Haiti

Republic of HaitiRepublique d'Haiti

republicIndependence 1 January 1804 (from France)

Haiti as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 83 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 sq km

LocationCaribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola,

Populationas each edition published it

6.54 million July 1995 est. · 6.14m in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.5% 1995 est. · 1.68% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 17.9 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

44.77 years 1995 est. · 45.45 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

5.82 children per woman 1995 est. · 6.4 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

107.5 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 107 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$870 1994 est. · $340 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

-15% 1994 est. · -4% in 1993

Geography

Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, | between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the | Dominican Republic

14 fields

Land useshare of 27,750 sq km

arable land 20%permanent crops 13%meadows and pastures 18%forest and woodland 4%other 45%irrigated 750 sq km (1989 est.)

Area

27,750sq km

land area: 27,560 sq kmcomparative area: slightly larger than Maryland

Coastline

1,771km

contiguous zone: 24 nmcontinental shelf: to depth of exploitationexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

275km

total · Dominican Republic 275 km

Location

Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic

Climate

tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds

Environment

current issues:: extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land is being cleared for agriculture and use as fuel);
soil erosion;
inadequate supplies of potable water
natural hazards:: lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October;
occasional flooding and earthquakes;
periodic droughts
international agreements:: party to - Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation;
signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban

Note

shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)

People

15 fields

Population

6,539,983

(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 1.5% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

38.64Death

18.65Net migration

-4.99

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years44.77

43.04 · 46.59

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy35%

37% · 32%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1982)

Religions(1982)

Roman Catholic 80% (of which an overwhelming majority also practice Voodoo)Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%)none 1%other 3% (1982)

Labor force

2.3million

by occupation: agriculture 66%, services 25%, industry 9%note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1982)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 46% (female 1,490,939; male 1,535,607)
15-64 years:: 50% (female 1,692,032; male 1,557,568)
65 years and over:: 4% (female 133,291; male 130,546) (July 1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate

107.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Haitian(s)
adjective:: Haitian

Government

Republic; President Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE (since 7 February 1991), ousted in a coup in September 1991 but, with US military support, returned to power on 15 October 1994; Prime Minister Smarck MICHEL (since October 1994)

23 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

67.5%

Rev. Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE 67.5%Marc BAZIN 14.2%Louis DEJOIE 4.9%

Legislature, 27 seatsone dot, one seat

FNCD 12MIDH-PANPRA 8PAIN 2MRN 1RDNP 1PNT 1independent 2

Legislature, 83 seatsone dot, one seat

FNCD 27MIDH-PANPRA 17PDCH 7PAIN 6RDNP 6MDN 5PNT 3MKN 2MODELH 2MRN 1independents 5other 2

Names

conventional long form:: Republic of Haiti
conventional short form:: Haiti
local long form:: Republique d'Haiti
local short form:: Haiti

Digraph

Type

republic

Capital

Port-au-Prince

Administrative divisions

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

Independence

1 January 1804 (from France)

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 January (1804)

Constitution

approved March 1987, suspended June 1988, most articles reinstated March 1989; October 1991, government claims to be observing the Constitution

Legal system

based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE (since 7 February 1991), ousted in a coup in September 1991 but, with US military support, returned to power on 15 October 1994; election last held 16 December 1990 (next to be held by December 1995); results - Rev. Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE 67.5%, Marc BAZIN 14.2%, Louis DEJOIE 4.9%
head of government:: Prime Minister Smarck MICHEL (since October 1994)
cabinet:: Cabinet; chosen by prime minister in consultation with the president

Legislative branch

bicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)

Senate

elections last held 18 January 1993, widely condemned as illegitimate (next to be held 25 June 1994);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (27 total) FNCD 12, MIDH-PANPRA 8, PAIN 2, MRN 1, RDNP 1, PNT 1, independent 2

Chamber of Deputies

elections last held 16 December 1990, with runoff held 20 January 1991 (next to be held 25 June 1995);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (83 total) FNCD 27, MIDH-PANPRA 17, PDCH 7, PAIN 6, RDNP 6, MDN 5, PNT 3, MKN 2, MODELH 2, MRN 1, independents 5, other 2

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal (Cour de Cassation)

Political parties and leaders

National Front for Change and Democracy (FNCD), Evans PAUL, including National Cooperative Action Movement (MKN), Volvick Remy JOSEPH;
National Congress of Democratic Movements (CONACOM), Victor BENOIT;
Movement for the Installation of Democracy in Haiti (MIDH), Marc BAZIN;
National Progressive Revolutionary Party (PANPRA), Serge GILLES;
National Patriotic Movement of November 28 (MNP-28), Dejean BELIZAIRE;
National Agricultural and Industrial Party (PAIN), Louis DEJOIE;
Movement for National Reconstruction (MRN), Rene THEODORE;
Haitian Christian Democratic Party (PDCH), Joseph DOUZE;
Assembly of Progressive National Democrats (RDNP), Leslie MANIGAT;
National Party of Labor (PNT), Thomas DESULME;
Mobilization for National Development (MDN), Hubert DE RONCERAY;
Democratic Movement for the Liberation of Haiti (MODELH), Francois LATORTUE;
Haitian Social Christian Party (PSCH), Gregoire EUGENE;
Movement for the Organization of the Country (MOP), Gesner COMEAU and Jean MOLIERE;
Democratic Unity Confederation (KID), Evans PAUL;
National Lavalas Political Organization (OPL), Gerard PIERRE/CHARLES

