Haiti |
|
| OVERVIEW |
| Background |
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. |
| Natural
resources |
bauxite, copper, calcium
carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower |
| Land
use |
arable land: 20.32%
permanent crops: 12.7%
other: 66.98% (1998 est.) |
| Population |
7,527,817
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account
the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result
in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death
rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the
distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise
be expected (July 2003 est.) |
| Ethnic
groups |
black 95%, mulatto and
white 5% |
| Religions |
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
|
| Languages |
French (official), Creole
(official) |
| Literacy |
definition: age 15 and
over can read and write
total population: 52.9%
male: 54.8%
female: 51.2% (2003 est.) |
| Capital |
Port-au-Prince |
| Government
type |
elected government |
| Independence |
1 January 1804 (from France)
|
| National
holiday |
Independence Day, 1 January
(1804) |
|
|
