ABOUT OUR LAND HAITI
This is a short description of the Land. If you want to know more, please visit the website of the Haitian Embassy in the USA. Our country is the first black Nation to claim its independance from slavery from France in 1804. Here is a little bit about the country.
About Beautiful Haiti
General
Official Name — Republic d’Haiti
Population — 6,867,995 (2000 est.)
Area — 27,750 sq. km (slightly smaller than Maryland)
Capital — Port-au-Prince, pop. 2 million est.
Other Cities — Cap-Haitien, pop: 100,000 est.; Gonaives
Currency — Gourde
Official Languages — Haitian Creole, French
Geography
Terrain — mostly rough and mountainous
Elevation lowest — 0m at Caribbean Seahighest: 2680m at Chaine de la Selle
Natural Resources — bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower
The Land Use
Arable — 20% permanent crops — 13% permanent pastures — 18%
forest and woodlands — 5% other — 44%
Natural Hazards lies in hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October, occasional flooding and earthquakes; periodic droughts
Environmental Issues Extensive deforestation (agriculture and fuel)
Severe soil erosion; Inadequate supplies of potable water
Population, Health and Education
Growth Rate — 1.39% (2000 est.)
Net Migration Rate — 2.97 migrants/1,000 pop.
Sex Ratio (total) — .97 male(s)/female
Infant Mortality Rate— 97.1/1,000 live births
Life Expectancy (total)— 49.21 years; (male) 47.46 years; (female) 51.06 years
Ethnic Groups — black 95%, mulatto and white 5%
Religions — Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16%
(Baptist, Pentecostal, Adventist). Note: roughly one-half the population also practices Voodoo