LOCATION:
CARIBBEAN, WESTERN ONE-THIRD OF THE ISLAND OF HISPANIOLA, BETWEEN THE CARIBBEAN SEA AND THE NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN, WEST OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC


AREA:
27,750 SQ KM (10, 714 SQ FT) APPROXIMATELY THE SIZE OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND

 
 
  CLIMATE:
TROPICALÑAVERAGE TEMPERATURE IS 81 DEGREES
POPULATION: 8.9 MILLION (APPROX 1.4 MILLION IN CAPITAL OF PORT-AU-PRINCE) PROJECTED POPULATION IN 2025: 13.2 MILLION

INFANT MORTALITY RATE:
62.3 DEATHS PER 1000 LIVE BIRTHS (8.26 IN THE UNITED STATES)

LIFE EXPECTANCY AT BIRTH:
57 YEARS (77.8 YEARS IN THE UNITED STATES)

LITERACY:
ONLY 52.9% OF THOSE OVER 15 CAN READ AND WRITE

NATIONAL HOLIDAYÑINDEPENDENCE DAYÑJANUARY 1
HAITI BECAME THE FIRST BLACK REPUBLIC TO DECLARE ITS INDEPENDENCE IN 1804.

ECONOMY:
HAITI IS THE POORTEST COUNTRY IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE, WITH 80% OF THE POPULATION LIVING BELOW THE POVERTY LINE. THE PER CAPITA INCOME IN HAITI IS $480 PER YEAR. THE VAST MAJORITY OF HAITIANS LIVE ON LESS THAN $2 PER DAY.		  

LANGUAGE:
FRENCH IS THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF THE GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS, BUT HAITIAN CREOLE, A MIXTURE OF FRENCH AND AFRICAN LANGUAGES, IS PRIMARILY SPOKEN.

HISTORICAL OVERVIEW:
THE NATIVE TAINO AMERINDIANS, WHO INHABITED THE ISLAND OF HISPANIOLA WHEN IT WAS DISCOVERED BY CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS IN 1492, WERE VIRTUALLY ANNIHILATED BY SPANISH SETTLERS WITHIN 25 YEARS. IN THE EARLY 17TH CENTURY, THE FRENCH ESTABLISHED A PRESENCE ON HISPANIOLA. IN 1697, SPAIN CEDED TO THE FRENCH THE WESTERN THIRD OF THE ISLAND, WHICH LATER BECAME HAITI. THE FRENCH COLONY, BASED ON FORESTRY AND SUGAR RELATED INDUSTRIES, BECAME ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST IN THE CARIBBEAN. THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED ONLY THROUGH THE IMPORTATION OF AFRICAN SLAVES AND CONSIDERABLE ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION. IN THE LATE 18TH CENTURY, HAITIÕS NEARLY HALF MILLION SLAVES REVOLTED UNDER TOUSSAINT LÕOUVERTURE. AFTER A PROLONGED STRUGGLE, HAITI BECAME THE FIRST BLACK REPUBLIC TO DECLARE ITS INDEPENDENCE IN 1804.

HAITI HAS BEEN PLAGUED BY POLITICAL VIOLENCE FOR MOST OF ITS HISTORY. AFTER AN ARMED REBELLION LED TO THE FORCED RESIGNATION AND EXILE OF PRESIDENT JEAN-BERTRAND ARISTIDE IN FEBRUARY 2004, AN INTERIM GOVERNMENT TOOK OFFICE TO ORGANIZE NEW ELECTIONS UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE UNITED NATIONS STABILIZATION MISSION IN HAITI (MINUSTAH). CONTINUED VIOLENCE AND TECHNICAL DELAYS PROMPTED REPEATED POSTPONEMENTS, BUT HAITI FINALLY DID INAUGURATE A DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED PRESIDENT, RENE PREVAL, AND PARLIAMENT IN MAY OF 2006.