potable water.
Haiti statistics
Geography
Area: 10,714 square miles
Capital: Port-au-Prince (pop 845,000)
Environmental concerns: extensive deforestation; soil erosion; inadequate
potable water
Geographical features: mostly rough and mountainous
Climate: tropical to semiarid
People.
7,656,166 people; black (95%); mulatto and white (5%)
Annual growth rate: 1.71%
Major language: French; Creole
Religions: Roman Catholic (80% - with the majority also practicing
vodun); Protestant (16%)
Health and social issues
Life expectancy: Men, 50 years;
women, 53 years
Infant mortality: 95.2 deaths per 1000 live births
80% of the population lives in poverty
1 physician per 9,846 people
HIV/AIDS rate in adults: 5.6%
52.9% of adults are literate
Compulsory education (ages): 6-12
Communication and transportation
130,000 main telephone lines
80,000 Internet users (2002)
2,588 miles of highway
Railroad is privately owned industrial line
13 airfields
53,000 motor vehicles
Government
Haiti is an elected government that
gained its independence from France on January 1, 1804.
President Rene Preval was elected head of state in 2006
6 major political parties
Suffrage: universal at 18
Military
Military expenditures are 0.9% of
the Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
Current disputes: claims US-administered
Navassa
Island
Economy
Currency: gourde
Per capita income: $1,600
GDP: $ 12.8 billion
GDP growth rate: -1%
Inflation rate: 37.8%
Labor force: (66%) agricultural; (9%) industry; (25%) services
Resources and industry
Natural resources: bauxite; copper;
calcium carbonate; gold; marble; hydropower
Agriculture: coffee; mangoes; sugarcane; rice; corn; sorghum; wood
Industry: sugar refining; flour milling; textiles; cement; tourism; light
assembly based on imported parts
Exports: $321 million
Imports: $1.028 billion
Suggested web sites
Search ‘Haiti’ at
www.dmoz.org
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