Republic of Haiti Rpublique dHati (French) Repiblik Ayiti (Haitian Creole) Flag Coat of arms Motto: Libert galit Fraternit 1 Anthem: La Dessalinienne Capital (and largest city) Port-au-Prince 1832N 7220W / 18.533N 72.333W / 18.533; -72.333 Official language(s) French Haitian Creole Ethnic groups  95% black 5% mulatto and white2 Demonym Haitian Government Semi-presidential republic  -  President Michel Martelly  -  Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive  -  Prime Minister-designate Daniel Grard Rouzier Formation  -  French colony declared (Treaty of Ryswick) 30 October 1697   -  Independence declared 1 January 1804   -  Independence recognized from France 17 April 1825  Area  -  Total 27750 km2 (140th) 10714 sq mi   -  Water (%) 0.7 Population  -  2011 estimate 97199322 (87th)  -  Density 350.27/km2  907.22/sq mi GDP (PPP) 2010 estimate  -  Total $11.477 billion3   -  Per capita $11643  GDP (nominal) 2010 estimate  -  Total $6.632 billion3   -  Per capita $6733  Gini (2001) 59.24 (high)  HDI (2010) 0.4045 (low) (145th) Currency Gourde (HTG) Time zone (UTC-5) Drives on the right ISO 3166 code HT Internet TLD .ht Calling code 509

Haiti (i /heti/; French Hati pronounced: a.iti; Haitian Creole: Ayiti Haitian Creole pronunciation: ajiti) officially the Republic of Haiti (Rpublique d'Hati; Repiblik Ayiti) is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antillean archipelago which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti (land of high mountains) was the indigenous Tano or Amerindian name for the island. The country's highest point is Pic la Selle at 2680 metres (8793 ft). The total area of Haiti is 27750 square kilometres (10714 sq mi) and its capital is Port-au-Prince. Haitian Creole and French are the official languages.

Haiti's regional historical and ethno-linguistic position is unique for several reasons. It was the first independent nation in Latin America and the first black-led republic in the world when it gained independence as part of a successful slave revolution in 1804.6 Despite having common cultural links with its Hispano-Caribbean neighbors Haiti is the only predominantly Francophone independent nation in the Americas. It is one of only two independent nations in the Americas (along with Canada) that designate French as an official language; the other French-speaking areas are all overseas dpartements or collectivits of France.

Haiti is the poorest country in the Americas as per the Human Development Index. It has experienced political violence throughout its history. Most recently in February 2004 an armed rebellion forced the resignation and exile of previous President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and a provisional government took control with security provided by the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Michel Martelly the current president was elected in the Haitian general election 2011.

A 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti and devastated Port-au-Prince on January 12 2010. Although the exact number was difficult to determine the highest unbiased source estimated 220000 people were killed.7 Haitian government sources were higher.8 The Presidential palace Parliament and many other important structures were destroyed along with countless homes and businesses leaving many homeless. Due to its severity the country has yet to recover from this and subsequent disasters.9 Contents 1 History 1.1 Precolonial and Spanish colonial periods 1.2 17th century settlement 1.3 Treaty of Ryswick and slave colony (1697) 1.4 Revolution (1791) 1.5 Independence and Division (1804) 1.6 Reunification under Boyer (1821) 1.7 19151934 1.8 19341956 1.9 19571986 1.10 1990s 1.11 21st century 1.12 2010-2011: Earthquake cholera and flood events 2 Geography 2.1 Environment 2.2 Natural disasters 2.2.1 Hurricanes and tropical storms 2.2.2 2010 earthquake 3 Demographics 3.1 Haitian diaspora 3.2 Languages 3.3 Religion 4 Government 4.1 Departments arrondissements and communes 5 Politics 6 Elections 7 Economy 8 Transport 8.1 Roadways 8.2 Water 8.3 Air 8.4 Rail 9 Health 10 Education 11 Culture 11.1 Cuisine 12 Sports 13 See also 14 Notes 15 External material 15.1 References 15.2 Further reading 16 External links History Main article: History of Haiti See also: 2004 Haitian rebellion and United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti Precolonial and Spanish colonial periods

The island of Hispaniola of which Haiti occupies the western third is one of many Caribbean islands inhabited at the time of European arrival by the Tano Indians speakers of an Arawakan language. The Tano name for the entire island was either Ayiti or Kiskeya. In the Tano societies of the Caribbean Islands the largest unit of political organization was led by a cacique; hence the term 'caciquedom' (French caciquat Spanish cacicazgo) for these Tano polities which are often called "chiefdoms". Before the arrival of Christopher Columbus the island of Hispaniola was divided among five or six long-established caciquedoms.1011 The five caciquedoms of Hispaniola at the time of the arrival of Christopher Columbus. The modern country of Haiti spans most of the territory of the caciquedoms of Xaragua ("Jaragua" in modern Spanish) and Marien.

The caciquedoms were tributary kingdoms with payment consisting of harvests. Tano cultural artifacts include cave paintings in several locations in the country which have become national symbols of Haiti and tourist attractions. Modern-day Logane a town in the southwest is at the site of Xaragua's former capital.

Christopher Columbus landed at Mle Saint-Nicolas on December 5 1492 and claimed the island for Spain. Nineteen days later his ship the Santa Mara ran aground near the present site of Cap-Hatien; Columbus was forced to leave behind 39 men founding the settlement of La Navidad. Following the destruction of La Navidad by the local indigenous people Columbus moved to the eastern side of the island and established La Isabela. One of the earliest leaders to fight off Spanish conquest was Queen Anacaona a princess of Xaragua who married Caonabo the cacique of Maguana. The couple resisted Spanish rule in vain; she was captured by the Spanish and executed in front of her people. To this day Queen Anacaona is revered in Haiti as one of the country's founders. 1510 pictograph telling a story of missionaries arriving in Hispaniola

The Spanish exploited the island for its gold mined chiefly by local Amerindians directed by the Spanish occupiers. Those refusing to work in the mines were killed or sold into slavery. Europeans brought with them infectious diseases that were new to the Caribbean to which the indigenous population lacked immunity. These new diseases were the chief cause of the dying off of the Tano12 but ill treatment malnutrition and a drastic drop in the birthrate as a result of societal disruption also contributed. The first recorded smallpox outbreak in the Americas occurred on Hispaniola in 1507.13

The Laws of Burgos 15121513 were the first nationally codified set of laws governing the behavior of Spanish settlers in America particularly with regards to native Indians. They forbade the maltreatment of natives endorsed their conversion to Catholicism14 and legalized the colonial practice of creating encomiendas where Indians were grouped together to work under colonial masters.15 The Spanish crown found it difficult to enforce these laws in a distant colony. The Spanish governors began importing enslaved Africans for labor. In 1517 Charles V authorized the draft of slaves. The Tanos became virtually but not completely extinct on the island of Hispaniola. Some who evaded capture fled to the mountains and established independent settlements. Survivors mixed with escaped African slaves (runaways called maroons) and produced a multiracial generation called zambos. French settlers later called people of mixed African and Amerindian ancestry marabou. The mestizo were children born to relationships between native women and European usually Spanish men. During French rule children of mixed race usually born of unions between African women and European men were called multres. Franois l'Olonnais was nicknamed "Flail of the Spaniards" and had a reputation for brutality offering no quarter to Spanish prisoners As a gateway to the Caribbean Hispaniola became a haven for pirates. The western part of the island was settled by French buccaneers. Among them was Bertrand d'Ogeron who succeeded in growing tobacco. His success prompted many of the numerous buccaneers and freebooters to turn into settlers. This population did not submit to Spanish royal authority until the year 1660 and caused a number of conflicts. By 1640 the buccaneers of Tortuga were calling themselves the Brethren of the Coast. French pirate Jean Lafitte who operated in New Orleans and Galveston was born in Port-au-Prince around 1782.16 Jean Baptiste Point du Sable who might have been born in St Marc Saint-Domingue in 1745 established a fur trading post at present-day Chicago Illinois of which he can be considered one of the founders. John James Audubon the renowned ornithologist and painter was born in 1785 in Les Cayes Saint-Domingue and painted cataloged and described the birds of North America. In 1779 more than 500 volunteers from Saint-Domingue under the command of Comte d'Estaing fought alongside American colonial troops against the British in the Siege of Savannah one of the most significant foreign contributions to the American Revolutionary War.17 17th century settlement Bertrand d'Orgeron attracted many colonists from Martinique and Guadeloupe such as the Roy family (Jean Roy 16251707); Hebert (Jean Hebert 1624 with his family) and Barre (Guillaume Barre 1642 with his family). They and others were driven from their lands when more land was needed for the extension of the sugar plantations. From 1670 to 1690 a drop in the tobacco markets significantly reduced the number of settlers on the island. The first windmill for processing sugar was created in 1685. Treaty of Ryswick and slave colony (1697) France and Spain settled hostilities on the island by the Treaty of Ryswick of 1697 which divided Hispaniola between them. France received the western third and subsequently named it Saint-Domingue (not the current Santo-Domingo which is in the Dominican Republic and was part of the eastern side given to the Spanish through the treaty). Many French colonists soon arrived and established plantations in Saint-Domingue due to high profit potential. By 1789 there were approximately 40000 French immigrants on the western part of the island18 while by 1763 the French population of Canada numbered only 65000.19 By about 1790 Saint-Domingue had greatly overshadowed its eastern counterpart in terms of wealth and population. It quickly became the richest French colony in the New World due to the immense profits from the sugar coffee and indigo industries. This outcome was made possible by the labor and knowledge of