Dialing code +509
ISO 2 code HT
ISO 3 code HTI
Capital Port-au-Prince
Main Language None
Currency Gourde (HTG)
GDP $11.6 billion 139th
Population 9,648,924 88th

Geography

Continent North America
Location Caribbean western one-third of the island of Hispaniola between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean west of the Dominican Republic
Land 27,750 km2 148th
Terrain Mostly rough and mountainous
Climate Tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds
Natural Hazards Mostly rough and mountainous
Note: Shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western one-third is Haiti eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)

Neighbouring Countries

Dominican Republic

History

The native Taino 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. 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 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. After a prolonged struggle Haiti became the first black republic to declare independence in 1804. The poorest country in the Western Hemisphere 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 and parliament in May of 2006.
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Demographics

Life Expectancy 60.78 years 164th
Median Age 20.2 years 161st
Birth Rate 29.1 births/1,000 population 46th
Death Rate 8.65 births/1,000 population 83rd
Sex Ratio 0.64 male(s)/female 183rd
Literacy 52.9% 183rd
Population

9.6 million

Transportation

Roadways 4160 km 153rd
Railways None km
Airports 14 147th
Waterways None km
Heliports None
Airports paved 1 193rd

Economy

Currency Gourde (HTG)
GDP $11.6 billion 139th
GDP per capita (PPP) $1300 180th