Geography
Area: 27,750 sq. km. (10,714 sq. mi.); about the size of Maryland.
Ile de la Gonave and Ile de la Tortue comprise Haiti's principal
offshore territories.
Cities: Capital--Port-au-Prince (pop. 2 million). Other
cities--Cap Haitien (pop. 600,000).
Terrain: Rugged mountains with small coastal plains and river
valleys, and a large east-central elevated plateau.
Climate: Warm, semiarid, high humidity in many coastal areas.
People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Haitian(s).
Population (2001 est.): 8.1 million.
Annual population growth rate: 1975-2001, 1.9%; 2000-2015 (est.):
1.3%.
Ethnic groups: African descent 95%, African and European descent 5%.
Religions: Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16%, voudou (voodoo)
practices pervasive.
Languages: French (official), Creole (official).
Education: Years compulsory--6. Adult literacy (2001
est.)-50.8%.
Health: Infant mortality rate--79/1000. Life expectancy--49.1
yrs.
Government
Type: Republic.
Independence: January 1,1804.
Constitution: March 1987.
Branches: Executive--President. Legislative--Senate
(27 Seats), Chamber of Deputies (83 seats). Judicial--Court
of Cassation.
Administrative subdivisions: Nine departments (a law creating a 10th
department, approved by Parliament and signed by then-President
Aristide, was awaiting publication to become law in November 2003).
Political parties and coalitions: Fanmi Lavalas (FL), Struggling
People's Organization (OPL), Open the Gate Party (PLB), Christian
Movement for a New Haiti (MOCHRENHA), Democratic Consultation Group
(ESPACE), Popular Solidarity Alliance (ESKANP), several others. The
Democratic Convergence is a coalition of most leading opposition
parties formed to protest the results of May 2000 legislative and
local elections.
Suffrage: Universal at 18.
Economy
GDP (FY 2002): $3.5 billion.
Real GDP growth rate (FY 2002): -0.9%.
Per capita GNP (FY 2002): $425.
GDP by sector (2002): Agriculture--27%; industry--14%;
services--52%; indirect and import taxes--7%.
Inflation (2002 CPI yearly): 14.8%.
Natural resources: Bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble.
Agriculture (27% of GDP): Products--coffee, mangoes,
sugarcane, rice, corn, cacao, sorghum, pulses, other fruits and
vegetables.
Industry (15.5% of GDP): Types--apparel, handicrafts,
electronics assembly, food processing, beverages, tobacco products,
furniture, printing, chemicals, steel.
Services (52% of GDP): Commerce, government, tourism.
Trade (2002): Total exports f.o.b.--$248 million: apparel,
mangoes, leather and raw hides, seafood, electrical. Major market--U.S.
($244 million). Imports--$870 million c.i.f. From U.S. $674
million--grains, soybean oil, motor vehicles, machinery, meat,
vegetables, plastics, petroleum.
Note: There are serious problems with national accounts in Haiti,
including incomplete coverage and the questionable accuracy of raw
data.
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