thousands of enslaved Africans who brought to the island skills and technology for indigo production. The French-enacted Code Noir ("Black Code") prepared by Jean-Baptiste Colbert and ratified by Louis XIV established rigid rules on slave treatment and permissible freedom. Saint-Domingue has been described as one of the most brutally efficient slave colonies; one-third of newly imported Africans died within a few years.20 Revolution (1791) Main article: Haitian Revolution Jean Jacques Dessalines leader of the Haitian Revolution and the first ruler of an independent Haiti Inspired by the French Revolution and principles of the rights of men free people of colour and slaves in Saint-Domingue and the French and West Indies pressed for freedom and more civil rights. Most important was the revolution of the slaves in Saint-Domingue starting in the heavily African-majority northern plains in 1791. In 1792 the French government sent three commissioners with troops to reestablish control. They began to build an alliance with the free people of colour who wanted more civil rights. In 1793 France and Great Britain went to war and British troops invaded Saint-Domingue. The execution of Louis XVI heightened tensions in the colony. To build an alliance with the gens de couleur and slaves the French commissioners Sonthonax and Polverel abolished slavery in the colony. Six months later the National Convention led by Robespierre and the Jacobins endorsed abolition and extended it to all the French colonies.21 Toussaint Louverture a former slave and leader in the slave revolta man who rose in importance as a military commander because of his many skillsachieved peace in 1794 in Saint-Domingue after years of war against both external invaders and internal dissension. Having established a disciplined flexible army Louverture drove out not only the Spanish but also the British invaders who threatened the colony. He restored stability and prosperity by daring measures that included inviting planters to return and insisting freed men work on plantations to renew revenues for the island. He also renewed trading ties with Great Britain and the United States. In the uncertain years of revolution the United States played both sides with traders supplying both the French and the rebels.22 Independence and Division (1804) When the French government changed new members of the national legislature lobbied by planters began to rethink their decisions on colonial slavery. After Toussaint Louverture created a separatist constitution Napolon Bonaparte sent an expedition of 20000 men under the command of his brother-in-law General Charles Leclerc to retake the island. Leclerc's mission was to oust Louverture and restore slavery. The French achieved some victories but within a few months yellow fever had killed most of the French soldiers.23 More than 50000 French troops died in an attempt to retake colony including 18 generals.24 Leclerc invited Toussaint Louverture to a parley kidnapped him and sent him to France where he was imprisoned at Fort de Joux. He died there in 1803 of exposure and tuberculosis20 or malnutrition and pneumonia. Battle between Polish troops in French service and the Haitian rebels. Some Polish soldiers ultimately fought with the Haitian rebels for reasons that are historically disputable.25 Slaves along with free gens de couleur and allies continued their fight for independence after the French transported Louverture to France. The native leader Jean-Jacques Dessalines long an ally and general of Toussaint Louverture brilliant strategist and soldier defeated French troops led by Donatien-Marie-Joseph de Vimeur vicomte de Rochambeau at the Battle of Vertires. At the end of the double battle for emancipation and independence former slaves proclaimed the independence of Saint-Domingue on 1 January 180426 declaring the new nation be named "Ayiti" both a Native American and African term meaning "home or mother of the earth" in the Taino-Arawak Native American language and "sacred earth or homeland" in the Fon African language to honor one of the indigenous Tano names for the island. Haiti is the only nation born of a slave revolt. Haiti's perseverance and successful resistance against colonial forces would influence the future of the United States Civil War.20 Historians have estimated the slave rebellion resulted in the death of 100000 blacks and 24000 of the 40000 white colonists.27 In February 2010 the eight-page document containing the official Declaration of Independence which was believed to have been destroyed or thrown out was found by a Canadian graduate student from Duke University in Britain's National Archives. Coming as it did soon after the 2010 devastating earthquake the discovery is seen by many to be providential.28 The revolution in Saint-Domingue unleashed a massive multiracial exodus: French Crole colonists fled with those slaves they still held as did numerous free people of color some of whom were also slaveholders and transported slaves with them.29 In 1809 nearly 10000 refugees from Saint-Domingue arrived from Cuba where they had first fled to settle en masse in New Orleans.30 They doubled that citys population and helped preserve its French language and culture for several generations. In addition the newly arrived slaves added to the city's African and multiracial culture.31 Dessalines was proclaimed "Emperor for Life" by his troops.32 He exiled or killed the remaining whites and ruled as a despot.33 In the continuing competition for power he was assassinated on 17 October 1806.26 The country was then divided between a kingdom in the north directed by Henri I; and a republic in the south directed by Alexandre Ption an homme de couleur. Henri I is best known for constructing the Citadelle Laferrire the largest fortress in the Western Hemisphere to defend the island against the French. Despite opposition from the mulatto populace Henri Christophe successfully united Northern Haiti for a period of time under a semi-feudal corve system establishing a rigid education and economic code aimed at sustainable improvement for all Haitians.34 In 1815 Simn Bolvar the South American political leader who was instrumental in Latin America's struggle for independence from Spain received military and financial assistance from Haiti. Bolvar had fled to Haiti after an attempt had been made on his life in Jamaica where he had unsuccessfully sought support for his efforts. In 1817 on condition that Bolvar free any enslaved people he encountered in his fight for South American independence Haitian president Alexandre Ption provided Bolvar with soldiers weapons and financial assistance which were critical in enabling him to liberate the Viceroyalty of New Granada (Now Colombia Ecuador Panama and Venezuela).35 Reunification under Boyer (1821) Jean-Pierre Boyer one of the leaders of the Haitian Revolution and President of Haiti from 1818 to 1843 Beginning in 1821 President Jean Pierre Boyer also an homme de couleur and successor to Ption managed to reunify the two parts of St. Domingue and extend control over the western part of the island.36 In addition after Santo Domingo declared its independence from Spain Boyer sent forces in to take control. Boyer then ruled the entire island.37 According to Encyclopdia Britannica "During his presidency Boyer tried to halt the downward trend of the economy which had begun with the successful revolt of black slaves against their French masters in the 1790s by passing the Code Rural. Its provisions sought to tie the peasant labourers to plantation land by denying them the right to leave the land enter the towns or start farms or shops of their own and by creating a rural constabulary to enforce the code."3839 During Boyer's administration his government negotiated with Loring D. Dewey an agent of the American Colonization Society (ACS) to encourage free blacks from the United States to emigrate to Haiti. They hoped to gain people with skills to contribute to the independent nation. In the early 19th century the ACS an uneasy blend of abolitionists and slaveholders proposed resettlement of American free blacks to other countries primarily to a colony in Liberia as a solution to problems of racism in the US. Starting in September 1824 more than 6000 American free blacks migrated to Haiti with transportation paid by the ACS.40 Due to the poverty and other difficult conditions there many returned to the US within a short time. In July 1825 King Charles X of France sent a fleet of 14 vessels and thousands of troops to reconquer the island. Under pressure President Boyer agreed to a treaty by which France formally recognized the independence of the nation in exchange for a payment of 150 million francs (reduced to 90 million in 1838) an indemnity for profits lost from the slave trade. French abolitionist Victor Schoelcher wrote "Imposing an indemnity on the victorious slaves was equivalent to making them pay with money that which they had already paid with their blood." After losing the support of Haiti's elite Boyer was ousted in 1843. A long succession of coups followed his departure to exile. National authority was disputed by factions of the army the elite class and the growing commercial class increasingly made up of numerous immigrant businessmen: Germans Americans French and English. In 1912 Syrians residing in Haiti participated in a plot in which the Presidential Palace was destroyed. On more than one occasion French US German and British forces allegedly claimed large sums of money from the vaults of the National Bank of Haiti.41 Expatriates bankrolled and armed opposing groups.42 In addition national governments intervened in Haitian affairs. In 1892 the German government supported suppression of the reform movement of Antnor Firmin.citation needed In January 1914 British German and US forces entered Haiti ostensibly to protect their citizens from civil unrest.41 19151934 In an expression of the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine the United States occupied the island in 1915 and US Marines were stationed in the country until 1934. In the following elections in 1915 Philippe Sudr Dartiguenave became president. He was succeeded by Louis Borno in the 1922 elections. Aware that many Haitians did not speak French Borno was the first president to authorize the use of Creole in the education system. "Cacos" was a small rebellion in the country. From 1915 to 1934 the US administration dismantled the constitutional system reinstituted virtual slavery for building roads and established the National Guards that ran the country by violence and terror after the Marines left.43 Sisal fiber cultivation was introduced to Haiti and sugar and cotton became significant exports.44 19341956 The US occupation forces established a boundary between Haiti and the Dominican Republic by taking disputed land from the latter. After the US left in 1934 Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo in an event known as the Parsley Massacre ordered his Army to kill Haitians living on the Dominican side of the border.4546 In a "three-day genocidal spree" he murdered between 10000 and 20000 Haitians.45 He then developed a uniquely Dominican policy of racial discrimination Antihaitianismo ("anti-Haitianism") targeting the mostly black inhabitants of his neighboring country. Stnio Vincent was succeeded as President in 1941 by lie Lescot. In 1949 Lescot tried to change the constitution to allow for his own reelection but in 1950 this triggered another coup. General Paul Magloire led the country until December 1956 when he was forced to resign by a general strike. After a period of disorder an election held in September 1957 saw Dr. Franois Duvalier elected President. 