General background: One of the poorest countries
in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti has been plagued by political
violence for most of its history. Over three decades of
dictatorship followed by military rule ended in 1990 when
Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE was elected president. Most of
his term was usurped by a military takeover, but he was
able to return to office in 1994 and oversee the installation
of a close associate to the presidency in 1996. ARISTIDE
won a second term as president in 2000, and took office
early in 2001. However, a political crisis stemming from
fraudulent legislative elections in 2000 has not yet been
resolved.
Area comparative: Slightly smaller
than Maryland
Climate: Tropical; semiarid
where mountains in east cut off trade winds
Terrain:
Mostly rough and mountainous
Population: 7,063,722
Ethnic groups: Black 95%, Mulatto and White
5%
Religions: Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16%
(Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%, Seventh-Day Adventist
1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% (1982)
note: roughly half of the population also practices
Voodoo
Language: French (official), Creole (official)
Government type: Elected government
Capital: Port-au-Prince
Legal system: Based on Roman civil law system;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction.
Economic overview: About 80% of the population
lives in abject poverty. Nearly 70% of all Haitians
depend on the agriculture sector, which consists mainly
of small-scale subsistence farming and employs about
two-thirds of the economically active work force. The
country has experienced little job creation since the
former President PREVAL took office in February 1996,
although the informal economy is growing. Following
legislative elections in May 2000, fraught with irregularities,
international donors - including the US and EU - suspended
almost all aid to Haiti. The economy shrank an estimated
1.2% in 2001, and the contraction will likely intensify
in 2002 unless a political agreement with donors is
reached and aid restored.
Communication/Telephone system: Domestic facilities
barely adequate; international facilities slightly better.
Places of interest: The open-minded adventurer
will here find a land of contradictions.
Travel tips: Haiti has had more than its share
of political unrest, and the weeks leading up to major
elections can be rather tense; stay away from demonstrations
at any time. That said, Haiti is a quite hospitable
and friendly place, and actually has a lower crime rate
than many other popular Caribbean destinations.
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