2021 Edition

Background

The native Taino - who inhabited the island of Hispaniola when Christopher COLUMBUS first landed on it in 1492 - were virtually wiped out 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 relied heavily on the forced labor of enslaved Africans and environmentally degrading practices. In the late 18th century, Toussaint L'OUVERTURE led a revolution of Haiti's nearly half a million slaves that ended France's rule on the island. After a prolonged struggle, and under the leadership of Jean-Jacques DESSALINES, Haiti became the first country in the world led by former slaves after declaring its independence in 1804, but it was forced to pay an indemnity to France for more than a century and was shunned by other countries for nearly 40 years. After the US occupied Haiti from 1915-1934, Francois "Papa Doc" DUVALIER and then his son Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” DUVALIER led repressive and corrupt regimes that ruled Haiti from 1957-1971 and 1971-1986, respectively. 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. On 4 October 2016, Hurricane Matthew made landfall in Haiti, resulting in over 500 deaths and causing extensive damage to crops, houses, livestock, and infrastructure. Currently the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti continues to experience bouts of political instability.    

Area

land

27,560 sq km

total

27,750 sq km

water

190 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Maryland

Climate

tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds

Coastline

1,771 km

Elevation

highest point

Pic la Selle 2,674 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

mean elevation

470 m

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); it is the most mountainous nation in the Caribbean

Irrigated land

970 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Dominican Republic 376 km

total

376 km

Land use

agricultural land

66.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 38.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 10.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 17.7% (2018 est.)

forest

3.6% (2018 est.)

other

30% (2018 est.)

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

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, arable land

Population distribution

fairly even distribution; largest concentrations located near coastal areas

Terrain

mostly rough and mountainous

Age structure

0-14 years

31.21% (male 1,719,961/female 1,734,566)

15-24 years

20.71% (male 1,145,113/female 1,146,741)

25-54 years

38.45% (male 2,110,294/female 2,145,209)

55-64 years

5.3% (male 280,630/female 305,584)

65 years and over

4.33% (male 210,451/female 269,228) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

21.4 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

9.5% (2016/17)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

34.3% (2016/17)

Current Health Expenditure

7.7% (2018)

Death rate

7.29 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

8.3

potential support ratio

13.3 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

60.4

youth dependency ratio

52.1

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 55.4% of population

improved: total

total: 75% of population

improved: urban

urban: 91.5% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 44.6% of population

unimproved: total

total: 25% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 8.5% of population

Education expenditures

1.7% of GDP (2018)

Ethnic groups

Black 95%, mixed and White 5%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1.9% (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

2,200 (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

150,000 (2020 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.7 beds/1,000 population (2013)

Infant mortality rate

female

35.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

47.1 deaths/1,000 live births

total

41.29 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Languages

French (official), Creole (official)

major-language sample(s)

The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

68.31 years (2021 est.)

male

62.94 years

total population

65.61 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

58.3% (2016)

male

65.3%

total population

61.7%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever and malaria

Major urban areas - population

2.844 million PORT-AU-PRINCE (capital) (2021)

Maternal mortality ratio

480 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

24.3 years (2020 est.)

male

23.8 years

total

24.1 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

22.4 years (2016/7 est.)

note

note: median age at first birth among women 25-49

Nationality

adjective

Haitian

noun

Haitian(s)

Net migration rate

-1.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

22.7% (2016)

Physicians density

0.23 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

11,198,240 (July 2021 est.)

note

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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected

Population distribution

fairly even distribution; largest concentrations located near coastal areas

Population growth rate

1.22% (2021 est.)