19571986 From 1957 to 1986 Haiti was governed by the hereditary dictatorship of the Duvalier family. Former minister of health and labor Francois Duvalier known as "Papa Doc" and initially popular among the blacksclarification needed was the President of Haiti from 1957 until his death in 1971. A strong believer in the rights of the Haitian black majority he advanced black interests in the public sector.47 He stayed in power by enlisting an organization known as Tontons Macoutes ("Bogeymen") which maintained order by terrorizing the populace.48 In the 1960s and 1970s Haiti's diaspora made vital contributions to the establishment of francophone Africa's newly independent countries as Haiti'suniversity professors medical doctors administrators and development specialists emigrated to these countries.citation needed "Papa Doc" was succeeded by his son (born July 3 1951) Jean-Claude Duvalier known also as "Bb Doc" who led the country from 1971 until his ouster in 1986. In 1986 protests against "Baby Doc" led him to seek exile in France. Army leader General Henri Namphy headed a new National Governing Council.49 In March 1987 a new Constitution was overwhelmingly approved by Haiti's population. General elections in November were aborted after dozens of inhabitants were shot in the capital by soldiers and Tonton Macoute and scores more were massacred around the country. Fraudulent military-controlled elections followed boycotted by opposition candidates and the elected President Leslie Manigat was overthrown some months later in the June 1988 Haitian coup d'tat when he sought to assert his constitutional control over the military. The September 1988 Haitian coup d'tat followed after the St Jean Bosco massacre brought to the fore the increasing prominence of former Tontons Macoutes and General Prosper Avril led a military regime until March 1990. Throughout the late 1980s and into the 1990s leading members of the military intelligence and police were involved in the illegal drug trade in Haiti assisting Colombian drug traffickers smuggling drugs into the United States.citation needed 1990s In December 1990 the former priest Jean-Bertrand Aristide was elected President in the Haitian general election winning more than two thirds of the vote. His 5-year mandate began on 7 February 1991 having survived a coup attempt even before his inauguration when former Tonton Macoute leader Roger Lafontant seized the provisional President Ertha Pascal-Trouillot and declared himself President. After large numbers of Aristide supporters filled the streets in protest and Lafontant attempted to declare martial law the Army crushed the incipient coup. During Aristide's short-lived first period in office he attempted to carry out substantial reforms which brought passionate opposition from Haiti's business and military elite. His relationship with the National Assembly soon deteriorated partly over his selection of his friend Ren Prval as Prime Minister. In September Aristide was overthrown in the 1991 Haitian coup d'tat led by Army General Raoul Cdras and flown into exile. Elections were scheduled but then cancelled. The Organization of American States condemned the coup and the United Nations set up a trade embargo. A campaign of terror against Aristide supporters was started by Emmanuel Constant. In 1993 Constant who had been on the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency's payroll as an informant since 1992 organized the Front for the Advancement and Progress of Hati (FRAPH) which targeted and killed an estimated 5000 Aristide supporters. In 1994 an American team under the direction of the Clinton Administration successfully negotiated the departure of Haiti's military leaders and the peaceful entry of US forces under Operation Uphold Democracy thereby paving the way for the restoration of Jean-Bertrand Aristide as president.50 In October 1994 Aristide returned to Haiti to complete his term in office.51 Aristide disbanded the Haitian army and established a civilian police force. Aristide vacated the presidency in February 1996 the scheduled end of his 5-year term based on the date of his inauguration. In the 1995 election Ren Prval was elected as president for a five-year term winning 88% of the popular vote. Prval had previously served as Aristide's Prime Minister from February to October 1991. 21st century See also: 2004 Haitian rebellion United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti and 2010 Haiti earthquake The November 2000 election gave the presidency back to Aristide with an overwhelming 92% of the vote.52 The election had been boycotted by the opposition now organised into the Convergence Dmocratique over a dispute in the May legislative elections. In subsequent years there was increasing violence and human rights abuses. Aristide supporters attacked the opposition.53 Aristide spent years negotiating with the Convergence Dmocratique on new elections but the Convergence's inability to develop a sufficient electoral base made elections unattractive. In 2004 a revolt began in northern Haiti. The rebellion eventually reached the capital; and Aristide was forced into exile whereupon the United Nations stationed peacekeepers in Haiti. Much evidence points to a key U.S. role in Aristide's ouster with Aristide and his bodyguard Franz Gabriel claiming that he was the victim of a "new coup detat or modern kidnapping" by U.S. forces.5455 Boniface Alexandre assumed interim authority. Ren Prval was elected President in February 2006 following elections marked by uncertainties and popular demonstrations. The United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (also known as MINUSTAH) remains in the country having been there since the 2004 Haiti Rebellion. Michle Pierre-Louis5657 was the second female Prime Minister of Haiti (Sept. 2008-Nov. 2009).58 Claudette Werleigh (19951996) was the first. 2010-2011: Earthquake cholera and flood events Main article: Haiti cholera outbreak The 2010 Haiti earthquake left up to 316000 people dead and 1.6 million homeless.59 Massive homelessness and displacement continues and does not appear to have significantly abated. Non-Haitian sources have placed the death tollwhich from 50000 to 92000citation needed. Government agencies were also hard hit. Two days afterwards thousands of U.S. troops arrived to aid in the earthquake relief effort60 and relief agencies are playing a large role in rebuilding Haiti's infrastructure while taking care of the short-term emergency needs of the many injured and displaced Haitians.61 In October 2010 epidemic cholera broke out introduced from overseas. More than 3500 people in a region to the north of Port-au-Prince were treated for diarrhea acute fever vomiting and severe dehydration. There were fears the outbreak would reach camps housing survivors of the recent earthquake. Officials believe the cholera outbreak was caused by people drinking infected water from the Artibonite River.citation needed In early November Hurricane Tomas hit the nation exacerbating the situation by causing widespread flooding.citation needed Protests against the U.N. peacekeeping forces led to violent attacks on November 15 2010. The Haitian people who threw rocks at and instigated an exchange of gunfire with the U.N. forces suspected them of bringing the cholera strain to Haiti. The cholera outbreak had at that point killed around 900 people and sickened around 15000.62 Many Haitian people alleged that the strain may have come from the Nepalese peacekeepers who have a base on the Artibonite river but the U.N. did not want the Hatian people to come to conclusions and blame the Nepalese based on "misinformation".63 In point of fact the last cholera outbreak in Haiti was forty years ago64 and "The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the cholera strain now ravaging the country matched a strain specific to South Asia but said they had not pinpointed its origin or how it arrived in Haiti."6365 General elections had been planned for January 2010 but were postponed due to the earthquake. The elections were held on 28 November 2010 for senate parliament and the first round of the presidential elections. The run-off between Michel Martelly and Mirlande Manigat took place on 20 March 2011 and preliminary results released on 4 April named Martelly the winner.4 Geography Map of Haiti Main article: Geography of Haiti Haiti is on the western part of Hispaniola the second largest island in the Greater Antilles. Haiti is the third largest country in the Caribbean behind Cuba and the Dominican Republic (the latter shares a 360-kilometre (224 mi) border with Haiti). Haiti at its closest point is only about 45 nautical miles (83 km; 52 mi) away from Cuba and has the second longest coastline (1771 km/1100 mi) in the Greater Antilles Cuba having the longest. The country lies mostly between latitudes 18 and 20N (Tortuga island lies just north of 20) and longitudes 71 and 75W. Haiti's terrain consists mainly of rugged mountains interspersed with small coastal plains and river valleys. The northern region consists of the Massif du Nord (Northern Massif) and the Plaine du Nord (Northern Plain). The Massif du Nord is an extension of the Cordillera Central in the Dominican Republic. It begins at Haiti's eastern border north of the Guayamouc River and extends to the northwest through the northern peninsula. The lowlands of the Plaine du Nord lie along the northern border with the Dominican Republic between the Massif du Nord and the North Atlantic Ocean. The central region consists of two plains and two sets of mountain ranges. The Plateau Central (Central Plateau) extends along both sides of the Guayamouc River south of the Massif du Nord. It runs from the southeast to the northwest. To the southwest of the Plateau Central are the Montagnes Noires whose most northwestern part merges with the Massif du Nord. Its westernmost point is known as Cap Carcasse. The southern region consists of the Plaine du Cul-de-Sac (the southeast) and the mountainous southern peninsula (also known as the Tiburon Peninsula). The Plaine du Cul-de-Sac is a natural depression that harbors the country's saline lakes such as Trou Caman and Haiti's largest lake Lac Azui. The Chane de la Selle mountain range an extension of the