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Communications

Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]

6 (1999)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 41, FM 26, shortwave 0 (1999)

Radios [time series]

415,000 (1997)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

domestic facilities barely adequate; international facilities slightly better domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk service international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

60,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

0 (1995)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

2 (plus a cable TV service) (1997)

Televisions [time series]

38,000 (1997)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum; wood

Budget [time series]

revenues: $323 million expenditures: $363 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY97/98 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 gourde (G) = 100 centimes

Debt - external [time series]

$1 billion (1997 est.)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$730.6 million (1995)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

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 President PREVAL took office in February 1996, although the informal economy is growing. Failure to reach agreements with international sponsors have denied Haiti badly needed budget and development assistance. Meeting aid conditions in 2000 will be especially challenging in the face of mounting popular criticism of reforms.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

677 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production [time series]

728 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source [time series]

fossil fuel: 55.63% hydro: 41.62% nuclear: 0% other: 2.75% (1998)

Exchange rates [time series]

gourdes (G) per US$1 - 18.262 (January 2000), 17.965 (1999), 16.505 (1998), 17.311 (1997), 15.093 (1996), 16.160 (1995)

Exports [time series]

$322 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities [time series]

manufactures, coffee, oils, mangoes

Exports - partners [time series]

US 86%, EU 11% (1998)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 October - 30 September

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $9.2 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 32% industry: 20% services: 48% (1998 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $1,340 (1999 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

2.4% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports [time series]

$762 million (c.i.f., 1999)

Imports - commodities [time series]

food, machinery and transport equipment, fuels

Imports - partners [time series]

US 60%, EU 12% (1998)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

0.6% (1997 est.)

Industries [time series]

sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, tourism, light assembly industries based on imported parts

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

9% (1999 est.)

Labor force [time series]

3.6 million (1995) note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1998)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture 66%, services 25%, industry 9%

Population below poverty line [time series]

80% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

70%; widespread underemployment; more than two-thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs (1999)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 27,750 sq km land: 27,560 sq km water: 190 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly smaller than Maryland

Climate [time series]

tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds

Coastline [time series]

1,771 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land is being cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion; inadequate supplies of potable water

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban

Geographic coordinates [time series]

19 00 N, 72 25 W

Geography - note [time series]

shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)

Irrigated land [time series]

750 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 275 km border countries: Dominican Republic 275 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 20% permanent crops: 13% permanent pastures: 18% forests and woodland: 5% other: 44% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

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 [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims [time series]

contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

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 [time series]

bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower

Terrain [time series]

mostly rough and mountainous

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

9 departments (departements, singular - departement); Artibonite, Centre, Grand'Anse, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est

Capital [time series]

Port-au-Prince

Constitution [time series]

approved March 1987; suspended June 1988, with most articles reinstated March 1989; in October 1991, government claimed to be observing the constitution; return to constitutional rule, October 1994

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Haiti conventional short form: Haiti local long form: Republique d'Haiti local short form: Haiti

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affairs Les ALEXANDER to be temporary chief of mission until new ambassador is confirmed embassy: 5 Harry Truman Boulevard, Port-au-Prince mailing address: P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince telephone: [509] 22-0354, 22-0368, 22-0200, 22-0612 FAX: [509] 23-1641

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Louis Harold JOSEPH chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090 FAX: [1] (202) 745-7215 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Rene Garcia PREVAL (since 7 February 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Jacques-Edouard ALEXIS (since NA March 1999); ALEXIS was appointed by President PREVAL, filling the post that had been vacant since the resignation of Rosny SMARTH in June 1997 cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 17 December 1995 (next to be held by December 2000); prime minister appointed by the president, ratified by the Congress election results: Rene Garcia PREVAL elected president; percent of vote - Rene Garcia PREVAL 88%, Leon JEUNE 2.5%, Victor BENOIT 2.3%

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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)

Government type [time series]

elected government

Independence [time series]

1 January 1804 (from France)

International organization participation [time series]

ACCT, ACP, Caricom (observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court or Cour de Cassation

