The native Taino - who inhabited the island of Hispaniola when it was discovered by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492 - were virtually annihilated by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In the early 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola. In 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of the island, which later became 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. After a prolonged struggle, Haiti became the first post-colonial black-led nation in the world, declaring its independence in 1804. Currently the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti has experienced political instability for most of its history. A massive magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti in January 2010 with an epicenter about 25 km (15 mi) west of the capital, Port-au-Prince. Estimates are that over 300,000 people were killed and some 1.5 million left homeless. The earthquake was assessed as the worst in this region over the last 200 years. President Michel MARTELLY resigned in February 2016 and was replaced by Interim President Jocelerme PRIVERT. President-elect Jovenel MOISE won the November 2016 elections and assumed office in February 2017.

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

19 00 N, 72 25 W

Central America and the Caribbean

slightly smaller than Maryland

1,771 km

tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds

mostly rough and mountainous

highest point: Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m

bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower, arable land

arable land 38.5%; permanent crops 10.2%; permanent pasture 17.7%

970 sq km (2012)

fairly even distribution; largest concentrations located near coastal areas

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

shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic); it is the most mountainous nation in the Caribbean

10,646,714

black 95%, mulatto and white 5%

French (official), Creole (official)

Roman Catholic (official) 54.7%, Protestant 28.5% (Baptist 15.4%, Pentecostal 7.9%, Adventist 3%, Methodist 1.5%, other 0.7%), voodoo (official) 2.1%, other 4.6%, none 10.2%

1.34% (2017 est.)

23 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

7.6 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

-2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

fairly even distribution; largest concentrations located near coastal areas

PORT-AU-PRINCE (capital) 2.44 million (2015)

22.7 years

359 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

2.72 children born/woman (2017 est.)

34.5% (2012)

7.6% of GDP (2014)

1.3 beds/1,000 population (2007)

urban: 64.9% of population

rural: 47.6% of population

total: 57.7% of population

urban: 35.1% of population

rural: 52.4% of population

total: 42.3% of population (2015 est.)

urban: 33.6% of population

rural: 19.2% of population

total: 27.6% of population

urban: 66.4% of population

rural: 80.8% of population

total: 72.4% of population (2015 est.)

2.1% (2016 est.)

150,000 (2016 est.)

4,600 (2016 est.)

22.7% (2016)

11.6% (2012)

NA

semi-presidential republic

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

1 January 1804 (from France)

Independence Day, 1 January (1804)

many previous (23 total); latest adopted 10 March 1987; amended 2012 (2016)

civil law system strongly influenced by Napoleonic Code

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; non-party state to the ICCt

18 years of age; universal

Alternative League for Haitian Progress and Empowerment or LAPEH [Jude CELESTIN]

Christian Movement for a New Haiti or MCNH [Luc MESADIEU]

Christian National Movement for the Reconstruction of Haiti or UNCRH [Chavannes JEUNE]

Convention for Democratic Unity or KID [Evans PAUL]

Cooperative Action to Rebuild Haiti or KONBA [Jean William JEANTY]

December 16 Platform or Platfom 16 Desanm [Dr. Gerard BLOT]

Democratic Alliance Party or ALYANS [Evans PAUL] (coalition includes KID and PPRH)

Democratic Centers' National Council or CONACED [Osner FEVRY]

Dessalinian Patriotic and Popular Movement or MOPOD [Jean Andre VICTOR]

Effort and Solidarity to Create an Alternative for the People or ESKAMP [Joseph JASME]

Fanmi Lavalas or FL [Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE]

For Us All or PONT [Jean-Marie CHERESTAL]

Fusion of Haitian Social Democrats or FHSD [Edmonde Supplice BEAUZILE]

Grouping of Citizens for Hope or RESPE [Charles-Henri BAKER]

Haitians for Haiti [Yvon NEPTUNE]

Haitian Tet Kale Party or PHTK [Ann Valerie Timothee MILFORT]

Haiti in Action or AAA [Youri LATORTUE]

Independent Movement for National Reconstruction or MIRN [Luc FLEURINORD]