southern mountain chain of the Dominican Republic (the Sierra de Baoruco) extends from the Massif de la Selle in the east to the Massif de la Hotte in the west. This mountain range harbors Pic la Selle the highest point in Haiti at 2680 metres (8793 ft) *66 The country's most important valley in terms of crops is the Plaine de l'Artibonite which is oriented south of the Montagnes Noires. This region supports the country's (also Hispaniola's) longest river the Riviere l'Artibonite which begins in the western region of the Dominican Republic and continues most of its length through central Haiti and onward where it empties into the Golfe de la Gonve. The eastern and central region of the island is a large elevated plateau. Haiti also includes various offshore islands. The historically famous island of Tortuga (le de la Tortue) is located off the coast of northern Haiti. The arrondissement of La Gonve is located on the island of the same name in the Golfe de la Gonve. Gonve Island is moderately populated by rural villagers. le Vache (Cow Island) a lush island with many beautiful sights is located off the tip of southwestern Haiti. Also part of Haiti are the Cayemites and le d' Anacaona. Satellite image of Haiti's border with the Dominican Republic (right) shows the amount of deforestation on the Haitian side Environment Main articles: Environment of Haiti and Deforestation in Haiti In 1925 Haiti was lush with 60% of its original forest covering the lands and mountainous regions. Since then the population has cut down an estimated 98% of its original forest cover for use as fuel for cookstoves and in the process has destroyed fertile farmland soils contributing to desertification.67 In addition to soil erosion deforestation has caused periodic flooding as seen on 17 September 2004. Earlier that year in May floods had killed over 3000 people on Haiti's southern border with the Dominican Republic.68 Natural disasters Hurricanes and tropical storms In 2004 Tropical Storm Jeanne skimmed the north coast of Haiti leaving 3006 people dead in flooding and mudslides mostly in the city of Gonaves.69 Haiti was again pummeled by tropical storms in late August and early September 2008. The storms Tropical Storm Fay Hurricane Gustav Hurricane Hanna and Hurricane Ike all produced heavy winds and rain in Haiti. Due to weak soil conditions throughout Haiti the countrys mountainous terrain and the devastating coincidence of four storms within less than four weeks valley and lowland areas throughout the country experienced massive flooding. Casualties proved difficult to count because the storm diminished human capacity and physical resources for such record keeping. Bodies continued to surface as the flood waters receded. A 10 September 2008 source listed 331 dead and 800000 in need of humanitarian aid.70 The grim state of affairs produced by these storms was all the more life threatening due to already high food and fuel prices that had caused a food crisis and political unrest in April 2008.71 2010 earthquake Main article: 2010 Haiti earthquake The National Palace after the 12 January 2010 earthquake On January 12 2010 at 21:53 UTC (4:53 pm local time) Haiti was struck by a magnitude-7.0 earthquake the country's most severe earthquake in over 200 years.72 The epicenter of the quake was just outside the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince.73 On 10 February the Haitian government gave a death toll of 230000.8 Widespread damage resulted from the quake and the capital city was devastated. The Presidential Palace was badly damaged the second floor collapsing onto the first floor; the Haitian Parliament building UN mission headquarters and the National Cathedral were also destroyed. International aid flowed in but was hampered by damaged infrastructure: the main port was damaged beyond immediate use the one local airport was of limited capacity and border crossings with the Dominican Republic were distant and crowded. As many as one million Haitians were left homeless.74 Haiti will need to be completely rebuilt from the ground up according to a journalist as "even in good times Haiti is an economic wreck balancing precariously on the razor's edge of calamity."75 Several international appeals were launched within days of the earthquake including the Disasters Emergency Committee in the United Kingdom Young Artists for Haiti (Canada) and Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief based in the USA which was a global effort to raise relief funds by way of a charity telethon held on January 22 2010. International officials are looking at the short and long term priorities while continuing the daily task of managing the emergency situation.76 As of September 2010 there were over one million refugees living in tents and the humanitarian situation was characterized as still being in the emergency phase.77 On May 31 2011 BBC News reported that a new report challenges Haiti's official earthquake death toll. "Significantly fewer people died or were left homeless by last year's earthquake in Haiti than claimed by the country's leaders a draft report commissioned by the US government has said. The unpublished report puts the death toll between 46000 and 85000. Haiti's government says about 316000 died. It also suggests many of those still living in tent cities did not lose their homes in the disaster. The draft report which has yet to be released publicly is based on a survey commissioned by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and draws its numbers from door-to-door surveys carried out over 29 days in January 2011." 78 Demographics Main article: Demographics of Haiti Population of Haiti (in thousands) from 1961 to 2003 Although Haiti averages approximately 250 people per square kilometer (650 per sq mi.) its population is concentrated most heavily in urban areas coastal plains and valleys. Haiti's population was about 9.8 million according to UN 2008 estimates79 with half of the population being under 20 years.80 The first formal census taken in 1950 showed that the population was 3.1 million.81 80-85% of Haitians (depending on the source) are of African descent; the remaining 2015% of the population are mostly of mixed-race background. A small percentage of the non-black population consists primarily of White Haitians; mostly of Western European (French German Polish Portuguese and Spanish) and Arab Armenianor Jewish origin.8283 Haitians of east Asian descent or East Indian origin number approximately 400.82 Haitian diaspora Main article: Haitian diaspora Millions of Haitians live abroad chiefly in North America: the Dominican Republic United States Cuba Canada (primarily Montreal) Bahamas France French Antilles the Turks and Caicos Jamaica Puerto Rico Venezuela and French Guiana. There are an estimated 800000 in the Dominican Republic84 600000 Haitians in the United States85 100000 in Canada86 80000 in France87 and up to 80000 in the Bahamas.88 Languages One of Haiti's two official languages is French which is the principal written and administratively authorized language. It is spoken by all educated Haitians is spoken in schools and is used in the business sector. It is also used in ceremonious events such as weddings graduations and church masses. The second is the recently standardized Haitian Creole89 which is spoken by virtually the entire population of Haiti. Haitian creole is one of the French-based creole languages it is strongly related to French and Spanish with influence from west African languages Tano and almost every European language. Haitian creole is closely related to Louisiana Creole and all the other French creoles. Religion Main article: Religion in Haiti See also: Roman Catholicism in Haiti Haiti is a majority Christian country with strong roots in Roman Catholicism. Around 80% of Haitians profess to be Catholics. Protestants make up about 16% of the population.2 Government See also: National Assembly of Haiti President of Haiti and Military of Haiti The government of Haiti is a semi-presidential republic a multiparty system wherein the President of Haiti is head of state elected directly by popular elections.citation needed The Prime Minister acts as head of government and is appointed by the President chosen from the majority party in the National Assembly. Executive power is exercised by the President and Prime Minister who together constitute the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of the National Assembly of Haiti. The government is organized unitarily thus the central government delegates powers to the departments without a constitutional need for consent. The current structure of Haiti's political system was set forth in the Constitution of Haiti on 29 March 1987. The current president is Michel Martelly. In 2010 there were 7000 people in the Haitian National Police.90 The Institute for the Protection of National Heritage has preserved 33 historical monuments and the historic center of Cap-Haitien.91 Departments arrondissements and communes Further information: Departments of Haiti Arrondissements of Haiti and Communes of Haiti For reasons of administration Haiti has been divided into ten departments. The departments are listed below with the departmental capital cities in parentheses. Departments of Haiti Artibonite (Gonaves) Centre (Hinche) Grand'Anse (Jrmie) Nippes (Miragone) Nord (Cap-Hatien) Nord-Est (Fort-Libert) Nord-Ouest (Port-de-Paix) Ouest (Port-au-Prince) Sud-Est (Jacmel) Sud (Les Cayes) The departments are further divided into 41 arrondissements and 133 communes which serve as second- and third-level administrative divisions. Politics Main article: Politics of Haiti Haitian politics have been contentious: in its 200-year history Haiti has suffered 32 coups.92 Haiti's is the only country in the Western Hemisphere to undergo a successful slave revolution but a long history of oppression by dictators including Franois Duvalier and his son Jean-Claude Duvalier has markedly affected the nation. France and the United States have repeatedly intervened in Haitian politics since the country's founding sometimes at the request of one party or another. Cit Soleil Haitis largest slum in the capital of Port-au-Prince has been called "the most dangerous place on Earth" by the United Nations.93 The slum is a stronghold of supporters of former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide94 who according to the BBC "accused the US of forcing him out an accusation the US rejected as 'absurd'".95 According to Corruption Perceptions Index Haiti has a particularly high level of corruption.9697 Jean-Claude Duvalier suddenly returned to Haiti in late January 2011 claiming his doing so was out of concern for the present situation in Haiti. On the other hand Jean-Bertrand Aristide was initially denied access to Haiti by Haitian immigration authorities despite issuing appeals to his supporters and to international observers to be able to do so. The world's most prominent governments did not overtly oppose such