2023 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 of 100 million francs (equivalent to $22 billion USD in March 2023) to France for more than a century and was shunned by other countries for nearly 40 years. On 12 July 1862, the US officially recognized Haiti, but foreign economic influence and internal political instability induced the US to occupy Haiti from 1915-1934. Subsequently, Francois "Papa Doc" DUVALIER and then his son Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" DUVALIER led repressive and corrupt regimes that ruled Haiti in 1957-1971 and 1971-1986, respectively. President Jovenel MOISE was assassinated on 7 July 2021, leading the country further into an extra-constitutional governance structure and contributing to the country’s growing fragility. On 20 July 2021, the Government of Haiti installed Ariel HENRY - whom President MOISE had nominated shortly before his death - as prime minister. As of March 2023, Haiti had no sitting elected officials. The country has long been plagued by natural disasters. In January 2010, a major 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti 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. A 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti’s southern peninsula in August 2021, causing well over 2,000 deaths; an estimated 500,000 required emergency humanitarian aid. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, as well as one of the most unequal in wealth distribution.

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

800 sq km (2013)

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

29.68% (male 1,695,357/female 1,709,344)

15-64 years

65.76% (male 3,733,899/female 3,808,453)

65 years and over

4.56% (2023 est.) (male 228,800/female 294,408)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.55 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

2.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

2.85 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

21.5 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

1.6% (2017 est.)

women married by age 15

2.1%

women married by age 18

14.9%

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

9.5% (2016/17)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

34.3% (2016/17)

Current health expenditure

3.3% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

51.4% (2023 est.)

Death rate

7.7 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

7.1

potential support ratio

14.1 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

58.3

youth dependency ratio

51.2

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 56.1% of population

improved: total

total: 76.5% of population

improved: urban

urban: 91.9% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 43.9% of population

unimproved: total

total: 23.5% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 8.1% of population

Education expenditures

1.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

Black 95%, mixed and White 5%

Gross reproduction rate

1.24 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.7 beds/1,000 population (2013)

Infant mortality rate

female

35.1 deaths/1,000 live births

male

42.4 deaths/1,000 live births

total

38.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

Languages

French (official), Creole (official)

major-language sample(s)

The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)The World Factbook, sous endispansab pou enfomasyon debaz. (Haitian Creole)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

66.7 years

male

63 years

total population

64.8 years (2023 est.)

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 (2023)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever and malaria

Major urban areas - population

2.987 million PORT-AU-PRINCE (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

350 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

24.9 years

male

24.4 years

total

24.7 years (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

22.4 years (2016/7 est.)

note

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

Nationality

adjective

Haitian

noun

Haitian(s)

Net migration rate

-1.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

22.7% (2016)

Physicians density

0.23 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

11,470,261 (2023 est.)

Population distribution

fairly even distribution; largest concentrations located near coastal areas

Population growth rate

1.23% (2023 est.)

Religions

Catholic 55%, Protestant 29%, Vodou 2.1%, other 4.6%, none 10% (2018 est.)

note

note: 50-80% of Haitians incorporate some elements of Vodou culture or practice in addition to another religion, most often Roman Catholicism; Vodou was recognized as an official religion in 2003

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 42.6% of population

improved: total

total: 65.6% of population

improved: urban

urban: 82.9% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 57.4% of population

unimproved: total

total: 34.4% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 17.1% of population

Sex ratio

0-14 years

0.99 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.78 male(s)/female

at birth

1.01 male(s)/female

total population

0.97 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

3.1% (2020 est.)

male

12.2% (2020 est.)

total

7.7% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.49 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

59.7% of total population (2023)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

45.6%

male

28.1%

total

35.7% (2021 est.)

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

yes

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, with substantial revisions in June 2012; note – the constitution is commonly referred to as the “amended 1987 constitution”

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 (French)/ Repiblik d Ayiti (Haitian Creole)

local short form

Haiti (French)/ Ayiti (Haitian Creole)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Patricia AGUILERA (since 28 September 2023)

email address and website

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

embassy

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

FAX

[011] (509) 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 (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Louis Harold JOSEPH (since 15 May 2023)

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

President (vacant); note - Prime Minister Ariel HENRY assumed executive responsibilities, including naming Cabinet members, following the assassination of President MOISE on 7 July 2021; new elections have not yet been scheduled

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 second round; 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 had been originally scheduled for 9 October 2016 but was 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 court(s)

