2024 Edition Primary

Background

The native Taino -- who inhabited the island of Hispaniola when Christopher COLUMBUS first landed 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. In 1862, the US officially recognized Haiti, but foreign economic influence and internal political instability induced the US to occupy Haiti from 1915 to 1934.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. Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE was Haiti's first democratically elected president in 1991 and was elected a second time in 2000, but coups interrupted his first term after only a few months and ended his second term in 2004. President Jovenel MOÏSE was assassinated in 2021, leading the country further into an extra-constitutional governance structure and contributing to the country’s growing fragility. The Government of Haiti then installed Ariel HENRY -- whom President MOÏSE had nominated shortly before his death -- as prime minister. On 29 February 2024, a significant escalation of gang violence occurred on the 20th anniversary of ARISTIDE's second overthrow, after the announcement that HENRY would not hold elections until August 2025. HENRY’s return from an overseas trip was diverted to Puerto Rico when the airport closed due to gang violence. With control of much of the capital, Port-au-Prince, gang leaders called for the ouster of HENRY’S government. By mid-March, Haiti’s continued violence, HENRY’S inability to return to the country, and increasing pressure from the international community led HENRY to pledge to resign. On 25 April 2024, HENRY formally submitted his resignation as a nine-member Transitional Presidential Council assumed control, tasked with returning stability to the country and preparing elections. Since January 2023, Haiti has had no sitting elected officials.The country has long been plagued by natural disasters. In 2010, a major 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti with an epicenter about 25 km (15 mi) west of the capital, Port-au-Prince. An estimated 300,000 people were killed, and some 1.5 million left homeless. The earthquake was assessed as the worst in this region in 200 years. A 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti’s southern peninsula in 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

30.5% (male 1,790,061/female 1,794,210)

15-64 years

65.3% (male 3,787,782/female 3,887,791)

65 years and over

4.2% (2024 est.) (male 214,600/female 279,499)

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

21.2 births/1,000 population (2024 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

7.3 deaths/1,000 population (2024 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

1.21 (2024 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.7 beds/1,000 population (2013)

Infant mortality rate

female

33.5 deaths/1,000 live births

male

40.2 deaths/1,000 live births

total

36.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 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

67.4 years

male

63.8 years

total population

65.6 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

58.3% (2016)

male

65.3%

total population

61.7%

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

25.3 years

male

24.7 years

total

25 years (2024 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 (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

22.7% (2016)

Physician density

0.23 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

female

5,961,500 (2024 est.)

male

5,792,443

total

11,753,943

Population distribution

fairly even distribution; largest concentrations located near coastal areas

Population growth rate

1.23% (2024 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

1 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.77 male(s)/female

at birth

1.01 male(s)/female

total population

0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

3.1% (2020 est.)

male

12.2% (2020 est.)

total

7.7% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.44 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

59.7% of total population (2023)

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

République d'Haïti (French)/Repiblik d Ayiti (Haitian Creole)

local short form

Haïti (French)/ Ayiti (Haitian Creole)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador-designate Dennis HANKINS (since 14 March 2024); note - as of March 2024, Haiti has no government official to whom the Ambassador-designate can present his credentials 

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

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)

election results

2016: Jovenel MOÏSE elected president in first round; percent of vote - Jovenel MOÏSE (PHTK) 55.6%, Jude CELESTIN (LAPEH) 19.6%, Jean-Charles MOÏSE (PPD) 11%, Maryse NARCISSE (FL) 9%; other 4.8%2011: Michel MARTELLY elected president in second round; percent of vote in second round - 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 was 20 November 2016; new elections were delayed in 2022 and 2023 and have not been scheduled by the transitional presidential council

head of government

Prime Minister Alix Didier FILS-AIMÉ (since 10 November 2024)

note

note: former Prime Minister Ariel HENRY, who had assumed executive responsibilities following the assassination of President MOÏSE on 7 July 2021, resigned on 24 April 2024; a nine-member Presidential Transitional Council, equipped with presidential powers, was sworn in on 25 April 2024 and will remain in place until 7 February 2026

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, ACS, 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 National Assembly or the Assemblée nationale 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)

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 a 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 1: when the two chambers meet collectively, it is known as the National Assembly (or L'Assemblée nationale) and is convened for specific purposes spelled out in the constitutionnote 2: as of October 2024, the Senate and Chamber of Deputies were 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