appeals nor did they support them; an unnamed analyst 'close to the Haitian government' who was repeatedly quoted in several media sources including the New York Times is reported to have commented "Aristide could have 15 passports and hes still not going to come back to Haiti. ...France and the United States are standing in the way. However Aristide finally returned to Haiti just days before the 2011 Presidential election on March 18 2011.98 Elections Main article: Elections in Haiti The first round of the 2010 Haiti Elections was held in December and qualified Mirlande Manigat and Jude Celestin for the second round but the results of the election were contested. Some people said that the first round was a fraud and that Michel Martelly should be in the place of Jude Celestin Ren Prval's chosen successor. There was some violence between the contending parties.99 On April 4 2011 the Provisional Electoral Council announced preliminary results that Martelly had won the presidential election.100 Economy Main article: Economy of Haiti Bas-Ravine in the northern part of Cap-Haitien Haiti's economy is still recovering from the massive earthquake in January 2010. Its purchasing power parity GDP fell 8% in 2010 (from $12.15 billion to $11.18 billion) and the GDP per capita remained unchanged at (PPP US$) 1200.2 Comparative social and economic indicators show Haiti falling behind other low-income developing countries (particularly in the hemisphere) since the 1980s. Haiti ranked 145 of 182 countries in the 2010 United Nations Human Development Index with 57.3% of the population being deprived in at least three of the HDI's poverty measures.5 The World Factbook reports a shortage of skilled labor widespread unemployment and underemployment saying "more than two-thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs" and describes pre-earthquake Haiti as "already the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere with 80% of the population living under the poverty line and 54% in abject poverty."2 Most Haitians live on $2 or less per day.101 Adult literacy is variously reported as 52.9% World Factbook and 65.3% United Nations and the World Bank estimates that in 2004 over 80% of college graduates from Haiti were living abroad with their remittances home representing 52.7% of Haiti's GDP.102 Cit Soleil is considered one of the worst slums in the Americas103 most of its 500000 residents live in extreme poverty.93 Poverty has forced at least 225000 Haitian children to work as restavecs (unpaid household servants); the United Nations considers this to be a modern-day form of slavery.104 About 66% of all Haitians work in the agricultural sector which consists mainly of small-scale subsistence farming but this activity makes up only 30% of the GDP. The country has experienced little formal job-creation over the past decade although the informal economy is growing. Mangoes and coffee are two of Haiti's most important exports.2 Natural resources of Haiti include bauxite copper calcium carbonate gold marble and hydropower. Haiti contains relatively small amounts of gold silver antimony tin lignite sulphur coal nickel gypsum limestone manganese marble iron tungsten salt clay and various building stones. Gold and copper are found in small quantities in the north of the country. The government announced the discovery of new gold deposits in the northern peninsula in 1985 but long-standing plans for gold production proceeded slowly. Copper also was mined beginning in the 1960s but production of the ore was sporadic. There are bauxite (aluminum ore) deposits on the southern peninsula but large scale mining there was discontinued in 1983. The countrys only bauxite mine the Miragone mine in the southern peninsula produced an average of 500000 tons of bauxite a year in the early 1980s; however in 1982 the declining metal content of the ore high production costs and the oversupplied international bauxite market forced the mine to close. Bauxite had at one time been the countrys second leading export. Haiti apparently has no hydrocarbon resources on land or in the Gulf of Gonve and is therefore heavily dependent on energy imports (petroleum and petroleum products).105 Haiti's richest 1% own nearly half the country's wealth.106 Haiti has consistently ranked among the most corrupt countries in the world on the Corruption Perceptions Index.107 Since the day of "Papa Doc" Duvalier Haiti's government has been notorious for its corruption. It is estimated that President "Baby Doc" Duvalier his wife Michelle and three other people took $504 million from the Haitian public treasury between 1971 and 1986.108 Similarly some media outlets alleged that millions were stolen by former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide.109110111112 However the accuracy of the information is questionable and may have been concocted to discredit Aristide. In March 2004 at the time of Aristide's being kidnapped a BBC article wrote that the Bush administration State department claimed that Aristide had been involved in drug trafficking.113 The BBC also described pyramid schemes in which Haitians lost hundreds of millions in 2002 as the "only real economic initiative" of the Aristide years.114 However this cannot necessarily be entirely blamed on Aristide since one of his conditions upon being returned to Haiti by the Clinton administration during the 90s was that he not stir the pot away from US Free Market Trade Policies.115 Clinton recently expressed regret and apologized for the US's trade policies with Haiti116 Aristide however decided against being further tied to the free market policies that he was restricted to and he attempted to raise the country's minimum wage. Foreign aid makes up approximately 3040% of the national government's budget. The largest donor is the US followed by Canada and the European Union.117 From 1990 to 2003 Haiti received more than $4 billion in aid. The United States alone had provided Haiti with 1.5 billion in aid.118 Venezuela and Cuba also make various contributions to Haiti's economy especially after alliances were renewed in 2006 and 2007. In January 2010 China promised $4.2 million for the quake-hit island.119 US President Barack Obama pledged $1.15 billion in assistance.120 European Union nations promised more than 400 million euros ($616 million) in emergency aid and reconstruction funds.121 US aid to the Haitian government was completely cut off from 2001 to 2004 after the 2000 election was disputed and President Aristide was accused of various misdeeds.122 After Aristide's departure in 2004 aid was restored and the Brazilian army led the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti peacekeeping operation. Following almost 4 years of recession ending in 2004 the economy grew by 1.5% in 2005.123 In 2005 Haiti's total external debt reached an estimated US$1.3 billion which corresponds to a debt per capita of US$169. In September 2009 Haiti met the conditions set out by the IMF and World Bank's Heavily Indebted Poor Countries program to qualify for cancellation of its external debt.124 Transport Roadways Main article: Transport in Haiti Haiti has two main highways that run from one end of the country to the other. The northern highway Route Nationale #1 (National Highway One) originates in Port-au-Prince winding through the coastal towns of Montrouis and Gonaves before reaching its terminus at the northern port Cap-Hatien. The southern highway Route Nationale #2 links Port-au-Prince with Les Cayes via Logne and Petit Gove. According to the Washington Post Officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Saturday January 23 2010 that they assessed the damage from the Jan. 12 quake in Port-au-Prince Haiti and found that many of the roads arent any worse than they were before because theyve always been in poor condition.125 Water The port at Port-au-Prince Port international de Port-au-Prince has more registered shipping than any of the other dozen ports in the country. The port's facilities include cranes large berths and warehouses but these facilities are not in good condition. The port is underused possibly due to the substantially high port fees compared to ports in the Dominican Republic. The port of Saint-Marc is currently the preferred port of entry for consumer goods coming into Haiti. Reasons for this may include its location away from volatile and congested Port-au-Prince as well as its central location relative to numerous Haitian cities. During the 2010 Earthquake the Port-au-Prince port suffered widespread damage impeding aid to the victims. The main pier caved in and fell into the water. One of the main cranes also collapsed in the water. Port access roads were severely damaged as well. Air Main article: List of airports in Haiti Toussaint Louverture International Airport is located 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) North/North East of Port-au-Prince. It has Haiti's main jetway and as such handles the vast majority of the country's international flights. To travel on from the international airport at Port-au-Prince to other Haitian cities requires boarding a smaller plane. Cities such as Jacmel Jeremie Les Cayes Cap Haitien and Port de Paix have airports that are accessible only by smaller aircraft. Companies that fly to these airports include: Sunrise Airways and Caribintair. Rail Main article: Rail transport in Haiti In the past Haiti used rail transport but today railroads are no longer in use due to their replacement by other forms of transportation. Health Main article: Health in Haiti Half of the children in Haiti are unvaccinated; only 40% of the population has access to basic health care.126 Prior to the 2010 earthquake nearly half of all Haitian deaths were attributed to HIV/AIDS respiratory infections meningitis and diarrheal diseases according to the World Health Organization.127 Ninety percent of Haitis children suffer from waterborne diseases and intestinal parasites.128 HIV infection is found in 2.2% of Haiti's adult population.129 The incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in Haiti is more than ten times as high as in the rest of Latin America.130 Approximately 30000 people in Haiti suffer each year from malaria.131 Most people living in Haiti are at high risk for major infectious diseases. Food or waterborne diseases include bacterial and protozoal diarrhea hepatitis A and E and typhoid fever; common vectorborne diseases are dengue fever and malaria; water contact diseases include leptospirosis. Roughly 75% of Haitian households lack running water. Unsafe water along with inadequate housing and unsanitary living conditions contributes to the high incidence of infectious diseases. There is a chronic shortage of health care personnel and hospitals lack resources a situation that became readily apparent after the January 2010 earthquake.132 Education Main article: Education in Haiti The educational system of Haiti is based on the French system. Higher education under the