Supreme Court or Cour de cassation (currently 11 of 12 judges as prescribed by the constitution, 8 of whom were appointed in March 2023); note - Haiti is a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice; Constitutional Court, called for in the 1987 constitution but not yet established; High Court of Justice, for trying high government officials - currently not functional

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 legislatif ou le Parlement consists of:Senate or le Sénat de la République (30 seats; 0 filled as of January 2023); 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)Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des députés (119 seats; 0 filled as of January 2023; 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 the National Assembly or L'Assemblée nationale 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 - NAChamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - NA

elections

Senate - last held on 20 November 2016 with runoff on 29 January 2017 (next originally scheduled for 27 October 2019 but postponed until political and civil society actors agree to a consensual process) 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 until political and civil society actors agree to a consensual process)

note

note: the Senate and Chamber of Deputies as of January 2023 was not functional

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 heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

National History Park – Citadel, Sans Souci, Ramiers

total World Heritage Sites

1 (cultural)

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 Emancipation (Ligue Alternative pour le Progres et l’Emancipation Haitienne) or LAPEH [Jude CELESTIN]Christian Movement for a New Haiti or MCNH or Mochrenha [Luc MESADIEU]Christian National Movement for the Reconstruction of Haiti or UNCRH [Jean Chavannes JEUNE]Combat of Peasant Workers to Liberate Haiti (Konbit Travaye Peyizan Pou Libere Ayiti) or Kontra Pep La [Jean William JEANTY]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]Democratic and Popular Sector (Secteur Democratique et Populaire) or SDP [Nenel CASSY, Andre MICHEL, and Marjorie MICHEL]Democratic Unity Convention (Konvansyon Inite Demokratik) or KID [Enold JOSEPH]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 [Maryse NARCISSE and former President Jean Bertrand ARISTIDE]Forward (En Avant) [Jerry TARDIEU]Fusion of Haitian Social Democrats (Fusion Des Sociaux-Démocrates Haïtiens) or FHSD [Edmonde Supplice BEAUZILE]G18 Policy Platform (Plateforme Politique G18) [Joseph WUILSON]Haiti in Action (Ayiti An Aksyon Haiti's Action) or AAA [Youri LATORTUE]Haitian Tet Kale Party (Parti Haitien Tet Kale) or PHTK [Line Sainphaar BALTHAZAR]Independent Movement for National Reconciliation or MIRN [Luc FLEURINORD]Lavni Organization or LAVNI [Yves CRISTALIN]Lod Demokratik [Jean Renel SENATUS]Love Haiti (Renmen Ayiti) or RA [Jean Henry CEANT]MTV Ayiti [Reginald BOULOS]National Consortium of Haitian Political Parties (Consortium National des Partis Politiques Haitiens) or CNPPH [Jeantel JOSEPH]National Shield Network (Reseau Bouclier National) [Victor PROPHANE and Garry BODEAU]Organization of the People's Struggle (Oganizasyon Pep Kap Lite) or OPL [Edgard LEBLANC]Patriotic Unity (Inite Patriyotik) or Inite [Sorel YACINTHE and Levaillant Louis JEUNE]Platform Pitit Desalin (Politik Pitit Dessalines) or PPD [Jean-Charles MOISE]Political Party for Us All or Bridge (Pont) or Pou Nou Tout [Jean Marie CHERESTAL]Popular Patriotic Dessalinien Movement (Mouvement Patriotique Populaire Dessalinien) or MOPOD [Jean Andre VICTOR]Rally of Progressive National Democrats (Rassemblement des Democrates Nationaux Progressistes) or RDNP [Eric JEAN-BAPTISTE]Respe (Respect) [Charles Henry BAKER]Women and Families Political Parties (Defile Pati Politik Fanm Ak Fanmi) [Marie Rebecca GUILLAUME]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

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

Budget

expenditures

$1.527 billion (2020 est.)

revenues

$1.179 billion (2020 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

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

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

-$168.76 million (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

$216.157 million (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

$141.371 million (2021 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

small Caribbean island economy and OECS-member state; extreme poverty and inflation; enormous income inequality; ongoing civil unrest due to recent presidential assassination; US preferential market access; very open to foreign direct investment

Exchange rates

Currency

gourdes (HTG) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

64.77 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

68.032 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

88.815 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

93.51 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

89.227 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$1.733 billion (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$1.014 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2021