Alternative League for Haitian Progress and Emancipation (Ligue Alternative pour le Progres et l’Emancipation Haitienne) or LAPEHChristian Movement for a New Haiti or MCNH or MochrenhaChristian National Movement for the Reconstruction of Haiti or UNCRHCombat of Peasant Workers to Liberate Haiti (Konbit Travaye Peyizan Pou Libere Ayiti) or Kontra Pep La Convention for Democratic Unity or KIDCooperative Action to Rebuild Haiti or KONBADecember 16 Platform or Platfom 16 DesanmDemocratic Alliance Party or ALYANS (coalition includes KID and PPRH)Democratic Centers' National Council or CONACEDDemocratic and Popular Sector (Secteur Democratique et Populaire) or SDPDemocratic Unity Convention (Konvansyon Inite Demokratik) or KIDDessalinian Patriotic and Popular Movement or MOPODEffort and Solidarity to Create an Alternative for the People or ESKAMPFanmi Lavalas or FLForward (En Avant)Fusion of Haitian Social Democrats (Fusion Des Sociaux-Démocrates Haïtiens) or FHSDG18 Policy Platform (Plateforme Politique G18)Haiti in Action (Ayiti An Aksyon Haiti's Action) or AAAHaitian Tet Kale Party (Parti Haitien Tet Kale) or PHTKIndependent Movement for National Reconciliation or MIRNLavni Organization or LAVNILod DemokratikLove Haiti (Renmen Ayiti) or RAMTV AyitiNational Consortium of Haitian Political Parties (Consortium National des Partis Politiques Haitiens) or CNPPH National Shield Network (Reseau Bouclier National)Organization of the People's Struggle (Oganizasyon Pep Kap Lite) or OPLPatriotic Unity (Inite Patriyotik) or InitePlatform Pitit Desalin (Politik Pitit Dessalines) or PPDPolitical Party for Us All or Bridge (Pont) or Pou Nou ToutPopular Patriotic Dessalinien Movement (Mouvement Patriotique Populaire Dessalinien) or MOPODRally of Progressive National Democrats (Rassemblement des Democrates Nationaux Progressistes) or RDNPRespe (Respect)Women and Families Political Parties (Defile Pati Politik Fanm Ak Fanmi)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

sugarcane, cassava, mangoes/guavas, plantains, bananas, maize, avocados, tropical fruits, rice, vegetables (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Budget

expenditures

$1.527 billion (2020 est.)

revenues

$1.179 billion (2020 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2020

$51.548 million (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

$87.656 million (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$491.954 million (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

Debt - external 2022

$1.645 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

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 2019

88.815 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

93.51 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

89.227 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

115.631 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

141.036 (2023 est.)

Exports

Exports 2020

$1.018 billion (2020 est.)

Exports 2021

$1.272 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$1.355 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

garments, essential oils, scrap iron, bedding, tropical fruits (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

US 84%, Canada 4%, Mexico 2%, Thailand 1%, France 1% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

5.3% (2023 est.)

government consumption

6.2% (2023 est.)

household consumption

100.2% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-25.5% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

13.9% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

18.2% (2023 est.)

industry

31% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

47.8% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$19.851 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Imports

Imports 2020

$4.177 billion (2020 est.)

Imports 2021

$5.048 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$5.451 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, rice, cotton fabric, garments, plastic products (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

US 31%, Dominican Republic 26%, China 16%, Indonesia 3%, India 2% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

-3.82% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

16.84% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

33.98% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

36.81% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

5.238 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Public debt

Public debt 2017

31.1% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$35.659 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$35.059 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$34.406 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

-1.8% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

-1.68% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

-1.86% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$3,100 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$3,000 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$2,900 (2023 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

19.13% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

18.75% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

21.4% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2020

$2.59 billion (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$2.734 billion (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$2.368 billion (2022 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

18.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

15.25% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

14.72% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

14.62% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

46.6% (2023 est.)

male

29.1% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

36.8% (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from consumed natural gas

6,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

2.799 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

2.805 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Coal

imports

5.7 metric tons (2022 est.)

Electricity

consumption

418.367 million kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

471,000 kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

624 million kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

1.2% (2019 est.)

electrification - total population

49.3% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

83%

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

85.9% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

13.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

0.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

3.403 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

3.256 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

imports

3.256 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

19,000 bbl/day (2022 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

(2021 est.) less than 1

total subscriptions

6,000 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

64 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

7.319 million (2021 est.)

Airports

17 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

HH

Heliports

1 (2024)

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 3, other 1

total

4 (2023)

National air transport system

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

1

number of registered air carriers

1 (2020)

Ports

key ports

Cap Haitien, Jacmel, Miragoane, Petit Goave, Port au Prince

medium

1

ports with oil terminals

1

total ports

5 (2024)

very small

4

Roadways

total

3,875 km (2022)

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, France, 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; as of 2024, at least 300 criminal groups were operating in Haitiin 2023, the UN Security Council approved the deployment of a Kenya-led multinational security support mission (MSS) to help bring gang violence under control; the first contingent of MSS personnel from the Kenya National Police Service arrived in mid-2024; the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Chad, and Jamaica have also pledged forces; the mission is slated to have a total of 2,500 personnel (2024)

Military and security forces

the Haitian Armed Forces (FAdH): ArmyMinistry of Justice and Public Security: Haitian National Police (Police Nationale d'Haïti or PNH) (2024)

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 trained 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 equipment inventories and acquisitions

in recent years, Canada, Taiwan, the US, and the UAE have provide some equipment to the Haitian security forces, including vehicles (2024)

Military service age and obligation

men and women 18-25 may volunteer for the FAdH (2023)

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

362,551 (violence among armed gangs in primarily in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince) (2024)

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

Special Category

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.)