Konbit Pou refe Ayiti or KONBIT

Lavni Organization or LAVNI [Yves CRISTALIN]

Liberal Party of Haiti or PLH [Jean Andre VICTOR]

Love Haiti or Renmen Ayiti [Jean-Henry CEANT and Camille LEBLANC]

Mobilization for National Development or MDN [Hubert de RONCERAY]

New Christian Movement for a New Haiti or MOCHRENA [Luc MESADIEU]

Organization for the Advancement of Haiti and Haitians or OLAHH

Party for the Integral Advancement of the Haitian People or PAIPH

Patriotic Unity or IP [Marie Denise CLAUDE]

Peasant's Response or Repons Peyizan [Michel MARTELLY]

Platform Alternative for Progress and Democracy or ALTENATIV [Victor BENOIT and Evans PAUL]

Platform of Haitian Patriots or PLAPH [Dejean BELISAIRE and Himmler REBU]

Platform Pitit Desaline or PPD [Jean-Charles MOISE]

Pont

Popular Party for the Renewal of Haiti or PPRH [Claude ROMAIN]

PPG18

Rally of Progressive National Democrats or RDNP [Mirlande MANIGAT]

Renmen Ayiti or RA [Jean-Henry CEANT]

Reseau National Bouclier or BOUCLIER

Respect or RESPE

Strength in Unity or Ansanm Nou Fo [Leslie VOLTAIRE]

Struggling People's Organization or OPL [Jacques-Edouard ALEXIS]

Truth (Verite)

Union [Chavannes JEUNE]

Unity or Inite [Levaillant LOUIS-JEUNE] (coalition that includes Front for Hope or L'ESPWA)

Vigilance or Veye Yo [Lavarice GAUDIN]

Haitian Self-Employed Workers Union or CATH [Fignole ST-CYR]

Confederation of Haitian Workers or CTH

Private Sector Economic Forum or PSEF [Reginald BOULOS]

Federation of Workers Trade Unions or FOS

General Organization of Independent Haitian Workers or OGITH [Patrick NUMAS]

Grand-Anse Resistance Committee or KOREGA

Haitian Association of Industries or ADIH [Georges SASSINE]

National Popular Assembly or APN

Papaye Peasants Movement or MPP [Chavannes JEAN-BAPTISTE]

Popular Organizations Gathering Power or PROP

Protestant Federation of Haiti

Roman Catholic Church

ACP, AOSIS, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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); the colors are taken from the French Tricolor and represent the union of blacks and mulattoes

Hispaniolan trogon (bird), hibiscus flower; national colors: blue, red

Haiti is a free market economy with low labor costs and tariff-free access to the US for many of its exports. Two-fifths of all Haitians depend on the agricultural sector, mainly small-scale subsistence farming, which remains vulnerable to damage from frequent natural disasters. Poverty, corruption, vulnerability to natural disasters, and low levels of education for much of the population represent some of the most serious impediments to Haiti’s economic growth. Remittances are the primary source of foreign exchange, equivalent to more than a quarter of GDP, and nearly double the combined value of Haitian exports and foreign direct investment.

Currently the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with close to 60% of the population living under the national poverty line, Haiti’s GDP growth rose to 5.5% in 2011 as the Haitian economy began recovering from the devastating January 2010 earthquake that destroyed much of its capital city, Port-au-Prince, and neighboring areas. However, growth slowed to below 2% in 2015 and 2016 as political uncertainty, drought conditions, decreasing foreign aid, and the depreciation of the national currency took a toll on investment and economic growth. Hurricane Matthew, the fiercest Caribbean storm in nearly a decade, made landfall in Haiti on 4 October 2016, with 140 mile-per-hour winds, creating a new humanitarian emergency. An estimated 2.1 million people were affected by the category 4 storm, which caused extensive damage to crops, houses, livestock, and infrastructure across Haiti’s southern peninsula.

