Haiti (2003) | Christmas Island (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | 9 departments (departements, singular - departement); Artibonite, Centre, Grand 'Anse, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est | none (territory of Australia) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 42.7% (male 1,637,853; female 1,575,893)
15-64 years: 53.6% (male 1,962,975; female 2,073,353) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 131,784; female 145,959) (2003 est.) |
0-14 years:
NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% |
Agriculture - products | coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum; wood | NA |
Airports | 12 (2002) | 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
total:
1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 6 (2002) |
- |
Area | total: 27,750 sq km
land: 27,560 sq km water: 190 sq km |
total:
135 sq km land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Maryland | about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | The native Arawak Amerindians - who inhabited the island of Hispaniola when it was discovered by Columbus in 1492 - were virtually annihilated by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In the early 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola, and in 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of the island - Haiti. The French colony, based on forestry and sugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest in the Caribbean, but only through the heavy importation of African slaves and considerable environmental degradation. In the late 18th century, Haiti's nearly half million slaves revolted under Toussaint L'OUVERTURE and after a prolonged struggle, became the first black republic to declare its independence in 1804. Haiti has been plagued by political violence for most of its history since then, and it is now one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. Over three decades of dictatorship followed by military rule ended in 1990 when Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE was elected president. Most of his term was usurped by a military takeover, but he was able to return to office in 1994 and oversee the installation of a close associate to the presidency in 1996. ARISTIDE won a second term as president in 2000, and took office early in 2001. However, a political crisis stemming from fraudulent legislative elections in 2000 has not yet been resolved. | Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. The phosphate mine, closed in 1987, was reopened four years later, but the need for an alternative industry has spurred investment in tourism. Old mining areas are being restored, and almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park. |
Birth rate | 34.06 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | NA births/1,000 population |
Budget | revenues: $273 million
expenditures: $361 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY 00/01 est.) |
revenues:
$NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA |
Capital | Port-au-Prince | The Settlement |
Climate | tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds | tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds |
Coastline | 1,771 km | 138.9 km |
Constitution | approved March 1987; suspended June 1988, with most articles reinstated March 1989; in October 1991, government claimed to be observing the constitution; return to constitutional rule, October 1994 | Christmas Island Act of 1958 |
Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Haiti
conventional short form: Haiti local long form: Republique d'Haiti local short form: Haiti |
conventional long form:
Territory of Christmas Island conventional short form: Christmas Island |
Currency | gourde (HTG) | Australian dollar (AUD) |
Death rate | 13.36 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | NA deaths/1,000 population |
Debt - external | $1.2 billion (1999) | $NA |
Dependency status | - | territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador James B. Foley
embassy: 5 Harry S Truman Boulevard, Port-au-Prince mailing address: P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince telephone: [509] 222-0354, 222-0368, 222-0200, 222-0612 FAX: [509] 223-1641 |
none (territory of Australia) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chief of Mission Harry Frantz LEO
chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090 FAX: [1] (202) 745-7215 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, and San Juan (Puerto Rico) |
none (territory of Australia) |
Disputes - international | despite efforts to control illegal migration, destitute Haitians continue to cross into Dominican Republic; claims US-administered Navassa Island | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $120 million (FY02) | $NA |
Economy - overview | About 80% of the population lives in abject poverty. Nearly 70% of all Haitians depend on the agriculture sector, which consists mainly of small-scale subsistence farming and employs about two-thirds of the economically active work force. Following legislative elections in May 2000, fraught with irregularities, international donors - including the US and EU - suspended almost all aid to Haiti. The economy shrank an estimated 1.2% in 2001 and an estimated 0.9% in 2002. The contraction will likely intensify in 2003 unless a political agreement with donors is reached on economic policy. Suspended aid and loan disbursements totaled more than $500 million at the start of 2003. | Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened by union workers. With the support of the government, Australian-based Casinos Austria International Ltd. built a $34 million casino on Christmas Island, which opened in 1993. As of yearend 1999, gaming facilities at the casino were temporarily closed but were expected to reopen in early 2000. Another economic prospect is the possible location of a space-launching site on the island. |
