2001 Edition

Administrative divisions

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 40.31% (male 1,421,945; female 1,385,580) 15-64 years: 55.52% (male 1,869,323; female 1,997,246) 65 years and over: 4.17% (male 140,556; female 149,899) (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

13 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 8 (2000 est.) Haiti Military

Area

total: 27,750 sq km land: 27,560 sq km water: 190 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Maryland

Background

One of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti has been plagued by political violence for most of its history. 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 the following year. Haiti Geography

Birth rate

31.68 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Budget

revenues: $317 million expenditures: $362 million, including capital expenditures of $84 million (FY99/00 est.)

Capital

Port-au-Prince

Climate

tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds

Coastline

1,771 km

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

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Haiti conventional short form: Haiti local long form: Republique d'Haiti local short form: Haiti

Currency

gourde (HTG)

Currency code

HTG

Death rate

15 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Debt - external

$1 billion (1998 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Brian Dean CURRAN embassy: 5 Harry Truman Boulevard, Port-au-Prince mailing address: P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince telephone: [509] 222-0354, 222-0269, 222-0200, 223-4776

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Louis Harold JOSEPH chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090

Disputes - international

claims US-administered Navassa Island

Economic aid - recipient

$730.6 million (1995)

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. This destabilized the Haitian currency, the gourde, and, combined with a 40% fuel price hike in September, caused widespread price increases. Prices appear to have leveled off in January 2001.

Electricity - consumption

625 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - production

672 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 52.83% hydro: 47.17% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m

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

Ethnic groups

black 95%, mulatto and white 5%

Exchange rates

gourdes per US dollar - 23.761 (January 2001), 22.524 (2000), 17.965 (1999), 16.505 (1998), 17.311 (1997), 15.093 (1996)

Executive branch

chief of state: President Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE (since 7 February 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Marie CHERESTAL (since 9 February 2001) 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 Congress election results: Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE elected president; percent of vote - Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE 92%

Exports

$186 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities

manufactures, coffee, oils, mangoes

Exports - partners

US 89%, EU 8% (1999)

FAX

[1] (202) 745-7215 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

[509] 23-1641

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September Haiti Communications

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) Haiti Economy

GDP

purchasing power parity - $12.7 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 32% industry: 20% services: 48% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1.2% (2000 est.)

Geographic coordinates

19 00 N, 72 25 W

Geography - note

shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic) Haiti People

Government type

elected government

Highways

total: 4,160 km paved: 1,011 km unpaved: 3,149 km (1996)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

5.17% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

23,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

210,000 (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Illicit drugs

major Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en route to the US and Europe; vulnerable to money laundering

Imports

$1.2 billion (c.i.f., 1999)

Imports - commodities

food, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, raw materials

Imports - partners

US 60%, EU 13% (1999)

Independence

1 January 1804 (from France)

Industrial production growth rate

0.6% (1997 est.)

Industries

sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, tourism, light assembly industries based on imported parts

Infant mortality rate

95.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

19% (2000 est.)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, Caricom (observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Internet country code

.ht

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

3 (2000)

Internet users

6,000 (2000) Haiti Transportation

Irrigated land

750 sq km (1993 est.)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Cour de Cassation

Labor force

3.6 million (1995) note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1998)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 66%, services 25%, industry 9%

Land boundaries

total: 275 km border countries: Dominican Republic 275 km

Land use

arable land: 20% permanent crops: 13% permanent pastures: 18% forests and woodland: 5% other: 44% (1993 est.)

Languages

French (official), Creole (official)

Legal system

based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of the Senate (27 seats; members 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; about eight 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 election 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, OPL 1, other minor parties and independents 9

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 49.38 years male: 47.67 years female: 51.17 years (2001 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 45% male: 48% female: 42.2% (1995 est.) Haiti Government

Location

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

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

contiguous zone: 24 NM continental shelf: to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Merchant marine

none (2000 est.)

Military branches

Haitian National Police (HNP) note: the regular Haitian Army, Navy, and Air Force have been demobilized but still exist on paper until constitutionally abolished

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$NA; note - mainly for police and security activities

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA% Haiti Transnational Issues

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,635,253 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 888,305 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 87,049 (2001 est.)

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 January (1804)

Nationality

noun: Haitian(s) adjective: Haitian

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

Natural resources

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

Net migration rate

-2.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

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 Front for Change and Democracy or FNCD [Evans PAUL and Turneb DELPE]; New Christian Movement for a New Haiti or MOCHRENA [Luc MESADIEU]; 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

Population

6,964,549 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

80% (1998 est.)

Population growth rate

1.4% (2001 est.)

Ports and harbors

Cap-Haitien, Gonaives, Jacmel, Jeremie, Les Cayes, Miragoane, Port-au-Prince, Port-de-Paix, Saint-Marc

Radio broadcast stations

AM 41, FM 26, shortwave 0 (1999)

Radios

415,000 (1997)

Railways

total: 40 km (single track; privately owned industrial line) - closed in early 1990s narrow gauge: 40 km 0.760-m gauge

Religions

Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% (1982) note: roughly one-half of the population also practices Voodoo

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: 0.94 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone 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)

Telephones - main lines in use

60,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

0 (1995)

Television broadcast stations

2 (plus a cable TV service) (1997)

Televisions

38,000 (1997)

Terrain

mostly rough and mountainous

Total fertility rate

4.4 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate

widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than two-thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs (1999)

Waterways

NEGL; less than 100 km navigable