Introduction
Background
In 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of the island of Hispaniola, which later became Haiti. The French colony, based on forestry and sugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest in the Caribbean. Currently the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti continues to experience bouts of political instability.
Geography
Area
total: 27,750 sq km
land: 27,560 sq km
water: 190 sq km
Climate
tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds
Natural resources
bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower, arable land
People and Society
Population
total: 11,753,943
male: 5,792,443
female: 5,961,500 (2024 est.)
Ethnic groups
Black 95%, mixed and White 5%
Languages
French (official), Creole (official)
Religions
Catholic 55%, Protestant 29%, Vodou 2.1%, other 4.6%, none 10% (2018 est.)
Population growth rate
1.23% (2024 est.)
Government
Government type
semi-presidential republic
Capital
name: Port-au-Prince
Executive branch
chief of state: President (vacant); note - former Prime Minister Ariel HENRY, who had assumed executive responsibilities following the assassination of President MOÏSE on 7 July 2021, resigned on 24 April 2024; a nine-member Presidential Transitional Council, equipped with presidential powers, was sworn in on 25 April 2024 and will remain in place until 7 February 2026
head of government: Interim Prime Minister Michel Patrick BOISVERT (since 25 April 2024)
Legislative branch
description: bicameral legislature or le Corps legislatif ou le Parlement consists of:
Senate or le Sénat de la République (30 seats; 0 filled as of January 2023); members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 6-year terms (2-term limit) with one-third of the membership renewed every 2 years)
Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des députés (119 seats; 0 filled as of January 2023; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 4-year terms; no term limits); note - when the 2 chambers meet collectively it is known as the National Assembly or L'Assemblée nationale and is convened for specific purposes spelled out in the constitution
Economy
Economic overview
small Caribbean island economy and OECS-member state; extreme poverty and inflation; enormous income inequality; ongoing civil unrest due to recent presidential assassination; US preferential market access; very open to foreign direct investment
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$32.428 billion (2022 est.)
$32.982 billion (2021 est.)
$33.586 billion (2020 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$2,800 (2022 est.)
$2,900 (2021 est.)
$3,000 (2020 est.)
Agricultural products
sugarcane, cassava, mangoes/guavas, plantains, bananas, maize, avocados, tropical fruits, rice, vegetables (2022)
Industries
textiles, sugar refining, flour milling, cement, light assembly using imported parts
Exports
$1.355 billion (2022 est.)
$1.272 billion (2021 est.)
$1.018 billion (2020 est.)
Exports - partners
US 84%, Canada 4%, Mexico 2%, Thailand 1%, France 1% (2022)
Exports - commodities
garments, essential oils, scrap iron, bedding, tropical fruits (2022)
Imports
$5.451 billion (2022 est.)
$5.048 billion (2021 est.)
$4.177 billion (2020 est.)
Imports - partners
US 31%, Dominican Republic 26%, China 16%, Indonesia 3%, India 2% (2022)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, rice, cotton fabric, garments, plastic products (2022)
Exchange rates
gourdes (HTG) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
115.631 (2022 est.)
89.227 (2021 est.)
93.51 (2020 est.)
88.815 (2019 est.)
68.032 (2018 est.)
Page last updated: Tuesday, May 07, 2024