Legal system [time series]

based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of the Senate (27 seats; members serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of Deputies (83 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 25 June 1995, with reruns on 13 August and runoffs on 17 September, and an election for nine seats 6 April 1997 but results were disputed; next election for two-thirds of Senate postponed until May 2000; Chamber of Deputies - last held 25 June 1995, with reruns on 13 August and runoffs on 17 September (next Senate and Chamber of Deputies elections postponed until May 2000) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - OPL 7, FL-leaning 7, independents 3, vacant 10; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - OPL 32, antineoliberal bloc 24, minor parties and independents 22, vacant 5

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 1 January (1804)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Alliance for the Liberation and Advancement of Haiti or ALAH [Reynold GEORGES]; Assembly of Progressive National Democrats or RDNP [Leslie MANIGAT]; Confederation for Democratic Unity or KID [Evans PAUL]; Democratic Consultation Group coalition or ESPACE [Evans PAUL] composed of the following parties: Confederation for Democratic Unity KONAKOM, PANPRA, Generation 2004, and Haiti Can or Ayiti Kapab; Generation 2004 [Claude ROUMAIN]; Haiti Can or Ayiti Kapab [Ernst VERDIEU]; Haitian Christian Democratic Party or PDCH [Fritz PIERRE]; Haitian Democratic Party or PADEMH [Clark PARENT]; Lavalas Family or FL [Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE]; Mobilization for National Development or MDN [Hubert DE RONCERAY]; Movement for National Reconstruction or MRN [Rene THEODORE]; Movement for the Installation of Democracy in Haiti or MIDH [Marc BAZIN]; Movement for the Organization of the Country or MOP [Gesner COMEAU and Jean MOLIERE]; National Alliance for Democracy and Progress [leader NA]; National Congress of Democratic Movements or KONAKOM [Victor BENOIT]; National Front for Change and Democracy or FNCD [Evans PAUL and Turneb DELPE]; National Progressive Revolutionary Party or PANPRA [Serge GILLES]; Open the Gate Party or PLB [Renaud BERNARDIN]; Struggling People's Organization or OPL [Gerard PIERRE-CHARLES]; Union of Patriotic Democrats or UPD [Rockefeller GUERRE]

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

Autonomous Haitian Workers or CATH; Confederation of Haitian Workers or CTH; Federation of Workers Trade Unions or FOS; National Popular Assembly or APN; Papaye Peasants Movement or MPP; Popular Organizations Gathering Power or PROP; Roman Catholic Church

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

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.

Military

Military - note [time series]

the Haitian Armed Forces have been demobilized and replaced by the Haitian National Police

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Haitian National Police (HNP) note: the regular Haitian Army, Navy, and Air Force have been demobilized but still exist on paper until constitutionally abolished

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$NA ; note - mainly for police and security activities

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

NA%

Military manpower - availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 1,579,897 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service [time series]

males age 15-49: 857,666 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - military age [time series]

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually [time series]

males: 83,863 (2000 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 41% (male 1,430,018; female 1,393,665) 15-64 years: 55% (male 1,814,964; female 1,945,165) 65 years and over: 4% (male 138,533; female 145,650) (2000 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

31.97 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate [time series]

15.13 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

black 95%, mulatto plus white 5%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

97.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages [time series]

French (official), Creole (official)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 49.21 years male: 47.46 years female: 51.06 years (2000 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 45% male: 48% female: 42.2% (1995 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Haitian(s) adjective: Haitian

Net migration rate [time series]

-2.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population [time series]

6,867,995 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.39% (2000 est.)

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% (1982) note: roughly one-half of the population also practices Voodoo

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

4.5 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

claims US-administered Navassa Island

Illicit drugs [time series]

major Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en route to the US and Europe [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]

Transportation

Airports [time series]

13 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 5 (1999 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 4,160 km paved: 1,011 km unpaved: 3,149 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

none (1999 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Cap-Haitien, Gonaives, Jacmel, Jeremie, Les Cayes, Miragoane, Port-au-Prince, Port-de-Paix, Saint-Marc

Railways [time series]

total: 40 km (single track; privately owned industrial line) - closed in early 1990s narrow gauge: 40 km 0.760-m gauge

Waterways [time series]

NEGL; less than 100 km navigable