About Haiti
Description of Haiti
Haiti is located in the Caribbean, comprising the western one-third of the island of Hispaniola. Haiti lies between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, east of Cuba and Jamaica, west of the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.
Slightly smaller than the state of Maryland, Haiti’s population is 8,308,504 with the median age about 18 years. The total fertility rate is 4.94 children born per woman (2006 estimate). The population is 95% black.
Most of Haiti is rough and mountainous; only about 28% of the land is arable. Both French and Creole are the official languages of Haiti.1
For a map of the Caribbean, click here.
For a map of Haiti, click here.
For the World Health Organization, click here
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- Most of the rich mahogany forests once covering the island were harvested, leaving much of the topsoil to wash into the ocean.
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- Scenes of natural beauty mask the reality of a harsh life for most Haitians: 80% live in poverty, with 54% living in abject poverty.
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- A short flight -- just over two hours long -- takes you from Miami to Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital. Less than 700 from Key West is the poorest country in the Western hemisphere.
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- Dependable drinking water sources are available to only about 35% of Haitians
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- Many homes are constructed of found materials, and offer scant refuge from the elements.
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- Education is prized, but there is no public school system. Just over half the population of Haiti is lilterate.
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- Immaculately dressed in their neat uniforms, school children are a frequent sight walking to and from school along the roadsides in every town.
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1The World Factbook. https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ha.html