$1.241 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - commodities

clothing and apparel, essential oils, eels, mangoes, scrap iron (2021)

Exports - partners

United States 83%, Canada 4%, Mexico 3%, India 1%, Hong Kong 1% (2021)

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 2012

41.1 (2012 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

47.7% (2001)

lowest 10%

0.7%

Imports

Imports 2019

$5.161 billion (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$4.206 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$5.222 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, rice, clothing and apparel, poultry, palm oil (2021)

Imports - partners

United States 26%, Dominican Republic 23%, China 19%, Turkey 3%, Indonesia 3% (2021)

Industrial production growth rate

-2.48% (2021 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

18.7% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

22.8% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

16.84% (2021 est.)

Labor force

5.01 million (2021 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) 2019

$34.615 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$33.458 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$32.856 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

-1.68% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-3.34% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

-1.8% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$3,100 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$3,000 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$2,900 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$2.355 billion (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$2.59 billion (31 December 2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021

$2.759 billion (31 December 2021 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 2019

13.91% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

15.45% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

15.73% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

45.6%

male

28.1%

total

35.7% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

2,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

3.137 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

3.139 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

339 million kWh (2019 est.)

exports

0 kWh (2019 est.)

imports

0 kWh (2019 est.)

installed generating capacity

3.453 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

643 million kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

3% (2020)

electrification - total population

47.1% (2021)

electrification - urban areas

81.8% (2021)

population without electricity

7 million (2020)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

85.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

13.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

0.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

3.97 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

3.341 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

3.341 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

production

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

0 barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

21,100 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

0 bbl/day (2021 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

0.3 (2020 est.)

total

31,000 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

per 2019 data released by Haitian telecommunications regulator CONATEL (Conseil National des Télécommunications), there are 398 legal sound broadcasting stations on the territory, including about 60 community radio stations, and 7 radio stations on the AM band; the FM band in Haiti is oversaturated by 158 percent; most radio stations broadcast 17 to 19 hours a day; there are 105 television stations operating in Haiti, including 36 TV stations in Port- au- Prince, 41 others in the provinces, and more than 40 radio-television stations; a large number of broadcasting stations operate irregularly and some stations operate with technical parameters that do not comply with established standards, thus causing harmful interference to existing telecommunications systems; VOA Creole Service broadcasts daily on 30 affiliate stations (2019)

Internet country code

.ht

Internet users

percent of population

39% (2021 est.)

total

4.29 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line is less than 1 per 100; mobile-cellular teledensity is nearly 64 per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

Haiti is in desperate need of maintaining effective communication services to enable it to keep going through the countless natural disasters, the country’s telecoms sector is really only surviving on the back of international goodwill to repair and replace the systems destroyed in the latest upheaval; Haiti’s fixed-line infrastructure is now practically non-existent, having been torn apart by Hurricane Matthew in 2016; what aid and additional investment has been forthcoming has been directed towards mobile solutions; over half of the country can afford a mobile handset or the cost of a monthly subscription; and mobile broadband subscriptions is half of that again – an estimated 28% in 2022; international aid continues to flow in to try and help the country’s telecoms sector recover – the World Bank has released a further $120 million to go on top of the $60 million grant provided after the last major 7.2 earthquake in August 2021 (2022)

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)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

64 (2021 est.) less than 1

total subscriptions

6,000 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

64 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

7.3 million (2021 est.)

Airports

14 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

4

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

10

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

HH

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 3, other 1

total

4 (2022)

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

600 km (2011)

total

4,102 km (2011)

unpaved

3,502 km (2011)

Military - note

Haiti's military was disbanded in 1995 after it participated in multiple coups and was accused of other political interference and human rights violations; the military was reinstated by former President MOISE in 2017 after the UN ended its peacekeeping operation in Haiti; the reconstituted military established an Army command in 2018 and has received training assistance from Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, and Mexico; the military’s stated mission is to assist with natural disaster relief, border security, and combating transnational crime; in 2023, Prime Minister HENRY called upon the military to assist the National Police (PNH) in combating armed gangs, which have overwhelmed the PNH, killed hundreds of Haitians, and seized control of much of the capital Port-au-Prince since the assassination of President MOISE in 2021; in 2023, an estimated 200 armed gangs were operating in Haitithe 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; BINUH's current mandate last until July 2023 (2023)

