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HAITI FACTS
| Population: |
8 million |
| Capital: |
Port-au-Prince |
| Major languages: |
Creole, French |
| Major religion: |
Christianity |
| Form of government: |
Multi-party republic |
| Monetary unit: |
1 gourde = 100 centimes |
| Main exports: |
Light manufactures, coffee, oils, mangoes |
| Internet |
domain:.ht |
| Time zone: |
GMT-5 |
| International dialling code: |
+509 |
Location
Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west
of the Dominican Republic
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. It is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.
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