Religions

Protestant/Methodist/Adventist/Jehovah's Witness 51.8%, Roman Catholic 35.4%, Vodou 1.7%, none 11% (2016-17 est.)

note

note: many Haitians practice elements of Vodou in addition to another religion, most often Roman Catholicism; Vodou was recognized as an official religion in 2003

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 40% of population

improved: total

total: 62.1% of population

improved: urban

urban: 80.6% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 60% of population

unimproved: total

total: 37.9% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 19.4% of population

Sex ratio

0-14 years

0.99 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.98 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.78 male(s)/female

at birth

1.01 male(s)/female

total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.48 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.47% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

58% of total population (2021)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November

etymology

according to tradition, in 1706, a Captain de Saint-Andre named the bay and its surrounding area after his ship Le Prince; the name of the town that grew there means, "the Port of The Prince"

geographic coordinates

18 32 N, 72 20 W

name

Port-au-Prince

time difference

UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a native-born citizen of Haiti

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed by the executive branch or by either the Senate or the Chamber of Deputies; consideration of proposed amendments requires support by at least two-thirds majority of both houses; passage requires at least two-thirds majority of the membership present and at least two-thirds majority of the votes cast; approved amendments enter into force after installation of the next president of the republic; constitutional articles on the democratic and republican form of government cannot be amended; amended many times, last in 2012

history

many previous; latest adopted 10 March 1987

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Haiti

conventional short form

Haiti

etymology

the native Taino name means "Land of High Mountains" and was originally applied to the entire island of Hispaniola

local long form

Republique d'Haiti/Repiblik d Ayiti

local short form

Haiti/Ayiti

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Michele SISON (since 21 February 2018)

email address and website

acspap@state.govhttps://ht.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Tabarre 41, Route de Tabarre, Port-au-Prince

FAX

[011] (529) 2229-8027

mailing address

3400 Port-au-Prince Place, Washington, DC 20521-3400

telephone

[011] (509) 2229-8000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Bocchit EDMOND (since 23 December 2020)

consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Miami, Orlando (FL), New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

email address and website

amb.washington@diplomatie.hthttps://www.haiti.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 745-7215

telephone

[1] (202) 332-4090

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president; parliament must ratify the Cabinet and Prime Minister's governing policy

chief of state

Acting President Ariel HENRY (since 20 July 2021); note - Prime Minister Ariel HENRY has assumed the responsibilities of president following the assassination of President Jovenel MOISE on 7 July 2021; an election is expected to be held on 7 November 2021; MOISE had been president since 7 February 2017

election results

2016: Jovenel MOISE elected president in first round; percent of vote - Jovenel MOISE (PHTK) 55.6%, Jude CELESTIN (LAPEH) 19.6%, Jean-Charles MOISE (PPD) 11%, Maryse NARCISSE (FL) 9%; other 4.8%2011: Michel MARTELLY elected president in runoff; percent of vote - Michel MARTELLY (Peasant's Response) 68%, Mirlande MANIGAT (RDNP) 32%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a single non-consecutive term); last election originally scheduled for 9 October 2016 but postponed until 20 November 2016 due to Hurricane Matthew

head of government

Prime Minister Ariel HENRY (since 20 July 2021)

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

Government type

semi-presidential republic

Independence

1 January 1804 (from France)

International law organization participation

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

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

highest courts

Supreme Court or Cour de cassation (consists of a chief judge and other judges); note - Haiti is a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice

judge selection and term of office

judges appointed by the president from candidate lists submitted by the Senate of the National Assembly; note - Article 174 of Haiti's constitution states that judges of the Supreme Court are appointed for 10 years, whereas Article 177 states that judges of the Supreme Court are appointed for life

note

note: the Superior Council of the Judiciary or Conseil Superieur du Pouvoir Judiciaire is a 9-member body charged with the administration and oversight of the judicial branch of government

subordinate courts

Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance; magistrate's courts;  land, labor, and children's courts

Legal system

civil law system strongly influenced by Napoleonic Code

Legislative branch

description

bicameral legislature or le Corps l'egislatif ou le Parlement consists of:le S'enat or Senate (30 seats; 10 filled as of July 2021; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 6-year terms (2-term limit) with one-third of the membership renewed every 2 years)la Chambre de deput'es or Chamber of Deputies (119 seats; 116 filled as of June 2019; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 4-year terms; no term limits); note - when the 2 chambers meet collectively it is known as L'Assembl'ee nationale or the National Assembly and is convened for specific purposes spelled out in the constitution

