Haiti is a Caribbean country occupying one third of the island of Hispaniola, sharing it with the Dominican Republic. It has mountainous terrain, deep valleys, and plateaus. It was a French colony, and now has an elected government. The population is over eight million, mostly black, with a low life expectancy. The official languages are Creole and French, and the official currency is the gourde.
The republic of Haiti is a country located in the Caribbean Sea. It is part of the island of Hispaniola, occupying one third of its western geography. However, this third of the island isn’t just Haiti’s, as the country shares this region with the Dominican Republic. Haiti is smaller in size, as far as countries are concerned, and occupies the same space as the state of Maryland. Included in the territory of the country are some smaller islands, called La Gonave, La Grande Caye, La Tortue, Les Cayemite and lle de Anacaona.
Most of Haiti is characterized by mountainous terrain, which accounts for about two-thirds of its land holdings. What is not covered by the mountainous terrain is graced by deep valleys and vast regions of plateaus as well as smaller lowland areas. The total territory of the country covers approximately 10,714 square miles (27,750 square kilometers). Approximately, 10,641 square miles (27,560 square kilometers) of this is land. The territory of Haiti comprises about 0.7 percent of water.
Haiti is one of the places explored by Christopher Columbus in 1492. Soon after that event it fell under the control of Spain. However, France took over in 1697 when it established today’s Haiti as a French colony named Saint-Dominique. Under French rule, the colony established itself as a leader in sugar cane production, an industry that depended on the use of slave labor.
Today Haiti is still independent and is considered a republic. It has an elected government which includes, but is not limited to, a president and a prime minister. The government is responsible for providing for the needs of a population of over eight million people. Unfortunately, the population has a low life expectancy. While some countries have life expectancies in the 70s or 80s, residents of Haiti face a life expectancy of around 57 years.
Blacks make up the majority of Haiti’s population, making up about 95% of the population. The remaining five percent are mulatto or white. About 80 percent of Haiti’s population are Roman Catholics and the rest of the residents are Protestant or have no religion. The official languages are Creole and French and the official currency is the gourde. A large part of the country’s population lives in its capital, called Port-au-Prince.
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