Independent republic of the West Indies, occupying the western third of the island of Hispaniola. Haiti is bounded on the north by the Atlantic Ocean, on the east by the Dominican Republic, on the south by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west byte Windward Passage, which separates it from Cuba. Its area is27,750 sq km (10,714 sq mi). Port-au-Prince is Haiti's capital and largest city.


Land and Resources - Haiti consists of two peninsulas, which are separated by the Golfe de la Gonâve. Much of Haiti's land is mountainous. In all, five mountain ranges cross the country. The Chaîne du Haut Piton, which runs along the northern peninsula, reaches a height of 1183 m (3881 ft). The Massif de la Selle, which begins just southeast of Port-au-Prince, reaches a height of2674 m (8773 ft) at Pic la Selle, the highest point in Haiti. The Massifde la Hotte reaches a height of 2347 m (7700 ft) at the extreme western end of the southern peninsula. The other chains, which include the Massif des Montagnes Noires and Chaîne des Cahos, and the solitary peak of Montagne Terrible, range between 1128 and 1580 m(3701 and 5184 ft) high.

The Golfe de la Gonâve contains the largest of Haiti's offshore islands, the island of Gonâve. The other islands includes de la Tortue (Tortuga) and Cayemite. Haiti's shoreline is irregular and there are many natural harbors. The numerous rivers-most of which are short, swift, and unavailable-have their sources in the mountains. Only the Artibonite River, the country's largest, is navigable for any length. Haiti's inland areas include three productive agricultural regions, the Plaine du Nord, and two valleys, the Artibonite River Valley and the Cul-de-Sac. Saumâtre Lake, a saltwater lake in the Cul-de-Sac, is the nation's largest lake, while Péligre Lake, formed by a dam on the upper Artibonite River, is the largest freshwater lake.


Climate - Haiti has a tropical climate. The distribution of mountains and lowlands affects temperature and rainfall, causing significant climate variations from place to place. Rainfall varies from high of 3600 mm (144 in) on the western tip of the southern peninsula, to 600 mm (24 in) on the southwest coast of the northern peninsula. Most of the rain in the southwest falls nearly and late summer. Port-au-Prince, located at sea level, has a yearly average temperature of 27° C (80° F). In Kenscoff, located just south of Port-au-Prince at an elevation of 1432 m (4700ft), temperatures average 16° C (60° F). The mountains surrounding the cul-de-sac trap air in the valley, making the airhost, dry, and stagnant. Vulnerable to hurricanes, Haiti has been struck by destructive storms in 1963, 1980, 1988, and 1994.

Population Characteristics - The population of Haiti (1995estimate) is about 7,180,000, giving the country an overall population density of about 259 persons per sq km (about 670 per sq. mi). In arable areas, however, there are about 1178 persons per sq km (about 3035 per sq mi). About 79 percent of the population is classified as rural.


Education - Bylaw, education is free and compulsory in Haiti for children between the ages of 7 and 13. In practice, access to education is sharply limited by school location, language comprehension classes are taught in French), the cost of school clothes and supplies, and the availability of teachers. Only about 40 percent of the 1.3 million eligible children actually attend school. About 53 percent of the population is literate. The University of Haiti(1944), located in Port-au-Prince, has colleges of medicine, law, business, agronomy, social sciences, architecture, and engineering. In the early 1990s, about 1500 students we re-enrolled there. Many university-level students attend foreign universities.


Culture - Haitian culture fuses African, French, and West Indian elements. Formerly social divider, the Creole language is now being used in attempts to define a national culture. The language is used in literature, drama, music, dance, and some governmental functions. Haitian works of art are enjoying increasing worldwide recognition. The country has several outstanding libraries. The collection of the Brothers of Saint Louis de Gonzague (1912), the National Archives (1860), and the Bibliothèque Nationale (1940), allocated in Port-au-Prince, contain rare works that date from the colonial period. Also devoted to Haitian history is the National Museum (1983), located in Port-au-Prince.


Economy - Haiti's economy has been shrinking since the early 1980s while the population has continued to grow. In the mid-1990s, Haiti's per-capita gross domestic product was $370. This placed Haiti among the world's poorest nations. Agriculture employs about two-thirds of the labor force; manufacturing, services, and tourism are the next largest employers. About 25 to 50 percent of the workforce is underemployed or unemployed. The international sanctions employed against Haiti's military leaders from 1991 to 1994further weakened the already crippled economy. Government revenue in the mid-1990s was about $300 million and spending was about$416 million. Haiti's international debt is approaching $1billion.


Currency, Banking, and Trade - Haiti's unit of currency is the gourde, consisting of 100 centimes. The gourde's value in relation to the United States dollar has been fixed at 5 to 1since 1934. On the black market the gourde often is worth less than half its official value. U.S. currency is recognized as legal tender. The national Bank of Haiti is government-owned and performs commercial and central bank functions. U.S., French, and Canadian banks operate on a small scale. In the mid-1990s Haiti's major exports were light manufactured goods and coffee, and its chief imports were machinery and manufactured goods, food and beverages, and chemicals. The United States was Haiti's primary trading partner, buying 84 percent of its exports and supplying64 percent of its imports. In the early 1990s, exports were valued at $135 million and imports at $423 million. Haiti is member of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), a free-trade organization comprising 12 Caribbean nations and the members of the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM).


Transportation - Haiti's road network was built by U.S. Marines during the U.S. occupation of Haiti from 1915 to 1934. Of the 4000 km (2484 mi) of roads, only 950 km (488 mi) are paved. Even main roads are in poor condition, and most bridges have become unusable. The country has one international airport in Port-au-Prince and nearly a dozen smaller airstrips throughout the nation. Domestic air service is provided by a government-owned airline. The only railroad tracks are privately owned.


Communications - Most of Haiti's communications network is clustered in Port-au-Prince. International communications tend to be better than domestic. In the early 1990s there were 31,000 television sets, 50,000 telephones, and about 310,000 radios in use. There were four daily newspapers in 1990, with an average circulation of about 45,000, or about 7papers per 1000 inhabitants. Most of the newspapers and broadcast stations are in Port-au-Prince, and these cater to the capital's richer inhabitants. Rural Haitians depend on personal contacts to disseminate information.


Government - Since the overthrow of the dictatorship of Jean Claude Duvalier in1986, Haiti has had five governments, most installed by coupd'état. Haitian constitutions have been modified to suit individual rulers throughout the nation's history. Local government has traditionally been left to appointed supporters of the regime in power and has often been characterized by violence. The 1987 constitution, currently in effect, was modeled on those of the United States and France, and is the basis of the government headed by Jean-Bertrand Aristide, which was restored to power in 1994.