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 27, women 1, percent of women 3.6%Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 115, women 3, percent of women 2.5%; note - total legislature percent of women 2.7%

elections

Senate - last held on 20 November 2016 with runoff on 29 January 2017 (next originally scheduled for 27 October 2019, but postponed to 26 September 2021) Chamber of Deputies - last held on 9 August 2015 with runoff on 25 October 2015 and 20 November 2016 (next originally scheduled for 27 October 2019, but postponed to 26 September 2021)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Justin LHERISSON/Nicolas GEFFRARD

name

"La Dessalinienne" (The Dessalines Song)

note

note: adopted 1904; named for Jean-Jacques DESSALINES, a leader in the Haitian Revolution and first ruler of an independent Haiti

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 January (1804)

National symbol(s)

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

Political parties and leaders

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 KONBITLavni Organization or LAVNI [Yves CRISTALIN]Liberal Party of Haiti or PLH [Jean Andre VICTOR]Love Haiti or Renmen Ayiti [Jean-Henry CEANT, 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 OLAHHParty for the Integral Advancement of the Haitian People or PAIPHPatriotic 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, Himmler REBU]Platform Pitit Desaline or PPD [Jean-Charles MOISE]PontPopular Party for the Renewal of Haiti or PPRH [Claude ROMAIN]PPG18Rally of Progressive National Democrats or RDNP [Mirlande MANIGAT]Renmen Ayiti or RA [Jean-Henry CEANT]Reseau National Bouclier or BouclierRespect or RESPEStrength 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]Vigilance or Veye Yo [Lavarice GAUDIN]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

sugar cane, cassava, mangoes/guavas, plantains, bananas, yams, avocados, maize, rice, vegetables

Budget

expenditures

1.65 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

1.567 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

-$83 million (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

-$348 million (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2016

$2.17 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2017

$2.762 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Economic overview

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 $2.6 billion as of December 2017, 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.

Exchange rates

currency

gourdes (HTG) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

45.22 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

50.71 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2015

63.34 (2015 est.)

Exchange rates 2016

63.34 (2016 est.)

Exchange rates 2017

65.21 (2017 est.)

Exports

Exports 2018

$1.78 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$1.73 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Exports - commodities

clothing and apparel, eels, essential oils, perfumes, mangoes, cocoa beans (2019)

Exports - partners

United States 81%, Canada 7% (2019)

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

20% (2017 est.)

government consumption

10% (2016 est.)

household consumption

99.1% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-60.3% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

32.6% (2016 est.)

investment in inventories

-1.4% (2017 est.)

note

note: figure for household consumption also includes government consumption

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

22.1% (2017 est.)

industry

20.3% (2017 est.)

services

57.6% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$8.608 billion (2017 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2001

59.2 (2001)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2012

41.1 (2012 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

47.7% (2001)

lowest 10%

0.7%

Imports

Imports 2018

$5.67 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Imports 2019

$5.21 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, rice, clothing and apparel, palm oil, poultry meats (2019)

Imports - partners

United States 39%, China 22%, Turkey 5% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

0.9% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016

13.4% (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

14.7% (2017 est.)

Labor force

4.594 million (2014 est.)

note

note: shortage of skilled labor; unskilled labor abundant

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

38.1%

industry

11.5%

services

50.4% (2010)

Population below poverty line

58.5% (2012 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

33.9% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

31.1% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$33.28 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$32.72 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$31.62 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2015

1.2% (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2016

1.5% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

1.2% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$3,000 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$2,900 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$2,800 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$2.11 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$2.361 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

18.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

note

note: widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than two-thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs

Unemployment rate 2010

40.6% (2010 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

406.2 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

82% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

18% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

332,000 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

1.023 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

12% (2019)

electrification - total population

39% (2019)

electrification - urban areas

60% (2019)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

21,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

20,030 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

less than 1 (2019 est.)

total

31,100 (2019)

Broadcast media

98 television stations throughout the country, including 1 government-owned; cable TV subscription service available; 850 radio stations (of them, only 346 are licensed), including 1 government-owned; more than 100 community radio stations; over 64 FM stations in Port-au-Prince alone; VOA Creole Service broadcasts daily on 30 affiliate stations (2016)

Internet country code

.ht

Internet users

percent of population

12.33% (2019 est.)

