Haiti

republicIndependence 1 January 1804 (from France)

Haiti as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 73 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalPort-au-Prince

Area27,750 km2

Populationas each edition published it

6.14 million July 1990 · 11.9m in 2025

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 1.68% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 17.9 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 45.45 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.4 children per woman 1990 · 2.39 in 2025

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

107 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 35 in 2025

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $340 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition -4% in 1993

Geography

15 fields

Land useshare of 27,750 km2

arable land 20%permanent crops 13%meadows and pastures 18%forest and woodland 4%other 45%includes 3% irrigated

Total area

27,750km2

land area: 27,560 km2Comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland

Coastline

1,771km

Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate

tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds

Environment

lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October;
occasional flooding and earthquakes;
deforestation

Note

shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic

People

14 fields

Population

6,142,141

(July 1990), growth rate 2.3% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth

45Death

Ethnic divisions

black 95%mulatto and European 5%

Literacy

23%

Religion

75-80% Roman Catholic (of which an overwhelming majority also practice Voodoo), 10% Protestant

Language

French (official) spoken by only 10% of population; all speak Creole

Labor force

2,300,000;
66% agriculture, 25% services, 9% industry;
shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1982)

Government

Republic

18 fields

Administrative divisions

9 departments, (departements, singular--departement); Artibonite, Centre, Grand'Anse, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est

Constitution

27 August 1983, suspended February 1986; draft constitution approved March 1987, suspended June 1988, most articles reinstated March 1989

Legal system

based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Executive branch

president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch

bicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale) consisted of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives, but was dissolved on 20 June 1988 after the coup of 19 June 1988 (there was a subsequent coup on 18 September 1988);
after naming a civilian as provisional president on 13 March 1990, it was announced that a Council of State was being formed

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal (Cour de Cassation) Chief of State and Head of Government--Provisional President Ertha PASCAL-TROUILLOT (since 13 March 1990)

Political parties and leaders

Haitian Christian Democratic Party (PDCH), Sylvio Claude;
Haitian Social Christian Party (PSCH), Gregoire Eugene;
Movement for the Installation of Democracy in Haiti (MIDH), Marc Bazin;
National Alliance Front (FNC), Gerard Gourgue;
National Agricultural and Industrial Party (PAIN), Louis Dejoie;
Congress of Democratic Movements (CONACOM), Victor Bono;
National Progressive Revolutionary Party (PANPRA), Serge Gilles;
National Patriotic Movement of November 28 (MNP-28), Dejean Belizaire;
Movement for the Organization of the Country (MOP), Gesner Comeau;
Mobilization for National Development (MDN), Hubert De Ronceray

none President--last held 17 January 1988 (next to be held by mid-June 1990); on 13 March 1990 Ertha Pascal-Trouillot became provisional president after the resignation of President Lieut. Gen Prosper Avril; Legislature--last held 17 January 1988, but dissolved on 20 June 1988; the government has promised an election by mid-June 1990

Communists

United Party of Haitian Communists (PUCH), Rene Theodore (roughly 2,000 members)

Other political or pressure groups

Democratic Unity Confederation (KID), Roman Catholic Church, Confederation of Haitian Workers (CTH), Federation of Workers Trade Unions (FOS), Autonomous Haitian Workers (CATH), National Popular Assembly (APN)

Member of

CCC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBA, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IDB--Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IRC, ITU, OAS, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador (vacant), Charge d'Affaires Fritz VOUGY;
Chancery at 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008;
telephone (202) 332-4090 through 4092;
there are Haitian Consulates General in Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, and San Juan (Puerto Rico);
US--Ambassador Alvin ADAMS;
Embassy at Harry Truman Boulevard, Port-au-Prince (mailing address is P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince), telephone [509] (1) 20354 or 20368, 20200, 20612

Flag

two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a centered white rectangle bearing the coat of arms which contains a palm tree flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing the motto L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength)

Economy

About 85% of the population live in absolute poverty.

16 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$2.4billion

per capita $380; real growth rate 0.3% (1988 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

5.8%

(1988)

Unemployment rate

50%

(1988 est.)

External debt

$820million

(December 1988)

Exports $200 million (f.o.b., FY88)commodities, where a share is given

light manufactures

65%coffee

17%other agriculture

8%other products

10%

; partners--US 77%, France 5%, Italy 4%, FRG 3%, other industrial 9%, less developed countries 2% (FY86)

Imports $344 million (c.i.f., FY88)

machines and manufactures

36%food and beverages

21%petroleum products

11%fats and oils

12%chemicals

12%

; partners--US 65%, Netherlands Antilles 6%, Japan 5%, France 4%, Canada 2%, Asia 2% (FY86)

Budget

Revenues

$252 millionExpenditures

$357 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $NA million (1988)

Overview

About 85% of the population live in absolute poverty. Agriculture is mainly small-scale subsistence farming and employs 65% of the work force. The majority of the population does not have ready access to safe drinking water, adequate medical care, or sufficient food. Few social assistance programs exist, and the lack of employment opportunities remains the most critical problem facing the economy.