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Republic of Haiti
Introduction
Background
The native Taino - who inhabited the island of Hispaniola when Christopher COLUMBUS first landed on it in 1492 - were virtually wiped out by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In the early 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola. In 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of the island, which later became Haiti. The French colony, based on forestry and sugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest in the Caribbean but relied heavily on the forced labor of enslaved Africans and environmentally degrading practices. In the late 18th century, Toussaint L'OUVERTURE led a revolution of Haiti's nearly half a million slaves that ended France's rule on the island. After a prolonged struggle, and under the leadership of Jean-Jacques DESSALINES, Haiti became the first country in the world led by former slaves after declaring its independence in 1804, but it was forced to pay an indemnity to France for more than a century and was shunned by other countries for nearly 40 years. After the US occupied Haiti from 1915-1934, Francois "Papa Doc" DUVALIER and then his son Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” DUVALIER led repressive and corrupt regimes that ruled Haiti from 1957-1971 and 1971-1986, respectively. A massive magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti in January 2010 with an epicenter about 25 km (15 mi) west of the capital, Port-au-Prince. Estimates are that over 300,000 people were killed and some 1.5 million left homeless. The earthquake was assessed as the worst in this region over the last 200 years. On 4 October 2016, Hurricane Matthew made landfall in Haiti, resulting in over 500 deaths and causing extensive damage to crops, houses, livestock, and infrastructure. Currently the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti continues to experience bouts of political instability.
Geography
Location
Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic
Geographic coordinates
19 00 N, 72 25 W
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Area
total: 27,750 sq km
land: 27,560 sq km
water: 190 sq km
country comparison to the world: 147
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than Maryland
Area comparison map
Land boundaries
total: 376 km
border countries (1): Dominican Republic 376 km
Coastline
1,771 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: to depth of exploitation
Climate
tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds
Terrain
mostly rough and mountainous
Elevation
highest point: Pic la Selle 2,674 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
mean elevation: 470 m
Natural resources
bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower, arable land
Land use
agricultural land: 66.4% (2018 est.)
arable land: 38.5% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 10.2% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 17.7% (2018 est.)
forest: 3.6% (2018 est.)
other: 30% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
970 sq km (2012)
Total renewable water resources
14.022 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Population distribution
fairly even distribution; largest concentrations located near coastal areas
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
Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban
Geography - note
shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic); it is the most mountainous nation in the Caribbean
People and Society
Population
11,198,240 (July 2021 est.)
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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected
country comparison to the world: 82
Nationality
noun: Haitian(s)
adjective: Haitian
Ethnic groups
Black 95%, mixed and White 5%
Languages
French (official), Creole (official)
printed major-language sample:
The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions
Roman Catholic 54.7%, Protestant 28.5% (Baptist 15.4%, Pentecostal 7.9%, Adventist 3%, Methodist 1.5%, other 0.7%), Vodou 2.1%, other 4.6%, none 10.2% (2003 est.)
note: many Haitians practice elements of Vodou in addition to another religion, most often Roman Catholicism; Vodou was recognized as an official religion in 2003
Age structure
0-14 years: 31.21% (male 1,719,961/female 1,734,566)
15-24 years: 20.71% (male 1,145,113/female 1,146,741)
25-54 years: 38.45% (male 2,110,294/female 2,145,209)
55-64 years: 5.3% (male 280,630/female 305,584)
65 years and over: 4.33% (male 210,451/female 269,228) (2020 est.)
population pyramid
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 60.4
youth dependency ratio: 52.1
elderly dependency ratio: 8.3
potential support ratio: 13.3 (2020 est.)