total

4.28 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line is less than 1 per 100; mobile-cellular telephone services have expanded greatly in the last decade due to low-cost GSM (Global Systems for Mobile) phones and pay-as-you-go plans; mobile-cellular teledensity is 58 per 100 persons (2019)

general assessment

plagued by political and economic turmoil complicated by natural disasters, Haiti’s telecommunications infrastructure is among the least-developed in the world; reliance on satellite and wireless mobile technology due to poor fixed-line infrastructure; investment boosted broadband availability though customer base is poor and theft of equipment remains problematic; promotion of LTE will enable access to remote areas and e-money services; World Bank grant to provide digital preparation and response for any future crises (2020)

international

country code - 509; landing points for the BDSNi and Fibralink submarine cables to 14 points in the Bahamas and Dominican Republic; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

less than 1 (2019 est.)

total subscriptions

5,952 (2019)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

60.76 (2019 est.)

total subscriptions

6,843,380 (2019)

Airports

total

14 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

2,438 to 3,047 m

2

914 to 1,523 m

2 (2019)

total

4

Airports - with unpaved runways

914 to 1,523 m

2

total

10

under 914 m

8 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

HH

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 3, other 1 (2021)

total

4

National air transport system

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

1

number of registered air carriers

1 (2020)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Cap-Haitien, Gonaives, Jacmel, Port-au-Prince

Roadways

paved

768 km (2009)

total

4,266 km (2009)

unpaved

3,498 km (2009)

Military - note

according to the Haitian Government, the mission of the reconstituted armed forces will focus on patrolling the border with the Dominican Republic, combating smuggling, and executing recovery efforts after natural disasters the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) operated in Haiti from 2004 until 2017; its mission was to help restore stability after President Bertrand ARISTIDE fled the country, including assisting with the political process, strengthening government institutions, and promoting and protecting human rights; following the completion of MINUSTAH’s mandate in 2017, a smaller peacekeeping mission, the UN Mission for Justice Support in Haiti (MINUJUSTH), operated until 2019; its mission was to assist with the further development and strengthening of the national police, as well as Haiti’s justice and prison systems, and to promote and protect human rights; in 2019, the UN established the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) with the political mission of advising the Haiti Government in elections, governance, and security; as of 2021, BINUH continued to operate

Military and security forces

the Haitian Armed Forces (FAdH), disbanded in 1995, began to be reconstituted in 2017 to assist with natural disaster relief, border security, and combating transnational crime; it established an Army command in 2018; the small Coast Guard is not part of the military, but rather the Haitian National Police (2021)

note

note - the National Police has a paramilitary, rapid-response unit known as the Motorized Intervention Unit or BIM  

Military and security service personnel strengths

the FAdH has approximately 500 troops (the force is planned to eventually have around 5,000 personnel); approximately 16,000 National Police (2021)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

not available

Disputes - international

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

Illicit drugs

a transit point for cocaine from South America and marijuana from Jamaica en route to the United States; not a producer or large consumer of illicit drugs; some cultivation of cannabis for local consumption

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

17,105 (violence among armed gangs in the metropolitan area os Port-au-Prince) (2021)

stateless persons

2,992 (2018); note - individuals without a nationality who were born in the Dominican Republic prior to January 2010

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

2.98 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

6.12 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

14.63 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds

Environment - current issues

extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land is being cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion; overpopulation leads to inadequate supplies of potable water and and a lack of sanitation; natural disasters

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified

Nuclear Test Ban

Food insecurity

severe localized food insecurity

due to reduced agricultural production and socio political turmoil - about 4.4 million people are forecast to be facing severe acute food insecurity or to be in need of urgent food assistance in the March-June 2021 time period; the high levels of food insecurity reflect the worsening household access to food, which was constrained by the negative effects of the COVID‑19 pandemic, primarily through income and job losses; the low availability of locally produced staple crops and high prices of food items exacerbated the situation; the ongoing socio‑political unrest has disrupted market activities, especially in urban areas, and reduced mobility due to road blockage has further affected the access to food (2021)

Land use

agricultural land

66.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 38.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 10.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 17.7% (2018 est.)

forest

3.6% (2018 est.)

other

30% (2018 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever and malaria

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

0.68% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

14.022 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

1.209 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

51 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

190 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.47% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

58% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

2,309,852 tons (2015 est.)