Haiti

(Please note that I have been trying to profile one country per day in an effort to better educate myself about the world we live in. I am sharing the facts I find most interesting because like all bloggers I just assume that what interests me also interests you.)



- From the CIA World Handbook - "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." Ever since 1697 - the inhabitants of Haiti have been cursed with the inability to have a stable government and the inability to catch, throw or hit a baseball.

- The most interesting figure from Haitian history has to be Toussaint L'Ouverture. I think it could be safe to say that he was Haiti's answer to our George Washington.

- Haiti (Technically the Republic of Haiti) has an area of about 27,750 sq km - which makes it roughly the size of either Maryland or Massachsetts. Haiti has a population of about 7.5 million (which gives it a population density of about 271 people per sq km). Compare that to Maryland which has a population of about 5.5 million and Massachusetts which has a population of about 6.4 million.

- Haiti is one of the poorest nations on Earth. The per capita GDP is just $1,400 and 80% of the population is under the poverty line. Couple the dearth of economic propsperity with the fact that AIDS is a major problem in Haiti (6.1% of adults are HIV positive) and you have a recipe for social unrest.

- I went to Haiti on my honeymoon.

- 80% of the population is Roman Catholic and French is the official language. The form of government on Haiti is something I don't have the time to detail because it changes all the time.

- A little elaboration on the honeymoon comment. I actually took a cruise of the Western Carribean on Royal Carribean's Song of America. One of the stops was supposed to be the cruise line's private island Labadee. Only after we landed there did I realize that Labadee was actually just a private beach on Haiti. Royal Carribean doesn't stop there anymore.

- Haiti is probably best known for three things: political unrest, abject poverty and voodoo. Of the three - voodoo is probably the most misunderstood.