US economic engagement under the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA) and the 2008 Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement Act (HOPE II) have contributed to an increase in apparel exports and investment by providing duty-free access to the US. The Haiti Economic Lift Program (HELP) Act of 2010 extended the CBTPA and HOPE II until 2020, while the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 extended trade benefits provided to Haiti in the HOPE and HELP Acts through September 2025. Apparel sector exports in 2016 reached approximately $850 million and account for over 90% of Haitian exports and more than 10% of the GDP.

Investment in Haiti is hampered by the difficulty of doing business and weak infrastructure, including access to electricity. Haiti's outstanding external debt was cancelled by donor countries following the 2010 earthquake, but has since risen to above $2 billion as of December 2016, the majority of which is owed to Venezuela under the PetroCaribe program. Although the government has increased its revenue collection, it continues to rely on formal international economic assistance for fiscal sustainability, with over 20% of its annual budget coming from foreign aid or direct budget support.

$19.35 billion (2016 est.)

$18.83 billion (2015 est.)

$18.41 billion (2014 est.)

$8.232 billion (2016 est.)

1.4% (2016 est.)

1.2% (2015 est.)

2.8% (2014 est.)

$1,800 (2016 est.)

$1,800 (2015 est.)

$1,800 (2014 est.)

29.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

29.3% of GDP (2015 est.)

22.4% of GDP (2014 est.)

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

textiles, sugar refining, flour milling, cement, light assembly using imported parts

0.8% (2016 est.)

4.594 million

40.6% (2010 est.)

58.5% (2012 est.)

60.8 (2012)

59.2 (2001)

17.9% of GDP (2016 est.)

-6.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

33.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

30.2% of GDP (2015 est.)

1 October - 30 September

13.4% (2016 est.)

9% (2015 est.)

13.23% (31 December 2016 est.)

12.92% (31 December 2015 est.)

$1.049 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$1.073 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$1.742 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$1.792 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$2.253 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$2.405 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$NA

$-72 million (2016 est.)

$-759.7 million (2015 est.)

$995 million (2016 est.)

$1.024 billion (2015 est.)

apparel, manufactures, oils, cocoa, mangoes, coffee

US 80.8%, Dominican Republic 5.1% (2016)

$3.183 billion (2016 est.)

$3.449 billion (2015 est.)

food, manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, raw materials

US 19.3%, China 18.9%, Netherlands Antilles 18.1%, Indonesia 6.5%, Colombia 4.8% (2016)

$2.11 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$1.919 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$2.17 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$2.085 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$1.37 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$1.265 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

gourdes (HTG) per US dollar -

63.34 (2016 est.)

63.34 (2015 est.)

50.71 (2014 est.)

45.22 (2013 est.)

41.95 (2012 est.)

979.7 million kWh (2015 est.)

371.7 million kWh (2015 est.)

0 kWh (2016 est.)

0 kWh (2016 est.)

313,000 kW (2016 est.)

80.9% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

18.8% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

0.3% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

0 bbl/day (2016 est.)

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2017 es)

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

19,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

19,020 bbl/day (2014 est.)

0 cu m (2013 est.)

0 cu m (2013 est.)

0 cu m (2013 est.)

0 cu m (2013 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2014 es)

2.1 million Mt (2013 est.)

130 television stations throughout the country, including 1 government-owned; cable TV subscription service available; 495 radio stations (of them, only 135 are licensed), including 1 government-owned; more than 250 private and community radio stations; over 50 FM stations in Port-au-Prince alone (2015)

.ht

HH (2016)

14 (2013)

no regular military forces - small Coast Guard; a Ministry of National Defense established May 2012; the regular Haitian Armed Forces (FAdH) - Army, Navy, and Air Force - have been demobilized but still exist on paper until or unless they are constitutionally abolished (2011)

since 2004, peacekeepers from the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti have assisted in maintaining civil order in Haiti; the mission currently includes 6,685 military, 2,607 police, and 443 civilian personnel; despite efforts to control illegal migration, Haitians cross into the Dominican Republic and sail to neighboring countries; Haiti claims US-administered Navassa Island

Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en route to the US and Europe; substantial bulk cash smuggling activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor Haiti for illicit financial transactions; pervasive corruption; significant consumer of cannabis