Median age
total: 24.1 years
male: 23.8 years
female: 24.3 years (2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
Population growth rate
1.22% (2021 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
Birth rate
21.4 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
Death rate
7.29 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105
Net migration rate
-1.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
Population distribution
fairly even distribution; largest concentrations located near coastal areas
Urbanization
urban population: 58% of total population (2021)
rate of urbanization: 2.47% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
Major urban areas - population
2.844 million PORT-AU-PRINCE (capital) (2021)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
22.8 years (2016/7 est.)
note: median age at first birth among women 25-29
Maternal mortality rate
480 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22
Infant mortality rate
total: 41.29 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 47.1 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 35.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 65.61 years
male: 62.94 years
female: 68.31 years (2021 est.)
country comparison to the world: 198
Total fertility rate
2.48 children born/woman (2021 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
Contraceptive prevalence rate
34.3% (2016/17)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 91.5% of population
rural: 55.4% of population
total: 75% of population
unimproved: urban: 8.5% of population
rural: 44.6% of population
total: 25% of population (2017 est.)
Current Health Expenditure
7.7% (2018)
Physicians density
0.23 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
Hospital bed density
0.7 beds/1,000 population (2013)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 80.6% of population
rural: 40% of population
total: 62.1% of population
unimproved: urban: 19.4% of population
rural: 60% of population
total: 37.9% of population (2017 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
1.9% (2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
160,000 (2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
HIV/AIDS - deaths
2,700 (2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38
Major infectious diseases
degree of risk: very high (2020)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
22.7% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 72
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
9.5% (2016/17)
country comparison to the world: 60
Education expenditures
2.8% of GDP (2018)
country comparison to the world: 140
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 61.7%
male: 65.3%
female: 58.3% (2016)
Environment
Environment - current issues
extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land is being cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion; overpopulation leads to inadequate supplies of potable water and and a lack of sanitation; natural disasters
Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 14.63 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 2.98 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 6.12 megatons (2020 est.)
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 190 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
industrial: 51 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
agricultural: 1.209 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources
14.022 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Climate
tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds
Land use
agricultural land: 66.4% (2018 est.)
arable land: 38.5% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 10.2% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 17.7% (2018 est.)
forest: 3.6% (2018 est.)
other: 30% (2018 est.)
Revenue from forest resources
forest revenues: 0.68% of GDP (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
Revenue from coal
coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
Urbanization
urban population: 58% of total population (2021)
rate of urbanization: 2.47% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
Major infectious diseases
degree of risk: very high (2020)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
Food insecurity
severe localized food insecurity: due to reduced agricultural production and socio political turmoil - about 4.4 million people are forecast to be facing severe acute food insecurity or to be in need of urgent food assistance in the March-June 2021 time period; the high levels of food insecurity are the result of reduced 2020 cereal output and high food prices; reduced remittances and income losses amid the COVID‑19 pandemic and socio‑political turmoil are likely to exacerbate the already poor food security situation (2021)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 2,309,852 tons (2015 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Haiti
conventional short form: Haiti
local long form: Republique d'Haiti/Repiblik d Ayiti
local short form: Haiti/Ayiti
etymology: the native Taino name means "Land of High Mountains" and was originally applied to the entire island of Hispaniola
Government type
semi-presidential republic
Capital