Military and security forces

the Haitian Armed Forces (FAdH), disbanded in 1995, began to be reconstituted in 2017; it established an Army command in 2018Ministry of Justice and Public Security: Haitian National Police (Police Nationale d'Haïti or PNH) (2023)

note

note: the PNH is responsible for maintaining public security; it includes police, corrections, fire, emergency response, airport security, port security, and coast guard functions; its units include a presidential guard and a paramilitary rapid-response Motorized Intervention Unit or BIM   

Military and security service personnel strengths

up to 2,000 military troops (the force is planned to eventually have around 5,000 personnel); estimates for the National Police range from a low of 9,000 to a high of about 13,000 (2023)

Military service age and obligation

not available

Disputes - international

Haiti-Dominican Republic: the Dominican Republic has increased security along the Haitian border to prevent unauthorized migration and smuggling, including constructing a fence and deploying military troops; some disputes over border limits, particularly along the Massacre RiverHaiti-US: 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

171,000 (violence among armed gangs in the metropolitan area os Port-au-Prince) (2022)

stateless persons

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

Trafficking in persons

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List — Haiti does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; officials initiated two prosecutions under the anti-trafficking law and assigned investigative judges in two additional high-profile cases; the government also identified and provided services to 11 adult trafficking victims, and also provided support to an unknown number of child victims and conducted an audit of judicial and child protection cases; however, the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts, compared with the previous year, to expand its anti-trafficking capacity; impunity and complicity, particularly in high-profile cases, remained problems; Haiti lacked sustained law enforcement efforts and did not pursue investigations following victim identification; improvements in law enforcement or victim protection efforts were unclear because the government did not disaggregate information on anti-trafficking law enforcement or victim protection efforts; anti-trafficking agencies did not cooperate effectively, and the government did not make sufficient efforts to combat child domestic servitude; because the government has devoted sufficient resources to a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute significant efforts to meet the minimum standards, Haiti was granted a waiver per the Trafficking Victims Protection Act from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3; therefore, Haiti remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year (2023)

trafficking profile

human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Haiti, as well as Haitians abroad; in 2023, officials estimated three million Haitians were at risk of trafficking; during the reporting period, Haiti suffered multiple crises, including gang violence, fuel shortages, irregular migration outflows, internal population displacements, a cholera epidemic, the breakdown of basic infrastructure, and the government’s inability to provide basic services—all of which increased vulnerability to trafficking and reduced government capacity to address it; most of Haiti’s trafficking cases involve children in forced labor and sex trafficking in domestic service; NGOs estimate that between 150,000 and 300,000 children work in domestic servitude, of which about two-thirds are girls and one-third boys—mostly victims of sex trafficking and labor trafficking, respectively; female foreign nationals, especially citizens of the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, are particularly at risk for sex and labor trafficking in Haiti; commercial sex typically takes place in upscale neighborhoods and resort areas to cater to foreigners; NGOs report child sex tourism occurs in Haiti, with most sex tourists coming from Canada, the US, and Europe; traffickers target Haitian children in private or NGO-sponsored residential care centers, children working in construction, agriculture, fisheries, domestic work, begging, and street vending, IDPs including those displaced by natural disasters, stateless people, LGBTQI+ youth, and those affected by gang violence; risks to migrants remained high, including from migrant smugglers who exploit migrant women in commercial sex to repay alleged debts; among all Haitian migrant groups, those traversing the Dominican Republic-Haiti border seeking economic opportunities were the largest and most vulnerable to trafficking; cross-border trafficking of Haitians include forced labor in the Dominican construction, service, and agricultural industries and sex trafficking in the Dominican tourism industry; Haitian adults and children also are at risk of fraudulent recruitment and forced labor in other Caribbean countries, South America, and the US; Cuban medical workers in Haiti may have been forced to work by the Cuban government (2023)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

2.98 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

6.12 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

9.69 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 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 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 high food prices, natural disasters, and worsening civil insecurity - about 4.9 million people are estimated to face severe acute food insecurity and were in need of urgent food assistance between March and June 2023; the high levels of food insecurity are the result of sustained economic downturn, reducing domestic food production, elevated food prices, fuel shortage and frequent natural disasters; the situation is exacerbated by worsening insecurity, which has limited access to essential services, including markets, caused population displacements and hampered delivery of humanitarian assistance (2023)

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.)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.68% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

14.02 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

1.21 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

50 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

190 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

59.7% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

2,309,852 tons (2015 est.)