Haiti

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

• extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land is being cleared for agriculture and used as fuel);
• soil erosion;
• inadequate supplies of potable water

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified:

Hazardous Wastes

0-14 years:

42.2% (male 1,646,216; female 1,583,294)

15-64 years:

54.1% (male 2,018,914; female 2,124,287)

65 years and over:

3.7% (male 133,241; female 150,214) (2004 est.)

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.89 male(s)/female

total population:

0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

noun:

Haitian(s)

adjective:

Haitian

conventional long form:

Republic of Haiti

conventional short form:

Haiti

local long form:

Republique d'Haiti

local short form:

Haiti

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

chief of state:

Interim President Boniface ALEXANDRE (since 29 February 2004)

note: Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE resigned as president on 29 February 2004; ALEXANDRE, as Chief of the Supreme Court, constitutionally succeeded Aristide

head of government:

Interim Prime Minister Gerald LATORTUE (since 12 March 2004), chosen by extraconstitutional Council of Eminent Persons representing cross-section of political and civic interests

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 in November 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%

• 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);
• note - the National Assembly stopped functioning in January 2004 when the terms of all Deputies and two-thirds of sitting Senators expired;
• no replacements have been elected;
• the Prime Minister is currently ruling by decree

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 in 2004);
• 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 in November 2005)

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

• Alliance for the Liberation and Advancement of Haiti or ALAH [Reynold GEORGES];
• Assembly of Progressive National Democrats or RDNP [Leslie MANIGAT];
• Convention for Democratic Unity or KID [leader Evans PAUL];
• Democratic Convergence (opposition coalition composed of KID, KONAKOM, OPL, PANPRA, RNDP, MIDH, and MOCHRENA) [Evans PAUL, Victor BENOIT, Edgard LEBLANC, Serge GILLES, Leslie MANIGAT, Marc BAZIN, Luc MESADIEU];
• Democratic Movement for the Liberation of Haiti or MODELH [Francois LATORTUE];
• Grand Center Right Front coalition (composed of MDN, MRN, and PDCH) [Hubert de RONCERAY, Jean BUTEAU, Osner FEVRY and Marie-Denise CLAUDE];
• Haitian Christian Democratic Party or PDCH [Osner FEVRY and Marie-Denise CLAUDE];
• Haitian Democratic Party or PADEMH [Clark PARENT];
• Haitian Democratic and Reform Movement or MODEREH [Dany TOUSSAINT and Pierre Soncon PRINCE];
• Heads Together [Dr. Gerard BLOT];
• Lavalas Family or FL [Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE];
• Liberal Party of Haiti or PLH [Michael MADSEN];
• Mobilization for National Development or MDN [Hubert DE RONCERAY];
• Movement for National Reconstruction or MRN [Jean BUTEAU];
• Movement for the Installation of Democracy in Haiti or MIDH [Marc BAZIN];
• National Front for the Reconstruction of Haiti or FRON [Guy PHILIPPE and Winter ETIENNE];
• National Progressive Democratic Party or PNDPH [Turneb DELPE];
• New Christian Movement for a New Haiti or MOCHRENA [Luc MESADIEU];
• Popular Party for the Renewal of Haiti, or Generation 2000 [Claude ROMAIN and Daniel SUPPLICE];
• Struggling People's Organization or OPL [Edgard LEBLANC]

• Autonomous Organizations of Haitian Workers or CATH [Fignole ST-CYR];
• Confederation of Haitian Workers or CTH;
• Federation of Workers Trade Unions or FOS;
• Group of 184 Civil Society Organization, or G-184 [Andy APAID];
• National Popular Assembly or APN;
• Papaye Peasants Movement or MPP [Chavannes JEAN-BAPTISTE];
• Popular Organizations Gathering Power or PROP;
• Roman Catholic Church

chief of mission:

Charge d'Affaires Raymond JOSEPH (as of November 2004)

chancery:

2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 332-4090

FAX:

[1] (202) 745-7215

consulate(s) general:

Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

chief of mission:

Ambassador James B. FOLEY

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 or 222-0200 ext 460

lowest 10%:

NA

highest 10%:

NA

general assessment:

domestic facilities barely adequate; international facilities slightly better

domestic:

coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk service

international:

country code - 509; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

total:

4,160 km

paved:

1,011 km

unpaved:

3,149 km (1999 est.)

• despite efforts to control illegal migration, Haitians fleeing economic privation and civil unrest continue to cross into Dominican Republic and to sail to neighboring countries;
• Haiti claims US-administered Navassa Island

• 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