Haiti
From World travel guide
| Flag | |
 | |
| Quick Facts | |
| Capital | Port-au-Prince (Haitian Creole: Pòtoprens) |
| Government | elected government |
| Currency | gourde (HTG) |
| Area | total: 27,750 sq km land: 27,560 sq km water: 190 sq km |
| Population | 7,063,722 (July 2002 est.) |
| Language | French (official), Creole (official) |
| Religion | Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% (1982) note: roughly half of the population also practices Voodoo |
Haiti (Haitian Creole: Ayiti, French: Haïti) is a Central American country that occupies the western one-third of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. The eastern two-thirds of Hispaniola is occupied by the Dominican Republic. The North Atlantic Ocean lies to the north, while the Caribbean Sea lies to the south.
Contents |
Regions
- Administrative divisions
- 9 departments (departements, singular - departement); Artibonite, Centre, Grand 'Anse, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est
Cities
- Port-au-Prince - Capital
- Cap-Haitien
- Gonaives
- Jacmel
- Jeremie
- Les Cayes
- Miragoane
- Port-de-Paix
- Saint-Marc
Other destinations
Understand
Climate
Tropical; semiarid where mountains in the east cut off trade winds. Lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October. Experiences occasional flooding and earthquakes and periodic droughts.
Terrain
Mostly rough and mountainous.
- highest point
- Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m
History
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 since then, and it is now one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. Over three decades of dictatorship followed by military rule ended in 1990 when Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE was elected president. Most of his term was usurped by a military takeover, but he was able to return to office in 1994 and oversee the installation of a close associate to the presidency in 1996. ARISTIDE won a second term as president in 2000, and took office early in 2001. However, a political crisis stemming from fraudulent legislative elections in 2000 has not yet been resolved.
Get in
By plane
By train
By car
By bus
The people of Haiti call a bus something that sounds like "tap-tap" and they're made from pickup trucks with a boxlike cabin attached. In this cabin are wood benches to serve as seats. They are often painted bright colors, sometimes with flowers, and always have some slogan, such as "Jesus vous amie" ("Jesus loves you").
By boat
Get around
Talk
- Languages
- French (official), Creole (official)
Buy
Eat
Drink
Sleep
Learn
Work
Stay safe
from the US State Department http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_917.html :
Americans are reminded of the potential for spontaneous demonstrations and violent confrontations between armed groups. Visitors and residents must remain vigilant due to the absence of an effective police force in much of Haiti; the potential for looting; the presence of intermittent roadblocks set by armed gangs or by the police; and the possibility of random violent crime, including kidnapping, car-jacking, and assault. Due to concerns for the safety of its personnel, the Department has ordered the departure from Haiti of all U.S. Embassy non-emergency employees and all family members of American embassy personnel. American citizens who remain in Haiti despite this warning are urged to consider departing.
Stay healthy
Respect
Contact
External links
| This article is still a stub and needs your attention. Plunge forward and help it grow! |
