Haiti

Republique d'Haiti

republicIndependence 1 January 1804 (from France)

Haiti as the 1997 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 99 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 Hispaniola,

Populationas each edition published it

6.61 million July 1997 est. · 6.14m in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.39% 1997 est. · 1.68% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 17.9 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

49.49 years 1997 est. · 45.45 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

4.76 children per woman 1997 est. · 6.4 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

102.4 deaths per 1,000 live births 1997 est. · 107 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,000 1996 est. · $340 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

2% 1996 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%permanent pastures 18%forests and woodland 5%other 44% (1993 est.)irrigated 750 sq km (1993 est.)

Area

27,750sq km

land: 27,560 sq kmwater: 190 sq kmslightly smaller than Maryland

Coastline

1,771km

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

Highest point

2,680m

Chaine de la Sellelowest point : Caribbean Sea 0 m

Land boundaries

275km

border countries : 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

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

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

Environment - international agreements

party to:: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation
signed, but not ratified:: Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note

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

People

15 fields

Population

6,611,407

(July 1997 est.)growth rate: 1.39% (1997 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1997 est.)

Birth

33.12Death

15.25Net migration

-4.01

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)

Literacy

45%

definition: age 15 and over can read and writemale: 48%female: 42.2% (1995 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 43% (male 1,451,550; female 1,409,056) 15-64 years : 53% (male 1,668,670; female 1,811,957)
65 years and over:: 4% (male 134,366; female 135,808) (July 1997 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
total population:: 0.97 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate

102.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 49.49 years
male :: 47.45 years
female:: 51.63 years (1997 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Haitian(s)
adjective:: Haitian

Government

Republic; President Rene Garcia PREVAL (since 7 February 1996); Prime Minister Rosny SMARTH (since March 1996)

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Presidential electionpercent of vote

88%

Rene Garcia PREVAL 88%Leon JEUNE 2.5%Victor BENOIT 2.3%election last held 17 December 1995 (next to be held by December 2000)

Senate, 83 seats, elected 25 June 1995 with reruns on 13 August and runoffs on 17 Septemberone dot, one seat

Lavalas Platform 67FNCD 2CONACOM 1PANPRA 1MRN 2MKN 1PROP 1UPD 2independents 4vacant 2

Country name

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

bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of the Senate (27 seats; members serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of Deputies (83 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections:: Senate - last held 25 June 1995 with reruns on 13 August and runoffs on 17 September (election held for nine seats 6 April 1997; runoffs to be held 25 May 1997 were postponed);
Chamber of Deputies - last held 25 June 1995 with reruns on 13 August and runoffs on 17 September (next to be held NA 1999; byelections for two vacant seats were held 6 April 1997; runoffs to be held 25 May 1997 were postponed)
election results:: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - Lavalas Platform 17, FNDC 6, National Alliance for Democracy and Progress 2, RDNP 1, independent 1;
Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - Lavalas Platform 67, FNCD 2, CONACOM 1, PANPRA 1, MRN 2, MKN 1, PROP 1, UPD 2, independents 4, vacant 2

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal (Cour de Cassation)

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;
Popular Organizations Gathering Power (PROP), Simon JEAN-POIX;
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;
Union of Patriotic Democrats (UPD), Rockefeller GUERRE;
Cooperative Action for Economic Liberation (KLE), Leon JEUNE;
Generation 2004, Claude ROUMAIN;
Alliance for the Liberation and Advancement of Haiti (ALAH), Reynold GEORGES;
Lavalas Political Platform or PPL (an alliance of OPL and MOP) [Renaud BERNARDIN];
Haitian Democratic Party (PADEMH), Clark PARENT;
National Rally of Democratic Forces (RANFO), Jean Nazaire THIDE, Marino ETIENNE;
National Alliance for Democracy and Progress

Political pressure groups and leaders

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, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the 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)

Diplomatic representation from the US

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 description

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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Real growth rate

(1996 est.)industrial production growth: 2.5% (1995 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

18%

(1996)

Unemployment rate

60%

(1996 est.)

Labor force

2.3million

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

GDP - composition by sector(1991 est.)

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

Budget

Revenues

$240 million (est.)Expenditures

$250 million

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

Economy - 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 little or no job creation since President PREVAL took office in February 1996.

Failure to reach agreements with international sponsors have denied Haiti badly needed budget and development assistance. Meeting aid conditions in 1997 will be especially challenging in the face of mounting popular criticism of reforms.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $6.8 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1996 est.)

Industries

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

Electricity - capacity

216,500 kW (1995)

Electricity - production

379 million kWh (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita

33 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Exports

total value:: $123 million (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities:: light manufactures 65%, coffee 19%, other agriculture 8%, other 8%
partners:: US 73.5%, EU 19.4% (1995)

Imports

total value :: $666 million (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities:: machines and manufactures 34%, food and beverages 22%, petroleum products 14%, chemicals 10%, fats and oils 9%
partners:: US 65.0%, EU 13.9% (1995)

Debt - external

$827 million (September 1995 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency

1 gourde (G) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates

gourdes (G) per US$1 (end of period) - 16.260 (January 1997), 15.093 (1996), 16.160 (1995), 12.947 (1994), 12.805 (1993), 10.953 (1992)

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

50,000

(1990 est.)

Telephone system

domestic facilities barely adequate, international facilities slightly better

domestic:: NA
international:: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 33, FM 0, shortwave 2

Radios

320,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations

4 (1987 est.)

Televisions

32,000 (1992 est.)

Transportation

8 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

under 914 m

total: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

Networkskm

Highways

4,080Railways

Highways: paved: 987 km · unpaved: 3,093 km (1995 est.) · Railways: (single track; privately owned industrial line) - closed in early 1990's · narrow gauge : 40 km 0.760-m gauge

Railways

total:: 40 km (single track; privately owned industrial line) - closed in early 1990's
narrow gauge :: 40 km 0.760-m gauge

Highways

total:: 4,080 km
paved:: 987 km
unpaved:: 3,093 km (1995 est.)

Waterways

negligible; less than 100 km navigable

Ports and harbors

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

Merchant marine

none

Airports

11 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (1996 est.)

Military

Haitian National Police (PNH) | note: the regular Haitian Army, Navy, and Air Force have been | demobilized but still exist on paper until/unless constitutionally | abolished

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Military branches

Haitian National Police (PNH) note: the regular Haitian Army, Navy, and Air Force have been demobilized but still exist on paper until/unless constitutionally abolished

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,430,855 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males: 774,835 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 71,003 (1997 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$NA; note - mainly for police and security activities

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA%

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes - international

claims US-administered Navassa Island

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana en route to the US and Europe HEARD ISLAND AND MCDONALD ISLANDS McDonald Islands] (territory of Australia)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Haiti.” The World Factbook 1997. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/haiti/1997.

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