Electricity - consumption | 539.4 million kWh (2001) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | - |
Electricity - production | 580 million kWh (2001) | NA kWh |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 60.3%
hydro: 39.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
fossil fuel:
NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m |
lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Murray Hill 361 m |
Environment - current issues | extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land is being cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion; inadequate supplies of potable water | NA |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban |
- |
Ethnic groups | black 95%, mulatto and white 5% | Chinese 61%, Malay 25%, European 11%, other 3%, no indigenous population |
Exchange rates | gourdes per US dollar - 29.25 (2002), 24.43 (2001), 21.17 (2000), 16.94 (1999), 16.77 (1998) | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.7995 (January 2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE (since 7 February 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Yvon NEPTUNE (since 4 March 2002); note - former Prime Minister CHERESTAL resigned in January 2002 cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 26 November 2000 (next to be held NA 2005); prime minister appointed by the president, ratified by the National Assembly election results: Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE elected president; percent of vote - Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE 92% |
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general head of government: Administrator William Leonard TAYLOR (since 4 February 1999) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
Exports | NA (2001) | $NA |
Exports - commodities | manufactures, coffee, oils, cocoa | phosphate |
Exports - partners | US 83.9%, Dominican Republic 6.6%, Canada 2.4% (2002) | Australia, NZ |
Fiscal year | 1 October - 30 September | 1 July - 30 June |
Flag description | two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a centered white rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a palm tree flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing the motto L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength) | the flag of Australia is used |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $10.6 billion (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $NA |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 30%
industry: 20% services: 50% (2001 est.) |
agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $NA |
GDP - real growth rate | -0.9% (2002 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 19 00 N, 72 25 W | 10 30 S, 105 40 E |
Geography - note | shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic) | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean |
Highways | total: 4,160 km
paved: 1,011 km unpaved: 3,149 km (1999 est.) |
total:
140 km (not including 100 km that is maintained by private industry) paved: 30 km unpaved: 110 km (1999) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | major Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en route to the US and Europe; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor Haiti for illicit financial transactions; pervasive corruption | - |
Imports | NA (2001) | $NA |
Imports - commodities | food, manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, raw materials | consumer goods |
Imports - partners | US 53.4%, Dominican Republic 5.3%, Colombia 3.4% (2002) | principally Australia |
Independence | 1 January 1804 (from France) | none (territory of Australia) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA | NA% |
Industries | sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, light assembly industries based on imported parts | tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) |
Infant mortality rate | total: 76.01 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 81.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 70.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
NA deaths/1,000 live births |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 11.9% (2001 est.) | NA% |
International organization participation | ACCT, ACP, Caricom, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | none |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 3 (2000) | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 750 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Cour de Cassation | Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court |
Labor force | 3.6 million
note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1995) |
NA |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 66%, services 25%, industry 9% | tourism 400 people, mining 100 people (1995) |
Land boundaries | total: 360 km
border countries: Dominican Republic 360 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 20.32%
permanent crops: 12.7% other: 66.98% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: NA% note: mainly tropical rainforest of which 60%-70% is in a national park |
Languages | French (official), Creole (official) | English, Chinese, Malay |
Legal system | based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law |
Legislative branch | bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of the Senate (27 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of Deputies (83 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held for two-thirds of seats 21 May 2000, with runoffs on 9 July boycotted by the opposition; seven seats still disputed; election for remaining one-third held on 26 November 2000 (next to be held NA 2002); Chamber of Deputies - last held 21 May 2000, with runoffs on 30 July boycotted by the opposition; one vacant seat rerun 26 November 2000 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FL 26, independent 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FL 73, MOCHRENA 3, PLB 2, OPL 1, vacant 1, other minor parties and independents 3 |
unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve one-year terms)
elections: last held NA December 2000 (next to be held NA December 2001) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 51.61 years
male: 50.36 years female: 52.92 years (2003 est.) |
total population:
NA years male: NA years female: NA years |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 52.9% male: 54.8% female: 51.2% (2003 est.) |
- |
Location | Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone: 24 NM
continental shelf: to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
contiguous zone:
12 NM exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM |
Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | none (2000 est.) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of Australia |
Military branches | Haitian National Police (HNP)
note: the regular Haitian Army, Navy, and Air Force have been demobilized but still exist on paper until or unless they are constitutionally abolished |
- |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $50 million (FY00) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.3% (FY00) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 1,735,845 (2003 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 944,474 (2003 est.) | - |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age (2003 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 94,349 (2003 est.) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 1 January (1804) | NA |
Nationality | noun: Haitian(s)
adjective: Haitian |
noun:
Christmas Islander(s) adjective: Christmas Island |
Natural hazards | lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes; periodic droughts | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard |
Natural resources | bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower | phosphate |
Net migration rate | -4.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population |
Political parties and leaders | Alliance for the Liberation and Advancement of Haiti or ALAH [Reynold GEORGES]; Assembly of Progressive National Democrats or RDNP [Leslie MANIGAT]; Convergence (opposition coalition composed of ESPACE, OPL, and MOCHRENA) [Gerard PIERRE-CHARLES, Evans PAUL, Luc MESADIEU, Victor BENOIT]; Democratic Consultation Group coalition or ESPACE [Evans PAUL, Victor BENOIT] composed of the following parties: National Congress of Democratic Movements or KONAKOM, National Progressive Revolutionary Party or PANPRA, Generation 2004, and Haiti Can; Haitian Christian Democratic Party or PDCH [Marie-France CLAUDE]; Haitian Democratic Party or PADEM [Clark PARENT]; Lavalas Family or FL [Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE]; Mobilization for National Development or MDN [Hubert DE RONCERAY]; Movement for National Reconstruction or MRN [Rene THEODORE]; Movement for the Installation of Democracy in Haiti or MIDH [Marc BAZIN]; Movement for the Organization of the Country or MOP [Gesner COMEAU and Jean MOLIERE]; National Cooperative Action Movement or MKN [Volrick Remy JOSEPH]; National Front for Change and Democracy or FNCD [Evans PAUL and Turneb DELPE]; New Christian Movement for a New Haiti or MOCHRENA [Luc MESADIEU]; Open the Gate or PLB [Renaud BERNARDIN]; Struggling People's Organization or OPL [Gerard PIERRE-CHARLES] | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Autonomous Haitian Workers or CATH; Confederation of Haitian Workers or CTH; Federation of Workers Trade Unions or FOS; National Popular Assembly or APN; Papaye Peasants Movement or MPP; Popular Organizations Gathering Power or PROP; Roman Catholic Church | none |
Population | 7,527,817
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.) |
2,771 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 80% (2002 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.67% (2003 est.) | 7.77% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Cap-Haitien, Gonaives, Jacmel, Jeremie, Les Cayes, Miragoane, Port-au-Prince, Port-de-Paix, Saint-Marc | Flying Fish Cove |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 41, FM 26, shortwave 0 (1999) | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | - | 1,000 (1997) |
Railways | total: 40 km
narrow gauge: 40 km 0.760-m gauge; single-track note: privately owned industrial line; closed in early 1990s (2001 est.) |
24 km to serve phosphate mines |
Religions | Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% (1982)
note: roughly half of the population also practices Voodoo |
Buddhist 55%, Christian 15%, Muslim 10%, other 20% (1991) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
- |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | - |
Telephone system | general assessment: domestic facilities barely adequate; international facilities slightly better
domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk service international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
general assessment:
NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service |
Telephones - main lines in use | 60,000 (1997) | NA |
Telephones - mobile cellular | over 180,000 (January 2003) | 0 (1999) |
Television broadcast stations | 2 (plus a cable TV service) (1997) | NA |
Terrain | mostly rough and mountainous | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau |
Total fertility rate | 4.86 children born/woman (2003 est.) | NA children born/woman |
Unemployment rate | widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than two-thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs (2002 est.) | NA% |
Waterways | NEGL; less than 100 km navigable | none |