name: Port-au-Prince
geographic coordinates: 18 32 N, 72 20 W
time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November
etymology: according to tradition, in 1706, a Captain de Saint-Andre named the bay and its surrounding area after his ship Le Prince; the name of the town that grew there means, "the Port of The Prince"
Administrative divisions
10 departments (departements, singular - departement); Artibonite, Centre, Grand'Anse, Nippes, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est
Independence
1 January 1804 (from France)
National holiday
Independence Day, 1 January (1804)
Constitution
history: many previous; latest adopted 10 March 1987
amendments: proposed by the executive branch or by either the Senate or the Chamber of Deputies; consideration of proposed amendments requires support by at least two-thirds majority of both houses; passage requires at least two-thirds majority of the membership present and at least two-thirds majority of the votes cast; approved amendments enter into force after installation of the next president of the republic; constitutional articles on the democratic and republican form of government cannot be amended; amended many times, last in 2012
Legal system
civil law system strongly influenced by Napoleonic Code
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a native-born citizen of Haiti
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state: President Jovenel MOISE (since 7 February 2017)
head of government: Acting Prime Minister Claude JOSEPH (since 14 April 2021)
note - Joseph JOUTHE resigned as prime minister on 13 April 2021
cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president; parliament must ratify the Cabinet and Prime Minister's governing policy
elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a single non-consecutive term); last election originally scheduled for 9 October 2016 but postponed until 20 November 2016 due to Hurricane Matthew
election results:
2016: Jovenel MOISE elected president in first round; percent of vote - Jovenel MOISE (PHTK) 55.6%, Jude CELESTIN (LAPEH) 19.6%, Jean-Charles MOISE (PPD) 11%, Maryse NARCISSE (FL) 9%; other 4.8%
2011: Michel MARTELLY elected president in runoff; percent of vote - Michel MARTELLY (Peasant's Response) 68%, Mirlande MANIGAT (RDNP) 32%
Legislative branch
description: bicameral legislature or le Corps l'egislatif ou le Parlement consists of:
le S'enat or Senate (30 seats, 29 filled as of June 2019; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 6-year terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 2 years)
la Chambre de deput'es or Chamber of Deputies (119 seats; 116 filled as of June 2019; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 4-year terms); note - when the 2 chambers meet collectively it is known as L'Assembl'ee nationale or the National Assembly and is convened for specific purposes spelled out in the constitution
elections:
Senate - last held on 20 November 2016 with runoff on 29 January 2017 (next scheduled for 27 October 2019)
Chamber of Deputies - last held on 9 August 2015 with runoff on 25 October 2015 and 20 November 2016 (next scheduled for 27 October 2019)
election results:
Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 27, women 1, percent of women 3.6%
Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 115, women 3, percent of women 2.5%; note - total legislature percent of women 2.7%
Judicial branch
highest courts: Supreme Court or Cour de cassation (consists of a chief judge and other judges); note - Haiti is a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice
judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the president from candidate lists submitted by the Senate of the National Assembly; note - Article 174 of Haiti's constitution states that judges of the Supreme Court are appointed for 10 years, whereas Article 177 states that judges of the Supreme Court are appointed for life
subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance; magistrate's courts; land, labor, and children's courts
note: the Superior Council of the Judiciary or Conseil Superieur du Pouvoir Judiciaire is a 9-member body charged with the administration and oversight of the judicial branch of government
Political parties and leaders
Alternative League for Haitian Progress and Empowerment or LAPEH [Jude CELESTIN]
Christian Movement for a New Haiti or MCNH [Luc MESADIEU]
Christian National Movement for the Reconstruction of Haiti or UNCRH [Chavannes JEUNE]
Convention for Democratic Unity or KID [Evans PAUL]
Cooperative Action to Rebuild Haiti or KONBA [Jean William JEANTY]
December 16 Platform or Platfom 16 Desanm [Dr. Gerard BLOT]
Democratic Alliance Party or ALYANS [Evans PAUL] (coalition includes KID and PPRH)
Democratic Centers' National Council or CONACED [Osner FEVRY]
Dessalinian Patriotic and Popular Movement or MOPOD [Jean Andre VICTOR]
Effort and Solidarity to Create an Alternative for the People or ESKAMP [Joseph JASME]
Fanmi Lavalas or FL [Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE]
For Us All or PONT [Jean-Marie CHERESTAL]
Fusion of Haitian Social Democrats or FHSD [Edmonde Supplice BEAUZILE]
Grouping of Citizens for Hope or RESPE [Charles-Henri BAKER]
Haitians for Haiti [Yvon NEPTUNE]