responsibility of the Ministry of Education is provided by universities and other public and private institutions.133 Haiti counts 15200 primary schools of which 90% are non-public and managed by communities religious organizations or NGOs.134 The enrollment rate for primary school is 67% and fewer than 30% reach 6th grade. Secondary schools enroll 20% of eligible-age children. Charity organizations including Food for the Poor and Haitian Health Foundation are building schools for children and providing necessary school supplies. Haiti's literacy rate is 52.9%.2 The January 2010 earthquake was a major setback for education reform in Haiti. Literacy levels remain near 50 percent. Haiti is one of the lowest-ranked countries in the world 177th out of 186 for national spending on education.135 Many reformers have advocated the creation of a free public and universal education system for all primary school-age students in Haiti. The Inter-American Development Bank estimates that the government will need at least $3 billion USD to create an adequately funded system.136 Culture Main article: Culture of Haiti "Tap tap" bus in Port-Salut. Haiti has a long and storied history and therefore retains a rich culture. Haitian culture is a mixture of primarily French African elements and native Tano with influence from the colonial Spanish. The country's customs essentially are a blend of cultural beliefs that derived from the various ethnic groups that inhabited the island of Hispaniola. In nearly all aspects of modern Haitian society however the European and African elements dominate. Haiti is world famous for its distinctive art notably painting and sculpture. The music of Haiti is influenced mostly by European colonial ties and African migration (through slavery). In the case of European colonization musical influence has derived primarily from the French however Haitian music has been influenced to a significant extent by its Spanish-speaking neighbors the Dominican Republic and Cuba whose Spanish-infused music has contributed much to the country's musical genres as well. Styles of music unique to the nation of Haiti include music derived from Voodoo ceremonial traditions Rara parading music troubadour ballads and the wildly popular Compas.137 Compas (in French) or Kompa (in Creole) is a complex ever-changing music that arose from African rhythms and European ballroom dancing mixed with Haiti's bourgeois culture. It is a refined music played with an underpinning of tipico and mringue (related to Dominican merengue) as a basic rhythm. Haiti had no recorded music until 1937 when Jazz Guignard was recorded non-commercially. One of the most popular Haitian artists is Wyclef Jean. Wyclef Jean however left the country before his teenage years. His music is somewhat hip-hop mixed with world music. Brilliant colors naive perspective and sly humor characterize Haitian art. Frequent subjects in Haitian art include big delectable foods lush landscapes market activities jungle animals rituals dances and gods. Artists frequently paint in fables. People are disguised as animals and animals are transformed into people. In a mostly illiterate land symbols take on great meaning. For example a rooster often represents Aristide and the red and blue colors of the Haitian flag often represent his Lavalas party. Many artists cluster in schools of painting such as the Cap Haitien school which features depictions of daily life in the city the Jacmel School which reflects the steep mountains and bays of that coastal town or the Saint-Soleil School which is characterized by abstracted human forms and is heavily influenced by Voodoo symbolism. Cuisine Main article: Cuisine of Haiti Haitian cuisine. The cuisine of Haiti originates from several culinary styles from the various historical ethnic groups that populated the western portion of the island of Hispaniola namely the French African and the Tano. Haitian cuisine is similar to the rest of the Latin-Caribbean (the French and the Spanish-speaking countries of the Antilles) however it differs in several ways from its regional counterparts. Its primary influence derive from French cuisine and African cuisine with notable derivatives from native Tano and Spanish culinary technique. Though similar to other cooking styles in the region it carries a uniqueness native only to the country and an appeal to many visitors to the island. Haitians often use peppers and other strong flavorings. Dishes tend to be seasoned liberally and consequently Haitian cuisine tends to be moderately spicy not mild and not too hot. In the country however many businesses of foreign origin have been established introducing several foreign cuisines into the mainstream culture. Years of adaptation have led to these cuisines (ie: Levantine from Arab migration to Haiti) to merge into Haitian cuisine. Rice and beans in several differing ways are eaten throughout the country regardless of location becoming a sort of national dish. They form the staple diet which consists of a lot of starch and is high in carbohydrates. Rural areas with better access to agricultural products have a larger variety of choices. One such dish is mais moulu (mayi moulin) which is comparable to cornmeal that can be eaten with sauce aux pois (ss pwa) a bean sauce made from one of many types of beans such as kidney pinto or garbanzo beans or pigeon peas (known in some countries as gandules). Mais moulin can be eaten with fish (often red snapper) or alone depending on personal preference. Some of the many plants used in Haitian dishes include tomato oregano cabbage avocado bell peppers. A popular food is banane pese (ban-nan'n peze) flattened plantain slices fried in soybean oil (known as tostones in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico). It is eaten both as a snack and as part of a meal is often eaten with tassot or griot which are deep-fried goat and pork respectively. Sports Soccer is the most popular sport in Haiti. Basketball is growing in popularity.138 Hundreds of small football clubs compete at the local level.138 See also Haiti portal Geography portal Main article: Outline of Haiti Index of Haiti-related articles Wikipedia in Haitian Kreyol Wikipedia in French National Museum of Haiti External debt of Haiti List of Haitians Le Nouvelliste (Haiti) Notes Article 4 of the Constitution a b c d e f g "Haiti". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. Archived from the original on 2011-03-03. http://www.webcitation.org/5wu9PoobA.  a b c d "Haiti". International Monetary Fund. http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2011/01/weodata/weorept.aspxsy2008&ey2011&scsm1&ssd1&sortcountry&ds.&br1&c263&sNGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC%2CLP&grp0&a&pr.x30&pr.y10. Retrieved 2011-04-21.  "Gini Index". World Bank. http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.GINI/. Retrieved 2 March 2011.  a b "International Human Development Indicators: Haiti". United Nations Development Programme. 2008 data in 2010 Report. Archived from the original on 2011-03-03. http://www.webcitation.org/5wu7eL0Db.  "Country profile: Haiti". BBC News. 2010-01-19. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/countryprofiles/1202772.stm. Retrieved 2010-01-23.  - A Call to Action: Haiti at 6 months World Vision Australia 12 July 2010. Retrieved 13 January 2011. a b "Haiti quake death toll rises to 230000". BBC. 2010-02-10. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8507531.stm.  http://www.oxfam.org/en/pressroom/pressrelease/2011-01-06/year-indecision-leaves-haiti-recovery-standstill Cass 1995: 126. Wilson 1990: 110. "David A. Koplow Smallpox: The Fight to Eradicate a Global Scourge". http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/9968/9968.ch01.php. Retrieved 2010-01-13.  "History of Smallpox Smallpox Through the Ages" Texas Department of State Health Services. Retrieved 2010-01-14. Laws of Burgos 15121513". Retrieved 2010-02-16. Encomienda (Spanish policy). Encyclopdia Britannica. Retrieved 2010-02-16. Saving New Orleans Smithsonian magazine August 2006. Retrieved 2010-02-16. Clark George P. (1980). "The Role of the Haitian Volunteers at Savannah in 1779: An Attempt at an Objective View". Phylon (1960) (Clark Atlanta University) 41 (4): 356366. doi:10.2307/274860. ISSN 00318906. JSTOR 274860.  Magocsi Paul R. (1999). Encyclopedia of Canada's peoples. University of Toronto Press. p. 649. ISBN 0-802-02938-8. http://books.google.com/iddbUuX0mnvQMC&pgPA649.  Immigration History of Canada LEncyclopdie de lhistoire du Qubec / The Quebec History Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2010-01-14. a b c Paul Farmer (April 15 2004). "Who removed Aristide". Archived from the original on June 6 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080608222428/http://www.lrb.co.uk/v26/n08/farm01.html. Retrieved 2010-02-19.  Decree of the National Convention of 4 February 1794 Abolishing Slavery in all the Colonies. Retrieved 2010-01-14. "Poles in Haiti" The New York Times March 22 1987. Retrieved 2010-01-14. The Haitian Debacle: Yellow Fever and the Fate of the French Montana State University. Retrieved 2010-01-14. Birth of a Nation / "Has the bloody 200-year history of Haiti doomed it to more violence" by Adam Hochschild San Francisco Chronicle May 30 2004. Retrieved 2010-02-18. Pachonski "Book Review" Poland's Caribbean Tragedy: A Study of Polish Legions in the Haitian War of Independence 18021803 Webster University. Retrieved 2010-02-19. a b A Brief History of Dessalines from 1825 Missionary Journal Webster University. Retrieved 2010-02-16. Blackpast.com "Haitian Revolution 17911804". Retrieved 2010-02-19. 1 NT Times March 31 2010 From Saint-Domingue to Louisiana The African-American Migration Experience. Retrieved 2010-02-16. "In Congo Square: Colonial New Orleans" The Nation 2008-12-10. Haitians Center for Cultural & Eco-Tourism University of Louisiana. Retrieved 2010-02-16. Constitution of Haiti sic New-York Evening Post 1805-07-15. Independent Haiti Library of Congress Country Studies. Retrieved 2010-02-19. Henri Christophe: Biography from Answers.com Bushnell David and Langley Lester ed (2008). Simn Bolvar: essays on the life and legacy of the liberator. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 5. ISBN 0742556190.  Sags Ernesto (October 14 1994). "An apparent contradiction Popular perceptions of Haiti and the foreign policy of the Dominican Republic". Sixth Annual Conference of the Haitian Studies Association. http://haitiforever.com/windowsonhaiti/esagas2.shtml. Retrieved 2007-08-19.  Dominican Republic History Dominican Republic Encyclopdia Britannica. Retrieved 2010-02-16. Jean-Pierre Boyer (President of Haiti) Encyclopdia Britannica. 1820 1843: The rule of Jean-Pierre Boyer Bob Corbett July 1995 Webster University. Retrieved 2010-02-16. US Gazette Philadelphia 1824 from Girard Alphonse Firire Ph.D. "HAITI AND ITS DIASPORA: NEW HISTORICAL CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC FRONTIERS" 27 August 1999. Retrieved 2010-01-15. a b Paul Farmer The Uses of Haiti (Common Courage Press: 1994). Farmer Paul; Kozol Jonathan (2006). The uses of Haiti (3 ed.). Common Courage Press. p. 74. ISBN 1567513441.  