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Physical, social, economical indicators, geographical
Haiti is located in the Caribbean Basin, and shares the island with the Dominican Republic. It is:
- 1200 km (750 MI) from Miami
- 80 km (50 MI) from Cuba
- 150 km (94 MI) from Jamaica
- 1000 km (625 MI) from the South American coasts.
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With a surface of 27,750 square kilometers, (10.840 sq. MI) of plains. Over three fourths of the country consist in mountainous land. Its highest altitude is Morne La Selle: 2,680 meters (8.800 ft.)
Of Haiti's 916,000 hectares of cultivated land, barely 229,000 are located in valleys.
Haiti's climate is tropical humid. There are only two rainy seasons (spring and fall). Rainfall is presently decreasing mainly as a result of erosion.
The country is divided into 9 administrative departments, 119 communes and 565 rural districts.
Population:
8.000.000 habitants, with a density of 288 per square kilometer or (750 per sq. mi.). In certain rural communities, the density sometimes exceeds 500 inhabitants per square kilometer (1.300 per sq. mi.) 66.4% of the population lives in rural areas: This percentage is the highest in the Americas.
Port-au-Prince, the capital, has a population of approximately 2.000.000 inhabitants. (25% of the country's total population). Cap-Haitian, the second largest city, has approximately 300.000 inhabitants.
Malnutrition:
It strikes 3 children out of 4. Chronic malnutrition and gastroenteritis are the cause of nearly 90% of infant mortality. Meat consumption is less than 5 kg per person per year. Annual per-capita milk consumption is 5 liters in rural areas (BIT 1988).
Medical Care:
in 1989, the country had 1,8 doctors, 0.2 dentists, 1,9 nurses, and 0,1 veterinarian per 10.000 inhabitants. These average figures hide large disparities, as 90% of the human resources in the Health sector are located in Port-au-Prince.
Infant Mortality:
68/1000 (IDB 1998)
Rate of annual Demographic Growth:
1,7% (IDB 1998).
Life Expectation:
53.7 years.
Emigration:
25,000 Haitians emigrate each year. It is estimated that over a million Haitians live abroad.
Literacy:
Over 55% of the population is illiterate.
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Gross Domestic Product:
The Gross Domestic Product per capita is approximately $380.00 per year . 89% of the population collects 46% of the national income.
Active Population:
2.3 million inhabitants, the unemployment rate is approximately 60%. Nearly 80% of the rural population, and 60% of that of Port-au-Prince, live below the level of absolute poverty.(BIT, 1988).
For the sake of comparison with other countries of the area, comparative figures are provided here under:
| Demography | |||||||
| Unit | Haiti | Jamaica | Dom. Republic | Cuba | U.S.A. | Canada | |
| Population | Millions | 7.95 | 2.5 | 8.2 | 11.1 | 274.02 | 30.56 |
| Density | Hab/km2 | 288.5 | 234.3 | 170.2 | 101.2 | 29.9 | 3.3 |
| Infant mortality | 0/1000 | 68 | 22 | 34 | 12 | 7 | 6 |
| Life expectancy | (years) | 53.7 | 74.8 | 70.6 | 73.5 | 76.7 | 79.00 |
| Birth rate index | % | 4.4 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 1.5 |
| Urban population | % | 33.7 | 55.1 | 63.9 | 77.1 | 76.8 | 76.9 |
| Social cultural index | |||||||
| Unit | Haiti | Jamaica | Dom. Republic | Cuba | U.S.A. | Canada | |
| Human development | 0.43 | 0.734 | 0.726 | 0.785 | 0.927 | 0.932 | |
| Illiteracy (men) | % | 51.7 | 18.8 | 17.1 | 4.1 | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Illiteracy (Women) | % | 56.6 | 10.4 | 17.7 | 4.1 | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| School attendance rate 12-17 years old |
% | 43.9 | 75.8 | 73.5 | 73.5 | 99.00 | 99.00 |
| Economy | |||||||
| Unit | Haiti | Jamaica | Dom. Republic | Cuba | U.S.A. | Canada | |
| Gross domestic Product (GDP) /inhabitant | US$ | 380.00 | 1550.00 | 1750.00 | 2100.00 | 29080.00 | 19640.00 |
| Inflation rate | % | 10.0 | 7.3 | 4.8 | N/A | 1.6 | 1.0 |
| Unemployment rate | % | 60 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 4.3 | 8 |
