Haiti

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Haiti

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name République d'Haïti/Republic of Haiti Area 27,750 sq km/10,714 sq mi Capital Port-au-Prince Language French (20%), Creole (both official) Religion Christian 95% (of which 70% are Roman Catholic), voodoo 4% Time difference GMT -5 Major holidays 1–2 January, 14 April, 1 May, 15 August, 17, 24 October, 1–2, 18 November, 5, 25 December; variable: Ascension Thursday, Carnival, Corpus Christi, Good Friday


GEOGRAPHY

Major towns/cities Cap-Haïtien, Gonaïves, Les Cayes, St Marc, Carrefour, Delmas, Pétionville Physical features mainly mountainous and tropical; occupies western third of Hispaniola Island in Caribbean Sea Airports one international airport, one domestic airport, and four smaller airfields; total passengers carried: 736,230 (1995) Railways none Roads total road network: 4,160 km/2,585 mi, of which 24.3% paved (1999 est); passenger cars: 19.1 per 1,000 people (1999)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state René Préval from 2006 Head of government Jacques-Édouard Alexis from 2006 Political system transitional Political executive transitional Administrative divisions nine departments, subdivided into arrondissements and communes Political parties National Front for Change and Democracy (FNCD), left of centre; Organization of People in Struggle (OPL), populist; Fanmi Lavalas (FL), personalist Death penalty abolished in 1987 Armed forces armed forces effectively dissolved in 1995 following restoration of civilian rule in 1994; UN mission has an authorized strength of up to 6,700 military personnel and 1,600 civilian police (2006 est) Conscription military service is voluntary Defence spend (% GDP) 0.8 (2003 est) Education spend (% GDP) 1.1 (2001 est) Health spend (% GDP) 2.9 (2004)


ECONOMY

Currency gourde GDP (US$) 4.2 billion (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 2.3 (2006 est) GNI (US$) 3.9 billion (2005 est) GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 1,840 (2005 est) Consumer price inflation 14.1% (2006 est) Unemployment 60% (2002) Labour force 66% agriculture, 10% industry, 24% services (2003 est) Foreign debt (US$) 1.4 billion (2005 est) Major trading partners USA, Netherlands Antilles, Dominican Republic, Canada, France, Colombia Resources marble, limestone, calcareous clay, unexploited copper and gold deposits Industries food processing, metal products, machinery, textiles, chemicals, clothing, toys, electronic and electrical equipment, tourism; much of industry closed down during the international embargo imposed by the UN after Aristide was deposed in 1991 Exports manufactured articles, coffee, cocoa, essential oils, sisal. Principal market: USA 81.4% (2005) Imports food and live animals, mineral fuels and lubricants, textiles, machinery, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, raw materials, vehicles. Principal source: USA 49.4% (2005) Arable land 28.1% (2006 est) Agricultural products coffee, sugar cane, rice, maize, sorghum, cocoa, sisal, sweet potatoes, bananas, cotton


POPULATION

Population 8,649,900 (2006 est) Population growth rate 1.4% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 312 (2006 est) Urban population (% of total) 39 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 38%, 15–59 56%, 60+ 6% (2005 est) Ethnic groups about 95% black African descent, the remainder are mulattos or Europeans Life expectancy 53 (men); 54 (women) (2005–10) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 117 (2004) Education (compulsory years) 6 Literacy rate 54% (men); 50% (women) (2004 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 2.5 (2004 est) Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 0.8 (2003 est) HIV infection (% of population aged 15–49) 3.8 (2005 est) AIDS deaths 16,000 (2005 est) Access to drinking-water source (% of total population) 91 (urban); 59 (rural) (2002)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Landline telephones (per 100 people) 1.7 (2005est) Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 4.9 (2005 est) Radios (per 1,000 people) 18 (2001 est) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 63 (2004 est) Internet users (per 100 people) 6.1 (2005 est)


CHRONOLOGY

14th century Settled by Carib Indians, who followed an earlier wave of Arawak Indian immigration. 1492 First landing place of explorer Christopher Columbus in the New World. He named the island Hispaniola (‘Little Spain’). 1496 At Santo Domingo, now in Dominican Republic to the east, the Spanish established first European settlement in western hemisphere, which became capital of all Spanish colonies in America. first half of 16th century Around 300,000 Arawaks and Caribs died as a result of enslavement and exposure to European diseases; black African slaves brought in to work the island's gold and silver mines. 1697 Spain ceded western third of Hispaniola to France, which became known as Haiti, but kept the east, which was known as Santo Domingo (the Dominican Republic). 1804 Independence achieved after uprising against French colonial rule led by former slave Toussaint l'Ouverture, who died in prison in 1803, and Jean-Jacques Dessalines. 1818–43 Ruled by Jean-Pierre Boyer, who excluded blacks from power. 1821 Santo Domingo fell under control of Haiti until 1844. 1847–59 Blacks reasserted themselves under President Faustin Soulouque. 1844 Hispaniola split into Haiti and the Dominican Republic 1915 Haiti invaded by USA as a result of political instability caused by black-mulatto friction; remained under US control until 1934. 1956 Dr François Duvalier (Papa Doc), a voodoo physician, seized power in military coup and was elected president one year later. 1964 Duvalier pronounced himself president for life, establishing a dictatorship based around a personal militia, the Tonton Macoutes. 1971 Duvalier died, succeeded by his son Jean-Claude (Baby Doc); thousands murdered during Duvalier era. 1988 Military coup installed Brig-Gen Prosper Avril as president, with civilian government under military control. 1990 Left-wing Catholic priest Jean-Bertrand Aristide elected president. 1991 Aristide overthrown in military coup led by Brig-Gen Raoul Cedras. Sanctions imposed by Organization of American States (OAS) and USA. 1993 United Nations (UN) embargo imposed. Aristide's return blocked by military. 1994 Threat of US invasion led to regime recognizing Aristide as president. 1995 UN peacekeepers drafted in to replace US troops. Assembly elections won by Aristide's supporters. René Préval elected to replace Aristide as president. 1998 Jacques-Edouard Alexis became prime minister. 1999 President Préval dissolved parliament. Elections repeatedly delayed. 2000 Aristide's Fanmi Lavalas Party won parliamentary elections, boycotted by the opposition. 2001 Aristide became president for third time; Jean-Marie Chérestal became prime minister; opposition set up alternative government. 2002 Haiti approved as full member of regional Caricom trade bloc. 2003 Voodoo recognized as an official religion. 2004 Violent uprising against Aristide forced him into exile; interim government set up. UN peacekeepers arrived to take over from US-led force and to assist survivors of severe floods that struck in May. Further flooding, in the wake of tropical storm Jeanne, killed almost 3,000. 2005 Ravix Remissainthe, a key rebel leader, killed by police. 2006 Rene Preval won presidential elections (after deal reached over spoiled ballot papers); Jacques-Edouard Alexis became prime minister. 2007 UN forces launched new offensive against armed gangs in one of the capital's largest and most violent shantytowns.


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