Paul Farmer The Uses of Haiti (Common Courage Press: 1994) Henl pp. 454455. a b Paul Farmer Aids and accusation: Haiti and the geography of blame 2006 California University Press ISBN 978-0-520-24839-7 pp. 180181. Wucker Michele. "Why the Cocks Fight: Dominicans Haitians and the Struggle for Hispaniola". Windows on Haiti. http://www.ling.upenn.edu/courses/Fall2003/ling001/wucker.html. Retrieved 2007-12-26.  The Haitian revolution and its effects. Patrick E. Bryan. Encyclopedia Britannica US Embassy to Haiti website. Retrieved 2010-01-13. The Carter Center. "Activities by Country: Haiti". http://www.cartercenter.org/countries/haiti.html. Retrieved 2010-02-19.  MISSION TO HAITI: THE SCENE; For Aristide's Followers Every Step Is a Dance Every Cheer a Song by CATHERINE S. MANEGOLD October 16 1994 NYTimes.com. Retrieved 2010-02-19. Hallward P. Damming the Flood:Haiti Aristide and the Politics of containment' London UK: Verso Books 2007 p. xiii 7879 Haiti in the balance: why foreign aid has failed and what we can do about it. Terry F. BussAdam Gardner. Aristide Kidnapped by US Forces 2 Preval Nominates Michele Pierre-Louis for Prime Minister by Yves Pierre-Louis & Kim Ives Haiti Libert July 02 2008. HaitiAnalysis.com. Retrieved 2010-02-19. "Haitian president Preval names a new prime minister" AFP 2008-06-23. "Haiti lawmakers ratify 2nd female prime minister" Associated Press 2008-07-31. Sean Penn says quick action needed to fight cholera in Haiti - CNN.com US sending 10000 troops to earthquake-hit Haiti BBC News 15 January 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-16. "The challenge of rebuilding Haiti". BBC News. 29 January 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8482237.stm. Retrieved 2010-01-31.  "Haitians attack U.N. troops blame them for cholera". Reuters. 2010-11-15. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6AA5PC20101115.  a b 3dead link Archibold Randal C. (2010-11-14). "Cholera Deaths Up in Haiti With Worst to Come". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/15/world/americas/15cholera.html.  http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2010/11/16/haiti-cholera-deaths.html Map of Haiti. Retrieved 2010-02-16. "Forestry in Haiti". http://countrystudies.us/haiti/53.htm. Retrieved 2010-02-16.  Deforestation Exacerbates Haiti Floods by Amy Bracken September 22 2004. Retrieved 2010-02-16. "Photo Gallery: Jeanne hits Haiti". Orlando Sentinel. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sfl-0923haitigallery07266223.photogallery. Retrieved 2010-02-16.  "UN seeks almost $108 million for Haiti floods". http://www.miamiherald.com/news/americas/haiti/story/680730.html. Retrieved 2008-09-12. dead link "Haiti's government falls after food riots". Reuters. April 12 2008. http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN1228245020080413. Retrieved 2010-02-16.  "Magnitude 7.0 Haiti Region". http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eqinthenews/2010/us2010rja6/. Retrieved 2010-01-12.  "Major earthquake off Haiti causes hospital to collapse Telegraph". London: telegraph.co.uk. 2010-01-12. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/centralamericaandthecaribbean/haiti/6977308/Major-earthquake-off-Haiti-causes-hospital-to-collapse.html. Retrieved 2010-01-12.  Harris Dan; Martha Raddatz (2010-01-16). "Racing the Clock to Save Haiti Quake Victims Amid the Stench of Death". ABC World News (ABC). http://abcnews.go.com/WN/HaitiEarthquake/obama-enlists-presidents-haitians-grow-desperate-amid-slow/storyid9579651. Retrieved 2010-01-17.  Farnsworth Eric (January 19 2010). "Reconstruction Will Be the Real Challenge". National Journal Online. http://www.as-coa.org/article.phpid2115&navres&pid13. Retrieved 2010-01-20.  "The challenge of rebuilding Haiti". BBC News. January 29 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8482237.stm. Retrieved 2010-01-29.  "Nuncio to Haiti". Agencia Fides. September 21 2010. http://www.fides.org/aree/news/newsdet.phpidnews27454&laneng. Retrieved 2010-09-23.  "Report challenges Haiti earthquake death toll". BBC. 31 May 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13606720. Retrieved 31 May 2011.  Country profile: Haiti BBC News 10 November 2008. Retrieved 2010-02-16. New Haiti Census Shows Drastic Lack of Jobs Education Maternal Health Services United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) 10 May 2006. Retrieved 2010-02-16. Haiti Population Library of Congress Country Studies. Retrieved 2010-02-16. a b Joshua Project. "Aimaq Firozkohi of Afghanistan Ethnic People Profile". Joshua Project. http://www.joshuaproject.net/peopctry.php. Retrieved 2010-01-14.  "The Virtual Jewish History Tour: Haiti". Jewishvirtuallibrary.org. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vjw/haiti.html. Retrieved 2010-01-14.  Pina Digenes. "DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Deport Thy (Darker-Skinned) Neighbour". Inter Press Service (IPS). http://ipsnews.net/news.aspidnews37018. Retrieved 2008-10-14.  Haiti's chaos reverberates for expatriates in American cities By Sara B. Miller Csmonitor.com March 3 2004. Retrieved 2010-02-16. Ethnic origins 2006 counts for Canada provinces and territories 20% sample data Statistics Canada (2006). Retrieved 2008-08-11. France Suspends Expulsions Of Illegal Haitians CBC News 2010-01-14.dead link Bahamas outlook clouds for Haitians by Nick Davis BBC News 20 September 2009. Retrieved 2010-02-16. "creolenationallanguageofhaiti". Indiana.edu. http://www.indiana.edu/creole/creolenatllangofhaiti.html. Retrieved 2010-01-14.  Sadowski Dennis (Augusut 6-19 2010). "Hope and struggles remain in Haiti six months after earthquake". Orlando Florida: Florida Catholic. pp. A7.  http://www.haiti.org/index.phpoptioncomcontent&viewarticle&id121&Itemid90 Haiti Starts Over Once Again by Michele Kelemen March 2 2004 NPR: National Public Radio. Retrieved 2010-02-16. a b "Ghosts of Cit Soleil" a harrowing look at Haiti's hellish slums The Seattle Times August 10 2007. Retrieved 2010-02-16. Haitian Gangs Seek Truce That Would Ease Elections (Update1) by Bill Varner Bloomberg.com August 25 2005. Retrieved 2010-02-16. The long history of troubled ties between Haiti and the US BBC News 16 January 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-16. "2006 Corruption Perceptions Index reinforces link between poverty and corruption". Transparency International. November 6 2006. http://www.transparency.org/newsroom/latestnews/pressreleases/2006/en20061106cpi2006. Retrieved 2009-01-15.  "Hoping for change in Haitis Cit-Soleil". International Red Cross. http://www.redcross.int/EN/mag/magazine20062/10-11.html. Retrieved 2010-02-16.  Thompson Ginger (2011-01-19). "Aristide Says He Is Ready to Follow Duvalier Back to Haiti". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/20/world/americas/20haiti.html.  "Haiti Unrest". Educational Broadcasting Corporation. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/episodes/december-10-2010/haiti-unrest/7663/. Retrieved 2010-11-12.  Miami Herald Haitians Hit Hard by Food Crisis. National Public Radio (NPR) February 7 2008. Retrieved 2010-02-16. "Latin America Shouldn't Bet Everything On Remittances". World Bank. October 31 2006. Archived from the original on 2011-03-03. http://www.webcitation.org/5wuDIPQgH.  U.N. Troops Fight Haiti Gangs One Street at a Time The New York Times February 10 2007. Retrieved 2010-02-16. Report: 225000 Haiti children in slavery USATODAY.com 2009-12-22. Retrieved 2010-02-16. Hadden Robert Lee and Steven G. Minson. 2010. The Geology of Haiti: An Annotated Bibliography of Haiti's Geology Geography and Earth Science. Page 8. Haiti: An economic basket-case BBC News 1 March 2004. Retrieved 2010-02-16. Haiti tops world corruption table BBC News 6 November 2006. Retrieved 2010-02-16. Haiti: The Long Road to Recovery by Siri Schubert Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) May 22 2009. Retrieved 2010-02-16. "Aristide Development". American Spectator Vol. 027 Issue 007 (July 1 1994). Rapport UCREF. "Probe of Aristide administration finds evidence of embezzlement". Dominican Today. October 31 2005. http://www.dominicantoday.com/dr/world/2005/10/31/6524/Probe-of-Aristide-administration-finds-evidence-of-embezzlement.  The Haiti File. Caistor Nick (March 19 2004). "Haiti's drug money scourge". BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3524444.stm.  Haiti: An economic basket-case. Turning Points in History(Documentary) Episode: "Aristide's Haiti" "We Made a Devil's Bargain": Fmr. President Clinton Apologizes for Trade Policies that Destroyed Haitian Rice Farming $1 Billion Is Pledged to Help Haiti Rebuild Topping Request By CHRISTOPHER MARQUIS The New York Times July 21 2004. Retrieved 2010-02-16. Q+A-Haiti's aid controversy by Anastasia Moloney Reuters 28 September 2009. Retrieved 2010-02-16. Haiti aid a telling test of China-Taiwan relations San Francisco Chronicle 2010-01-16.dead link Haiti's police struggle to control ravaged capital by Jonathan M. Katz The Washington Post April 11 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-24. Haiti fears grows despite surge in relief effort Yahoo News. 2009-01-18.dead link Before fall of Aristide Haiti hit by aid cutoff by Farah Stockman The Boston Globe March 7 2004. Retrieved 2010-02-16. "Haiti: Economy" Michigan State University. Haiti: Enhanced Initiative for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Completion Point Document International Monetary Fund September 2009. Hedgpeth Dana. 2010. Haitis Bad Roads not Damaged by Quake Army Engineers Say. Washington Post. January 23 2010. Haiti Survivors Face Outbreaks of Diarrhea Malaria (Update1) BusinessWeek 2010-01-14.dead link Haiti earthquake could trigger possible medical 'perfect storm' by Madison Park CNN.com January 13 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-16. ENVIRONMENT: Haiti Can't Face More Defeats by Stephen Leahy IPS ipsnews.net November 13 2008. Retrieved 2010-02-16. Haiti's Aids and voodoo challenge by Nick Caistor BBC News 20 November 2003. Retrieved 2010-02-16. Haiti Introduction Globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 2010-02-16. Haiti and Dominican Republic Look to Eradicate Malaria October 08 2009 FOXNews.com. Retrieved 2010-02-16. Hadden Robert Lee and Steven G. Minson. 2010. The Geology of Haiti: An Annotated Bibliography of Haiti's Geology Geography and Earth Science. Page 10. "Education in Haiti; Primary Education". http://www.buildingwithbooks.org/intra/IntlPrograms/profileHaiti.html. Retrieved 2007-11-15.  "Education: Overview". United States Agency for International Development. Archived from the original on October 17 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20071017050613/http://www.usaid.gov/ht/education.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-15.  