Haitian Tet Kale Party or PHTK [Ann Valerie Timothee MILFORT]
Haiti in Action or AAA [Youri LATORTUE]
Independent Movement for National Reconstruction or MIRN [Luc FLEURINORD]
Konbit Pou refe Ayiti or KONBIT
Lavni Organization or LAVNI [Yves CRISTALIN]
Liberal Party of Haiti or PLH [Jean Andre VICTOR]
Love Haiti or Renmen Ayiti [Jean-Henry CEANT, Camille LEBLANC]
Mobilization for National Development or MDN [Hubert de RONCERAY]
New Christian Movement for a New Haiti or MOCHRENA [Luc MESADIEU]
Organization for the Advancement of Haiti and Haitians or OLAHH
Party for the Integral Advancement of the Haitian People or PAIPH
Patriotic Unity or IP [Marie Denise CLAUDE]
Peasant's Response or Repons Peyizan [Michel MARTELLY]
Platform Alternative for Progress and Democracy or ALTENATIV [Victor BENOIT and Evans PAUL]
Platform of Haitian Patriots or PLAPH [Dejean BELISAIRE, Himmler REBU]
Platform Pitit Desaline or PPD [Jean-Charles MOISE]
Pont
Popular Party for the Renewal of Haiti or PPRH [Claude ROMAIN]
PPG18
Rally of Progressive National Democrats or RDNP [Mirlande MANIGAT]
Renmen Ayiti or RA [Jean-Henry CEANT]
Reseau National Bouclier or Bouclier
Respect or RESPE
Strength in Unity or Ansanm Nou Fo [Leslie VOLTAIRE]
Struggling People's Organization or OPL [Jacques-Edouard ALEXIS]
Truth (Verite)
Union [Chavannes JEUNE]
Unity or Inite [Levaillant LOUIS-JEUNE]
Vigilance or Veye Yo [Lavarice GAUDIN]
International organization participation
ACP, AOSIS, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Bocchit EDMOND (since 23 December 2020)
chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090
FAX: [1] (202) 745-7215
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Miami, Orlando (FL), New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Michele SISON (since 21 February 2018)
telephone: [509] 229-8000
embassy: Tabarre 41, Route de Tabarre, Port-au-Prince
mailing address: (in Haiti) P.O. Box 1634, Port-au-Prince, Haiti; (from abroad) 3400 Port-au-Prince, State Department, Washington, DC 20521-3400
FAX: [509] 229-8028
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 colors are taken from the French Tricolor and represent the union of blacks and mulattoes
National symbol(s)
Hispaniolan trogon (bird), hibiscus flower; national colors: blue, red
National anthem
name: "La Dessalinienne" (The Dessalines Song)
lyrics/music: Justin LHERISSON/Nicolas GEFFRARD
note: adopted 1904; named for Jean-Jacques DESSALINES, a leader in the Haitian Revolution and first ruler of an independent Haiti
This is an audio of the National Anthem for Haiti. The national anthem is generally a patriotic musical composition - usually in the form of a song or hymn of praise - that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions, or struggles of a nation or its people. National anthems can be officially recognized as a national song by a country's constitution or by an enacted law, or simply by tradition. Although most anthems contain lyrics, some do not.:
Economy
Economic overview
Haiti is a free market economy with low labor costs and tariff-free access to the US for many of its exports. Two-fifths of all Haitians depend on the agricultural sector, mainly small-scale subsistence farming, which remains vulnerable to damage from frequent natural disasters. Poverty, corruption, vulnerability to natural disasters, and low levels of education for much of the population represent some of the most serious impediments to Haiti’s economic growth. Remittances are the primary source of foreign exchange, equivalent to more than a quarter of GDP, and nearly double the combined value of Haitian exports and foreign direct investment.
Currently the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with close to 60% of the population living under the national poverty line, Haiti’s GDP growth rose to 5.5% in 2011 as the Haitian economy began recovering from the devastating January 2010 earthquake that destroyed much of its capital city, Port-au-Prince, and neighboring areas. However, growth slowed to below 2% in 2015 and 2016 as political uncertainty, drought conditions, decreasing foreign aid, and the depreciation of the national currency took a toll on investment and economic growth. Hurricane Matthew, the fiercest Caribbean storm in nearly a decade, made landfall in Haiti on 4 October 2016, with 140 mile-per-hour winds, creating a new humanitarian emergency. An estimated 2.1 million people were affected by the category 4 storm, which caused extensive damage to crops, houses, livestock, and infrastructure across Haiti’s southern peninsula.
US economic engagement under the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA) and the 2008 Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement Act (HOPE II) have contributed to an increase in apparel exports and investment by providing duty-free access to the US. The Haiti Economic Lift Program (HELP) Act of 2010 extended the CBTPA and HOPE II until 2020, while the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 extended trade benefits provided to Haiti in the HOPE and HELP Acts through September 2025. Apparel sector exports in 2016 reached approximately $850 million and account for over 90% of Haitian exports and more than 10% of the GDP.
