Haiti

Republic of HaitiRepublique d'Haiti

republicIndependence 1 January 1804 (from France)

Haiti as the 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 89 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

Position19 00 N, 72 25 W

Area27,750 sq km

LocationCaribbean, western one-third of the island of

Populationas each edition published it

6.73 million July 1996 est. · 6.14m in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.77% 1996 est. · 1.68% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 17.9 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

49.26 years 1996 est. · 45.45 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

5.69 children per woman 1996 est. · 6.4 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

103.8 deaths per 1,000 live births 1996 est. · 107 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,000 1995 est. · $340 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

4.5% 1995 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

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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

border country: 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

Terrain

mostly rough and mountainous

lowest point:: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point:: Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m

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

Geographic note

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

People

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Population

6,731,539

(July 1996 est.)growth rate: 1.77% (1996 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1996 est.)

Birth

38.15Death

15.96Net migration

-4.52

Male · female(1996 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years49.26

47.26 · 51.35

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy45%

48% · 42.2%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

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)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 46% (male 1,568,943; female 1,523,406)
15-64 years:: 50% (male 1,614,679; female 1,758,388)
65 years and over:: 4% (male 132,460; female 133,663) (July 1996 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.99 male(s)/female
all ages:: 0.97 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate

103.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Haitian(s)
adjective:: Haitian

Government

Republic; President Rene Garcia PREVAL (since 7 February 1996), was elected for a five-year term by universal suffrage; Prime Minister Rosny SMARTH (since March 1996) was appointed by the president

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Presidential electionpercent of vote

88%

Rene PREVAL 88%Leon JEUNE 2.5%Victor BENOIT 2.3%

Name of country

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

Administrative divisions

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

Constitution

approved March 1987, suspended June 1988, most articles reinstated March 1989;
in October 1991, government claimed to be observing the constitution;
return to constitutional rule, October 1994

Legal system

based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Rene Garcia PREVAL (since 7 February 1996), was elected for a five-year term by universal suffrage;
election last held 17 December 1995 (next to be held by December 2000);
results - Rene PREVAL 88%, Leon JEUNE 2.5%, Victor BENOIT 2.3%
head of government:: Prime Minister Rosny SMARTH (since March 1996) was appointed by the president
cabinet:: Cabinet; was chosen by prime minister in consultation with the president

Legislative branch

bicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)

Senate

elections last held 25 June 1995 with reruns on 13 August and runoffs on 17 September (next to be held 25 June 1999);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - 27 total

Chamber of Deputies

elections last held 25 June 1995 with reruns on 13 August and runoffs on 17 September;
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - 83 total

Political parties and leaders

National Front for Change and Democracy (FNCD), Evans PAUL and Turneb DELPE;
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), Fritz PIERRE;
Assembly of Progressive National Democrats (RDNP), Leslie MANIGAT;
National Labor Party (PNT), Remy ZAMOR;
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;
Open the Gate Party (PLB), Renaud BERNARDIN;
Haitian National Democratic Progressive Party (PNDPH), Turneb DELPE

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);
Papaye Peasants Movement (MPP)

International organization participation

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

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:: 5 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 lives in abject | poverty.

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GDP per capita, PPP

$1,000

(1995 est.)

Real growth rate

4.5%

(1995 est.)industrial production growth: 2.5% (1995 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

14.5%

(FY 94/95)

Unemployment rate

60%

(1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector(1991 est.)

agriculture 34.8%industry 23%services 42.2% (1991 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$242 millionExpenditures

$299.4 million

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA (FY94/95)

Installed generating capacity, 150,000 kW

Electricity production

590 millionElectricity consumption per capita

86 (1993)

Economic overview

About 75% of the population lives in abject poverty. Nearly 70% of all Haitians depend on the agriculture sector, which consists mainly of small-scale subsistence farming and employs about two-thirds of the economically active work force. The country has experienced only moderate job creation since President ARISTIDE was returned to power in October 1994.

Failure to reach agreement with multilateral lenders in late 1995 led to rising deficit spending and subsequently increasing inflation and a drop in the value of the Haitian currency in the final months of 1995. Potential investors, both foreign and domestic, have been reluctant to risk their capital, planning to "wait and see" what happens in the months following the inauguration of newly elected President Rene PREVAL and the drawdown of UN peacekeeping forces.

The PREVAL government will have to grapple with implementing necessary, although unpopular, economic reforms in order to obtain badly needed foreign aid and improve Haiti's ability to attract foreign capital if the Haitian economy is to gain momentum. Haiti will continue to depend heavily on foreign aid in the medium term.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $6.5 billion (1995 est.)

Labor force

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

Industries

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

Agriculture

coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum; wood

Illicit drugs

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

Exports

$161 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.)

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

Imports

$537 million (f.o.b., 1995 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

$827 million (September 1995 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency

1 gourde (G) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates

gourdes (G) per US$1 - 16.783 (January 1996), 16.160 (1995), 12.947 (1994), 12.805 (1993), 10.953 (1992), 8.240 (1991)

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

Transportation

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Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 11 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

3,978Railways

Highways: paved: 944 km · unpaved: 3,034 km (1987 est.) · Railways: (single track; privately owned industrial line)-closed in early 1990's · narrow gauge: 40 km 0.760-m gauge