The Haitian Academy
Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Haiti

Picture courtesy of CIA World Factbook

Background:  Haiti is located in the Caribbean Sea and shares the island Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic.  The native languages are Creole and French and the capital is Port-au-Prince.  The French colony of Haiti became very wealthy from slave importation, but in 1804 gained its independence from France after the slaves revolted against the government.  

Haiti is now considered the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere due in part to years of political violence and tropical storms.  The average annual per capita income is less than $400 and Haiti is burdened by chronic unemployment.  The country has been devastated by AIDS which contribute to the low average life expectancy of 53 years.  An estimation of 5.6% of the population is living with AIDS and more than 160,000 orphans have AIDS. 

Socio-economic Statistics (USA comparison in parenthesis):
Population:  8,308,504 (USA 298,444,215)
GDP per capita (Intl $, 2004):  1,100 (USA 39,901)
Unemployment rate:  Widespread unemployment, estimate unknown (USA 5.1%)
Population below poverty line:  80% (USA 12%)
Average economic aid per year (recipient):  153 million received (USA 6.9 billion donated worldwide)
  
Health Statistics:
Infant mortality rate:  71.65 deaths/1,000 live births (USA 6.43/1,000)
Life expectancy at birth (m/f):  52/55 years (USA 75/80)
Total fertility rate:  4.94 children born/woman (USA 2.09/woman)
HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate:  5.6% (USA 0.6%)
HIV/AIDS – people living with:  280,000 (USA 950,000)
Total health expenditure per capita (Intl $, 2003):  84 (USA 5,711)
Physicians:  1 physician/4,260 people (USA 1/380)

Government:
Type:  Elected government
Head of Government:  Prime Minister Jacques-Edouard Alexis (since 30 May 2006)
Chief of State:  President Rene Preval (since 14 May 2006)
Elections:  President elected by popular vote for a five-year term (may not serve consecutive terms); prime minister appointed by the president, ratified by the National Assembly
Military:  Army, Navy and Air Force

Climate:  The climate in Haiti is tropical.  The temperature is 70-80 degrees F November through March and the rainy season is May-June.  Hurricane season runs from July to October. 

Recommended Vaccinations:
Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Malaria, Rabies, Typhoid, and Yellow Fever.  For more information regarding travel to Haiti visit the Center for Disease Control (CDC) website. 

Recommended Reading: 
Song of Haiti, by Barry Paris.

The Uses of Haiti, by Paul Farmer, Jonathan Kozol, and Noam Chomsky.

AIDS and Accusation: Haiti and the Geography of Blame, by Paul Farmer.

Paradise Lost: Haiti’s Tumultuous Journey from Pearl of the Caribbean to Third World Hotspot, by Philippe Girard.

Lonely Plant Dominican Republic and Haiti, by Scott Doggett and Joyce Connelly.

Haiti, Rising Flames from Burning Ashes: Haiti the Phoenix, by Hyppolite Pierre.

References and Links to More Information on Haiti:
USAID Website
CIA World Factbook
World Health Organization
Embassy of Haiti in USA
U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince

Haitian News:
In English:
Haitian Times
Haiti Globe
UHHP
Topix
In French:
Haiti Impact

Background and History of Haiti:
Wikipedia Encyclopedia
Haitian Embassy
The World Bank
The British Broadcasting Corporation