Investment in Haiti is hampered by the difficulty of doing business and weak infrastructure, including access to electricity. Haiti's outstanding external debt was cancelled by donor countries following the 2010 earthquake, but has since risen to $2.6 billion as of December 2017, the majority of which is owed to Venezuela under the PetroCaribe program. Although the government has increased its revenue collection, it continues to rely on formal international economic assistance for fiscal sustainability, with over 20% of its annual budget coming from foreign aid or direct budget support.
Real GDP growth rate
1.2% (2017 est.)
1.5% (2016 est.)
1.2% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
14.7% (2017 est.)
13.4% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 214
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$32.724 billion (2019 est.)
$33.284 billion (2018 est.)
$32.738 billion (2017 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 135
GDP (official exchange rate)
$8.608 billion (2017 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$2,905 (2019 est.)
$2,992 (2018 est.)
$2,981 (2017 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 198
Gross national saving
12% of GDP (2018 est.)
10.9% of GDP (2017 est.)
29.3% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 22.1% (2017 est.)
industry: 20.3% (2017 est.)
services: 57.6% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 99.1% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 10% (2016 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 32.6% (2016 est.)
investment in inventories: -1.4% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 20% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -60.3% (2017 est.)
note: figure for household consumption also includes government consumption
Ease of Doing Business Index scores
Overall score: 40.7 (2020)
Starting a Business score: 36.4 (2020)
Trading score: 76.9 (2020)
Enforcement score: 51.6 (2020)
Agricultural products
sugar cane, cassava, mangoes/guavas, plantains, bananas, yams, avocados, maize, rice, vegetables
Industries
textiles, sugar refining, flour milling, cement, light assembly using imported parts
Industrial production growth rate
0.9% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161
Labor force
4.594 million (2014 est.)
note: shortage of skilled labor; unskilled labor abundant
country comparison to the world: 84
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: 38.1%
industry: 11.5%
services: 50.4% (2010)
Unemployment rate
40.6% (2010 est.)
note: widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than two-thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs
country comparison to the world: 216
Population below poverty line
58.5% (2012 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
41.1 (2012 est.)
59.2 (2001)
country comparison to the world: 52
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 0.7%
highest 10%: 47.7% (2001)
Budget
revenues: 1.567 billion (2017 est.)
expenditures: 1.65 billion (2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
18.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)
-1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79
Public debt
31.1% of GDP (2017 est.)
33.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
Fiscal year
1 October - 30 September
Current account balance
-$348 million (2017 est.)
-$83 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 112
Exports
$980.2 million (2017 est.)
$995 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160
Exports - partners
United States 81%, Canada 7% (2019)
Exports - commodities
clothing and apparel, eels, essential oils, perfumes, mangoes, cocoa beans (2019)
Imports
$3.618 billion (2017 est.)
$3.183 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149
Imports - partners
United States 39%, China 22%, Turkey 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, rice, clothing and apparel, palm oil, poultry meats (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$2.361 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$2.11 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117
Debt - external
$2.762 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$2.17 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
Exchange rates
gourdes (HTG) per US dollar -
65.21 (2017 est.)
63.34 (2016 est.)
63.34 (2015 est.)
50.71 (2014 est.)
45.22 (2013 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 39% (2019)
electrification - urban areas: 60% (2019)
electrification - rural areas: 12% (2019)
Electricity - production
1.023 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149
Electricity - consumption
406.2 million kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
Electricity - installed generating capacity
332,000 kW (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
Electricity - from fossil fuels
82% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
Electricity - from nuclear fuels
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants
18% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
Electricity - from other renewable sources
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190
Crude oil - production
0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
Crude oil - exports
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
Crude oil - imports
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
Crude oil - proved reserves
0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144
Refined petroleum products - production
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
Refined petroleum products - consumption
21,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137
Refined petroleum products - exports
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
Refined petroleum products - imports
20,030 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122
Natural gas - production
0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
Natural gas - consumption
0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
Natural gas - exports
0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120
Natural gas - imports
0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138
Natural gas - proved reserves
0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy
3.595 million Mt (2017 est.)