Haiti's Lost Children. Retrieved Friday December 3 2010 from http://www.haitiedstories.org/background/ Improving Access to Education in Haiti. Retrieved Tuesday October 26 2010 from http://pulitzercenter.org/blog/untold-stories/improving-access-education-haiti Afropop Worldwide "Music and the Story of Haiti". Retrieved 2010-02-16. a b Haiti: a guide to the people ... - Google Books External material References Cass Roberto. 1995. Los indios de las Antillas. Madrid: MAPFRE. Series: Pueblos y lenguas indgenas 10. Wilson Samuel M. 1990. Hispaniola: Caribbean chiefdoms in the age of Columbus. Univ. of Alabama Press. Further reading Arthur Charles. Haiti in Focus: A Guide to the People Politics and Culture. Interlink Publishing Group (2002). ISBN 1-56656-359-3. Dayan Colin. Haiti History and the Gods. University of California Press (1998). ISBN 0-520-21368-8. Hadden Robert Lee and Steven G. Minson. 2010. The Geology of Haiti: An Annotated Bibliography of Haiti's Geology Geography and Earth Science. US Army Corps of Engineers Army Geospatial Center. July 2010. Heinl Robert Debs & Nancy Gordon Heinl. Written in Blood: The Story of the Haitian People 14921995. University Press of America (2005). ISBN 0-7618-3177-0. Robinson Randall. An Unbroken Agony: Haiti From Revolution to the Kidnapping of a President. Basic Civitas (2007). ISBN 0-465-07050-7. Wilentz Amy. The Rainy Season: Haiti Since Duvalier. Simon & Schuster (1990). ISBN 0-671-70628-4. External links Find more about Haiti on Wikipedia's sister projects: Definitions from Wiktionary Images and media from Commons Learning resources from Wikiversity News stories from Wikinews Quotations from Wikiquote Source texts from Wikisource Textbooks from Wikibooks Government Republic of Haiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs official website General information Haiti at the Open Directory Project Haiti at Encyclopaedia Britannica Haiti entry at The World Factbook Haiti at UCB Libraries GovPubs A Country Study: Haiti from the U.S. Library of Congress (December 1989) Wikimedia Atlas of Haiti Maps Map of Haiti from Elahmad.com Collection of maps from the Perry-Castaeda Library at the University of Texas Map of Haiti from the United Nations Maps of Haiti from the US Army Corps of Engineers Army Geospatial Center including geology hydrology geography and trafficability Travel Haiti travel guide from Wikitravel Relief Organizations The ICRC in Haiti International Committee of the Red Cross Hope for Haiti Education and grassroots development in rural Haiti. Haiti volunteer youth corps Training leaders in trauma relief community empowerment and sustainable agriculture Instituto Dominicano Desarrollo Integral Main Branch of the Haitian Institute fron Integral Development. The Haitian Institute for Integral Development The Haitian Institute for Integral Development v d e Haiti topics History Timeline  Revolution  US occupation  1915-1986  2004 rebellion  2010 earthquake and cholera outbreak Geography Administrative divisions  Cities  Deforestation  Environment  Islands  National parks  Rivers Governance Constitution  Foreign relations  Government  Law enforcement  Military  Parliament  President  Prime Minister  Supreme Court Politics Elections  Political parties  Human rights Economy Agriculture  Airports  Central bank  Communications  Currency  External debt  Foreign aid  Transport  Tourism  Water supply and sanitation  Media Society Crime  Demographics  Education  Health  Religion  Social class Culture Art  Cinema  Cuisine  Haitian Creole  Holidays  Literature  Music  Notable people  Geographic locale v d e Departments arrondissements and communes of Haiti Artibonite Department Dessalines Arrondissement:   Desdunes   Dessalines   Grande Saline   Petite Rivire de l'Artibonite Gonaves Arrondissement:   Ennery   Estre   Gonaves   Gros Morne Arrondissement   Anse Rouge   Gros-Morne   Terre-Neuve Marmelade Arrondissement:   Marmelade   Saint Michel de l'Attalaye Saint-Marc Arrondissement:   La Chapelle   Saint-Marc   Verrettes Centre Department Cerca La Source Arrondissement:   Cerca La Source   Thomassique Hinche Arrondissement:   Cerca-Cavajal   Hinche   Massade   Thomonde Lascahobas Arrondissement:   Belladre   Lascahobas   Savanette Mirebalais Arrondissement:   Boucan-Carr   Mirebalais   Saut-d'Eau Grand'Anse Department Anse d'Hainault Arrondissement:   Anse d'Hainault  Dame-Marie  Les Irois Corail Arrondissement:   Beaumont  Corail  Pestel  Roseaux Jrmie Arrondissement:   Abricots  Bonbon  Chambellan  Jrmie  Moron Nippes Department Anse--Veau Arrondissement:   Anse--Veau   L'Asile   Baradres   Petit Trou de Nippes Miragone Arrondissement:   Miragone   Petite-Rivire-de-Nippes Nord Department Acul du Nord Arrondissement:   Acul-du-Nord  Milot  Plaine-du-Nord Borgne Arrondissement:   Borgne  Port-Margot Cap-Hatien Arrondissement:   Cap-Hatien  Limonade  Quartier-Morin Grande-Rivire-du-Nord Arrondissement:  Bahon  Grande-Rivire-du-Nord Limb Arrondissement:   Bas-Limb  Limb Plaissance Arrondissement:   Pilate  Plaisance Saint-Raphal Arrondissement   Dondon  La Victoire  Pignon  Ranquitte  Saint-Raphal Nord-Est Department Fort-Libert Arrondissement:   Fort-Libert  Perches  Ferrier Ouanaminthe Arrondissement:   Capotille  Mont-Organis  Ouanaminthe Trou du Nord Arrondissement:   Caracol  Sainte Suzanne  Terrier-Rouge  Trou-du-Nord Vallires Arrondissement:   Carice  Mombin-Crochu  Vallires Nord-Ouest Department Mle Saint Nicholas Arrondissement:   Baie-de-Henne  Bombardopolis  Jean-Rabel  Mle Saint-Nicolas Port-de-Paix Arrondissement:   Bassin-Bleu  Chansolme  La Tortue  Port-de-Paix Saint-Louis du Nord Arrondissement:   Anse--Foleur  Saint-Louis-du-Nord Ouest Department Arcahaie Arrondissement:   Arcahaie  Cabaret Croix-des-Bouquets Arrondissement:   Cornillon  Croix-des-Bouquets  Fonds-Verrettes  Ganthier  Thomazeau La Gonave Arrondissement:   Anse--Galets  Pointe--Raquette Logne Arrondissement:   Grand-Gove  Logne  Petit-Gove Port-au-Prince Arrondissement:   Carrefour  Delmas  Gressier  Kenscoff  Ptionville  Tabarre  Cit Soleil  Port-au-Prince Sud-Est Department Bainet Arrondissement:   Bainet  Ctes-de-Fer Belle-Anse Arrondissement:   Anse--Pitres  Belle-Anse  Grand-Gosier  Thiotte Jacmel Arrondissement:   Cayes-Jacmel  Jacmel  La Valle  Marigot Sud Department Aquin Arrondissement:   Aquin  Cavaellon  Saint-Louis-du-Sud Les Cayes Arrondissement:   Camp-Perrin  Les Cayes  Chantal  le Vache  Maniche  Torbeck Chardonnires Arrondissement:   Les Anglais  Chardonnires  Tiburon Cteaux Arrondissement:   Cteaux  Port--Piment  Roche--Bateaux Port-Salut Arrondissement:   Arniquet  Port-Salut  Saint-Jean-du-Sud v d eCountries and territories of the Caribbean  Sovereign states Commonwealth Realms Antigua and Barbuda  Bahamas  Barbados  Grenada  Jamaica  St. Kitts and Nevis  St. Lucia  St. Vincent and the Grenadines Commonwealth republics Dominica  Trinidad and Tobago Other republics Cuba  Dominican Republic  Haiti  Dependencies and other areas by parent state United Kingdom Anguilla  British Virgin Islands  Cayman Islands  Montserrat  Turks and Caicos Islands Netherlands Aruba  Bonaire  Curaao  Saba  Saint Eustatius  Sint Maarten France Guadeloupe  Martinique  St. Barthlemy  St. Martin United States Bajo Nuevo Bank  Navassa Island  Puerto Rico  Serranilla Bank  U.S. Virgin Islands v d eCountries and dependencies of North America Sovereign states Antigua and Barbuda  Bahamas  Barbados  Belize  Canada  Costa Rica  Cuba  Dominica  Dominican Republic  El Salvador  France (Guadeloupe  Martinique)  Grenada  Guatemala  Haiti  Honduras  Jamaica  Mexico  Nicaragua  Netherlands (Bonaire  Saba  Saint Eustatius)  Panama  St. Kitts and Nevis  St. Lucia  St. Vincent and the Grenadines  Trinidad and Tobago  United States Dependencies Denmark Greenland France Clipperton Island  St. Barthlemy  St. Martin  St. Pierre and Miquelon Netherlands Aruba  Curaao  Sint Maarten United Kingdom Anguilla  Bermuda  British Virgin Islands  Cayman Islands  Montserrat  Turks and Caicos Islands United States Bajo Nuevo Bank  Navassa Island  Puerto Rico  Serranilla Bank  U.S. Virgin Islands  International membership v d eOrganization of American States (OAS) Antigua and Barbuda  Argentina  Barbados  Brazil  Belize  Bahamas  Bolivia  Chile  Costa Rica  Cuba  Canada  Dominica  Dominican Republic  Ecuador  El Salvador  Grenada  Guatemala  Guyana  Haiti  Honduras  Jamaica  Mexico  Nicaragua  Panama  Paraguay  Peru  St. Lucia  St. Vincent and the Grenadines  St. Kitts and Nevis  Suriname  Trinidad and Tobago  United States  Uruguay  Venezuela v d eLatin Union Member nations Andorra  Angola  Bolivia  Brazil  Cape Verde  Chile  Colombia  Costa Rica  Cte d'Ivoire  Cuba  Dominican Republic  East Timor  Ecuador  El Salvador  France  Guatemala  Guinea-Bissau  Haiti  Honduras  Italy  Mexico  Moldova  Monaco  Mozambique  Nicaragua  Panama  Paraguay  Peru  Philippines  Portugal  Romania  San Marino  So Tom and Prncipe  Senegal  Spain  Uruguay  Venezuela Permanent observers Argentina  Holy See  Sovereign Military Order of Malta Official languages Catalan  French  Italian  Portuguese  Romanian  Spanish v d eMember states and observers of the Francophonie Members Albania  Andorra  Armenia  Belgium (French Community)  Benin  Bulgaria  Burkina Faso  Burundi  Cambodia  Cameroon  Canada (New Brunswick  Quebec)  Cape Verde  Central African Republic  Chad  Comoros  Cyprus1  Democratic Republic of the Congo  Republic of the Congo  Cte d'Ivoire  Djibouti  Dominica  Egypt  Equatorial Guinea  France (French Guiana  Guadeloupe  Martinique  St. Pierre and Miquelon)  Gabon  Ghana1  Greece  Guinea  Guinea-Bissau  Haiti  Laos  Luxembourg  Lebanon  Macedonia2  Madagascar  Mali  Mauritania  Mauritius  Moldova  Monaco  Morocco  Niger  Romania  Rwanda  St. Lucia  So Tom and Prncipe  Senegal  Seychelles  Switzerland  Togo  Tunisia  Vanuatu  Vietnam Observers Austria  Croatia  Czech Republic  Dominican Republic  Georgia  Hungary  Latvia  Lithuania  Mozambique  Poland  Serbia  Slovakia  Slovenia  Thailand  Ukraine 1 Associate member. 2 Provisionally referred to by the Francophonie as the "former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia"; see Macedonia naming dispute. v d eCaribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat (Secretary-General) Nations Members Antigua and Barbuda  Bahamas1  Barbados  Belize  Dominica  Grenada  Guyana  Haiti1  Jamaica  Montserrat2  St. Kitts and Nevis  St. Lucia  St. Vincent and the Grenadines  Suriname  Trinidad and Tobago Associate members Anguilla  Bermuda  Cayman Islands  British Virgin Islands  Turks and Caicos Islands Observers Aruba  Colombia  Curaao  Dominican Republic  Mexico  Puerto Rico  Sint Maarten  Venezuela Institutions CSME  CDEMA  CMO  CMO  CXC  CCJ  CFC  CEHI  CARDI  REPAHA  ACCP  CARICAD  CFNI  CCC  CRITI  Related organizations Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States 1 Member of the Community but not of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).   2 British overseas territory awaiting entrustment to join the CSME.