In the late 18th century and into the 19th century, the island of Hispaniola was a thriving colonists’ holding. Hailed as the ‘Pearl of the Antilles’, Hispaniola (now separated into the sovereign nations of Haiti and Dominican Republic) was one of the richest colonies of the French empire. 1791 heralded in a revolution that would culminate in independence and the ousting of colonial rule. However, this same revolution that would assert the first free black nation would also later present itself to the modern world as the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. Once a stronghold in the New World and then a force to be reckoned with as it became a beacon of liberty and an example for other colonized regions, these days very few favorable deeds are attributed to this island-nation.Second largest Caribbean Island, Haiti is situated 77 km southeast of Cuba. Haiti occupies the western third of the island it shares with the Dominican Republic and has 1530 km of coast line. Mountainous land between the Atlantic Ocean in the North and the Caribbean Sea in the South, Haiti also comprises several islands surrounding the main territory: La Gonâve, la Tortue, l’Ile-à-Vache, la Navase, etc.
Nationality:
Noun: Haitian (s)
Adjective: HaitianEthnic Groups:
Black 95%, Mulatto and White 5%Languages:
French (official) Creole (official)Religions:
Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16%, Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%, Adventist 1%
Population:
9,801,664 (January 2012 Est.)
Country comparison to the world: 88
Age structure:
0-14 years: 35.9% (male 1,748,677/ female 1,742,199)
15-64 years: 60.1% (male 2,898,251/female 2,947,272)
65 years and over: 3.9% (male 170,584/female 212,949)Median Age:
Total: 21.4 years
Male: 21.1 years
Female: 21.6 years (2011 Est.)
Population Growth Rate:
0.888%
Country comparison to the world: 126
Birth Rate:
23.87 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)
Country comparison to the world: 68
Death Rate:
8.1 deaths/1,000 population
Country comparison to the world: 95
Net Migration Rate:
-6.9 migrant (s)/ 1,000 population (2012 est.)
Country comparison to the world: 200
Urbanization:
Urban Population: 52% of total population
Rate of Urbanization: 3.9% annual rate of change
Major Cities- population
Port-au-Prince (capital) 2.143 million
Sex Ratio:
At Birth: 1.01 male (s)/female
Under 15 years: 1/male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
Total Population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2012 Est.)
Maternal Mortality rate:
300 deaths/100,000 live births
Country comparison to the world: 44
Infant Mortality rate:
Total: 52.44 deaths/1,000 live births
Country comparison to the world: 42
Male: 56.47 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 48.37 deaths/1,000 live births
Life Expectancy at Birth:
Total Population: 62.51 years
Country comparison to the world: 183
Male: 61.15 years
Female: 63.89 years
Total Fertility rate:
2.98 children born/woman (2012 est.)
Country comparison to the world: 63
Health expenditure:
6% of GDP
Country comparison to the world: 105
Sources: CNN.com; World Book Online; FOX.com