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 5,952
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 204
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 6,843,380
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 62.65 (2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
Telecommunication systems
general assessment:
plagued by political and economic turmoil complicated by natural disasters, Haiti’s telecommunications infrastructure is among the least-developed in the world; reliance on satellite and wireless mobile technology due to poor fixed-line infrastructure; investment boosted broadband availability though customer base is poor and theft of equipment remains problematic; promotion of LTE will enable access to remote areas and e-money services; World Bank grant to provide digital preparation and response for any future crises (2021)
(2020)
domestic: fixed-line is less than 1 per 100; mobile-cellular telephone services have expanded greatly in the last decade due to low-cost GSM (Global Systems for Mobile) phones and pay-as-you-go plans; mobile-cellular teledensity is 58 per 100 persons (2019)
international: country code - 509; landing points for the BDSNi and Fibralink submarine cables to 14 points in the Bahamas and Dominican Republic; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)
note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
Broadcast media
98 television stations throughout the country, including 1 government-owned; cable TV subscription service available; 850 radio stations (of them, only 346 are licensed), including 1 government-owned; more than 100 community radio stations; over 64 FM stations in Port-au-Prince alone; VOA Creole Service broadcasts daily on 30 affiliate stations
(2016)
Internet country code
.ht
Internet users
total: 3,503,006
percent of population: 32.47% (July 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 31,100
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
Transportation
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 1
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
HH
Airports
total: 14 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 149
Airports - with paved runways
total: 4 (2019)
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 10 (2013)
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2013)
under 914 m: 8 (2013)
Roadways
total: 4,266 km (2009)
paved: 768 km (2009)
unpaved: 3,498 km (2009)
country comparison to the world: 152
Merchant marine
total: 4
by type: general cargo 3, other 1 (2020)
country comparison to the world: 169
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Cap-Haitien, Gonaives, Jacmel, Port-au-Prince
Military and Security
Military and security forces
the Haitian Armed Forces (FAdH), disbanded in 1995, began to be reconstituted in 2017 to assist with natural disaster relief, border security, and combating transnational crime; it established an Army command in 2018; the small Coast Guard is not part of the military, but rather the Haitian National Police (2020)
Military and security service personnel strengths
the FAdH has approximately 500 troops (the force is planned to eventually have around 5,000 personnel, possibly by the end of 2021); approximately 16,000 National Police (2020)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
not available
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
since 2004, peacekeepers from the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti have assisted in maintaining civil order in Haiti; the mission currently includes 6,685 military, 2,607 police, and 443 civilian personnel; despite efforts to control illegal migration, Haitians cross into the Dominican Republic and sail to neighboring countries; Haiti claims US-administered Navassa Island
Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs: 17,105 (violence among armed gangs in the metropolitan area os Port-au-Prince) (2021)
stateless persons: 2,992 (2018); note - individuals without a nationality who were born in the Dominican Republic prior to January 2010
Trafficking in persons
current situation: Haiti is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; most of Haiti’s trafficking cases involve children in domestic servitude vulnerable to physical and sexual abuse; dismissed and runaway child domestic servants often end up in prostitution, begging, or street crime; other exploited populations included low-income Haitians, child laborers, and women and children living in IDP camps dating to the 2010 earthquake; Haitian adults are vulnerable to fraudulent labor recruitment abroad and, along with children, may be subjected to forced labor in the Dominican Republic, elsewhere in the Caribbean, South America, and the US; Dominicans are exploited in sex trafficking and forced labor in Haiti
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List – Haiti does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, Haiti was granted a waiver from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 because its government has a written plan that, if implemented would constitute making significant efforts to bring itself into compliance with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; in 2014, Haiti developed a national anti-trafficking action plan and enacted a law prohibiting all forms of human trafficking, although judicial corruption hampered its implementation; progress was made in investigating and prosecuting suspected traffickers, but no convictions were made; the government sustained limited efforts to identify and refer victims to protective services, which were provided mostly by NGOs without government support; campaigns to raise awareness about child labor and child trafficking continued (2015)
Illicit drugs
Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en route to the US and Europe; substantial bulk cash smuggling activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor Haiti for illicit financial transactions; pervasive corruption; significant consumer of cannabis