Other political or pressure groups

Roman Catholic Church;
Confederation of Haitian Workers (CTH);
Federation of Workers Trade Unions (FOS);
Autonomous Haitian Workers (CATH);
National Popular Assembly (APN);
Revolutionary Front for Haitian Advancement and Progress (FRAPH)

Member of

ACCT, ACP, CARICOM (observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LAES, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Jean CASIMIR
chancery:: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: [1] (202) 332-4090 through 4092

FAX

[1] (202) 745-7215; consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador William Lacy SWING
embassy:: Harry Truman Boulevard, Port-au-Prince
mailing address:: P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince
telephone:: [509] 22-0354, 22-0368, 22-0200, 22-0612

FAX

[509] 23-1641

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 75% of the population live in abject poverty. | Agriculture is mainly small-scale subsistence farming and employs | two-thirds of the work force.

19 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$870

(1994 est.)

Real growth rate

-15%

(1994 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate -2% (1991 est.); accounts for 15% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

52%

(FY93/94 est.)

Unemployment rate

50%

(1994 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$56 millionExpenditures

$131 million (1994 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $6 million

Installed generating capacity, 150,000 kW

Electricity production

590 millionElectricity consumption per capita

86 (1993)

Overview

About 75% of the population live in abject poverty. Agriculture is mainly small-scale subsistence farming and employs two-thirds of the work force. The majority of the population does not have ready access to safe drinking water, adequate medical care, or sufficient food. The lack of employment opportunities remains one of the most critical problems facing the economy, along with soil erosion and political instability.

International trade sanctions in response to the September 1991 coup against President ARISTIDE further damaged the economy. The restoration of President ARISTIDE, the lifting of sanctions in late 1994, and foreign aid will alleviate some economic problems. Haiti will continue to depend heavily on foreign aid.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $5.6 billion (1994 est.)

Exports

$173.3 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

commodities:: light manufactures 65%, coffee 19%, other agriculture 8%, other 8%
partners:: US 81%, Europe 12% (1993)

Imports

$476.8 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

commodities:: machines and manufactures 34%, food and beverages 22%, petroleum products 14%, chemicals 10%, fats and oils 9%
partners:: US 51%, Europe 16%, Latin America 18% (1993)

External debt

$871 million (September 1994)

Industries

sugar refining, textiles, flour milling, cement manufacturing, tourism, light assembly industries based on imported parts

Agriculture

accounts for 28% of GDP and employs two-thirds of work force;
mostly small-scale subsistence farms;
commercial crops - coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, wood;
staple crops - rice, corn, sorghum;
shortage of wheat flour

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana en route to the US and Europe

Economic aid

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (1970-89), $700 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $770 million

Currency

1 gourde (G) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates

gourdes (G) per US$1 - 14.10 (1 December 1994), 12.00 (1 July 1993), 8.4 (December 1991), fixed rate of 5.000 through second quarter of 1991

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

Transportation

6 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 14 in all

2,438 to 3,047 m

1,524 to 2,437 m

under 914 m

914 to 1,523 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

4,000Railroads

Highways: paved: 950 km · unpaved: otherwise improved 900 km; unimproved earth 2,150 km · Railroads: (single track; privately owned industrial line) · narrow gauge: 40 km 0.760-m gauge

Railroads

total:: 40 km (single track; privately owned industrial line)
narrow gauge:: 40 km 0.760-m gauge

Highways

total:: 4,000 km
paved:: 950 km
unpaved:: otherwise improved 900 km; unimproved earth 2,150 km

Inland waterways

negligible; less than 100 km navigable

Ports

Cap-Haitien, Gonaives, Jacmel, Jeremie, Cayes, Miragoane, Port-au-Prince, Port-de-Paix, Saint-Marc

Merchant marine

none

Communications

3 fields

Telephone system

36,000 telephones; domestic facilities barely adequate, international facilities slightly better

local:: NA
intercity:: NA
international:: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station

Radio

broadcast stations:: AM 33, FM 0, shortwave 2
radios:: NA

Television

broadcast stations:: 4
televisions:: NA

Defense Forces

Army, Navy, Air Force, Police | note: the regular Haitian Army, Navy and Air Force are currently | suspended and replaced by the Interim Public Security Force (IPSF)

3 fields

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, Police note: the regular Haitian Army, Navy and Air Force are currently suspended and replaced by the Interim Public Security Force (IPSF)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 1,323,034;
males fit for military service 716,233;
males reach military age (18) annually 64,371 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $34 million, 1.5% of GDP (1988 est.) HEARD ISLAND AND MCDONALD ISLANDS (territory of Australia)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Haiti.” The World Factbook 1995. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/haiti/1995.

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