Haiti
Republic of HaitiRepublique d'Haiti
elected governmentIndependence 1 January 1804 (from France)
Haiti as the 2002 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 114 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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.
Geography
Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic
18 fieldsLand useshare of 27,750 sq 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
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 used 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, Ozone Layer Protection
- 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
18 fieldsNote
Per 1,000 population(2002 est.)
Male · female
Religions(1982)
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 39.5% (male 1,414,052; female 1,377,693)
- 15-64 years:
- 56.3% (male 1,924,867; female 2,049,952)
- 65 years and over:
- 4.2% (male 142,657; female 154,501) (2002 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 0.94 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.92 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Government
Elected government; President Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE (since 7 February 2001); Prime Minister Yvon NEPTUNE (since 4 March 2002)
18 fieldsSenate, 83 seatsone dot, one seat
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Republic of Haiti
- conventional short form:
- Haiti
- local short form:
- Haiti
- local long form:
- Republique d'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, with most articles reinstated March 1989;
- in October 1991, government claimed to be observing the constitution;
- return to constitutional rule, October 1994
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE (since 7 February 2001)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Yvon NEPTUNE (since 4 March 2002); note - former Prime Minister CHERESTAL resigned in January 2002
- 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 26 November 2000 (next to be held NA 2005);
- prime minister appointed by the president, ratified by the National Assembly
- election results:
- Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE elected president; percent of vote - Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE 92%
Legislative branch
bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of the Senate (27 seats; members elected by popular vote to 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 for two-thirds of seats 21 May 2000, with runoffs on 9 July boycotted by the opposition;
- seven seats still disputed;
- election for remaining one-third held on 26 November 2000 (next to be held NA 2002);
- Chamber of Deputies - last held 21 May 2000, with runoffs on 30 July boycotted by the opposition;
- one vacant seat rerun 26 November 2000 (next to be held NA 2004)
- election results:
- Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%;
- seats by party - FL 26, independent 1;
- Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%;
- seats by party - FL 73, MOCHRENA 3, PLB 2, OPL 1, vacant 1, other minor parties and independents 3
Political parties and leaders
- Alliance for the Liberation and Advancement of Haiti or ALAH [Reynold GEORGES];
- Assembly of Progressive National Democrats or RDNP [Leslie MANIGAT];
- Convergence (opposition coalition composed of ESPACE, OPL, and MOCHRENA) [Gerard PIERRE-CHARLES, Evans PAUL, Luc MESADIEU, Victor BENOIT];
- Democratic Consultation Group coalition or ESPACE [Evans PAUL, Victor Benoit] composed of the following parties: National Congress of Democratic Movements or KONAKOM, National Progressive Revolutionary Party or PANPRA, Generation 2004, and Haiti Can;
- Haitian Christian Democratic Party or PDCH [Marie-France CLAUDE];
- Haitian Democratic Party or PADEM [Clark PARENT];
- Lavalas Family or FL [Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE];
- Mobilization for National Development or MDN [Hubert DE RONCERAY];
- Movement for National Reconstruction or MRN [Rene THEODORE];
- Movement for the Installation of Democracy in Haiti or MIDH [Marc BAZIN];
- Movement for the Organization of the Country or MOP [Gesner COMEAU and Jean MOLIERE];
- National Cooperative Action Movement or MKN [Volrick Remy JOSEPH];
- National Front for Change and Democracy or FNCD [Evans PAUL and Turneb DELPE];
- New Christian Movement for a New Haiti or MOCHRENA [Luc MESADIEU];
- Open the Gate or PLB [Renaud BERNARDIN];
- Struggling People's Organization or OPL [Gerard PIERRE-CHARLES]
Political pressure groups and leaders
- Autonomous Haitian Workers or CATH;
- Confederation of Haitian Workers or CTH;
- Federation of Workers Trade Unions or FOS;
- National Popular Assembly or APN;
- Papaye Peasants Movement or MPP;
- Popular Organizations Gathering Power or PROP;
- Roman Catholic Church
International organization participation
ACCT, ACP, Caricom, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador (vacant); Chief of Mission Harry Frantz LEO
- consulate(s) general:
- Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 745-7215
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 332-4090
- chancery:
- 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Roger NORIEGA
- embassy:
- 5 Harry S Truman Boulevard, Port-au-Prince
- mailing address:
- P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince
- telephone:
- [509] 222-0354, 222-0269, 222-0200, 222-0327
- FAX:
- [509] 223-1641, 222-0200, extension 460
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 80% of the population lives in abject poverty.
32 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2001 est.)
Electricity
Economy - overview
About 80% 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 job creation since the former President PREVAL took office in February 1996, although the informal economy is growing.
Following legislative elections in May 2000, fraught with irregularities, international donors - including the US and EU - suspended almost all aid to Haiti. The economy shrank an estimated 1.2% in 2001, and the contraction will likely intensify in 2002 unless a political agreement with donors is reached and aid restored.
Unemployment rate
widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than two-thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs (2001) (2001)
Industries
sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, light assembly industries based on imported parts
Imports - commodities
food, manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, raw materials
Exchange rates
gourdes per US dollar - 26.674 (January 2002), 26.339 (2001), 22.524 (2000), 17.965 (1999), 16.505 (1998), 17.311 (1997)
Communications
10 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- domestic facilities barely adequate; international facilities slightly better
- domestic:
- coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk service
- international:
- satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Transportation
8 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
Networkskm
Railways
- total:
- 40 km
- narrow gauge:
- 40 km 0.760-m gauge; single-track
note: privately owned industrial line; closed in early 1990s (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors
Cap-Haitien, Gonaives, Jacmel, Jeremie, Les Cayes, Miragoane, Port-au-Prince, Port-de-Paix, Saint-Marc
Military
Haitian National Police (HNP) | note: the regular Haitian Army, Navy, and Air Force have been demobilized but still exist on paper until or unless they are constitutionally abolished
7 fieldsMilitary branches
Haitian National Police (HNP) note: the regular Haitian Army, Navy, and Air Force have been demobilized but still exist on paper until or unless they are constitutionally abolished
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsIllicit drugs
- major Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en route to the US and Europe;
- substantial money-laundering activity;
- Colombian narcotics traffickers favor Haiti for illicit financial transactions;
- pervasive corruption
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Haiti.” The World Factbook 2002. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/haiti/2002.