|RNature and climate:|N The western third of the island Hispaniola in the northern Caribbean Sea.
Two thirds of the area is mountainous and the highest peak, La Selle, reaches 2680 m.a.s.l. Most of the other parts are desert-like, except the coastal strip that is arable.
Average temperature throughout the country between 25 and 29°C the whole year.
Percipitation between 1000 and 2000 mm.
|RPeople:|N 95% of the population are descendants of African slaves. The rest mulattoes and Europeans. More than 70% of the population live in rural areas.
|REconomy:|N 66% of the labour force is occupied in agriculture, 9% in industry and manufacturing and 25% in different services.
20% of the area is used for agriculture and the most important crops are coffee, sugar, bananas, cacao, tobacco and rice. Stockraizing is also important as well as forestry.
The only extracted mineral is bauxite.
Coffee gives 40% of the export revenues, followed in importance by manufactured goods and bauxite.
Manufacturing is dominated by sugarrefining and textilefactories- There are also factories making toys, electric and electronic components. These factories are usually owned by foreigners.
Tourism is normally the second most important source of income, but due to the political unrest at the moment, few tourists come.
|RHistory:|N The island was discovered by Columbus in 1492 and was a Spanish colony until 1697 when Spain handed over the western part, todays Haiti, to France.
Columbus named the island Hispaniola, which means tiny Spain. The original inhabitants called the island Haiti, which means the mountainous land.
During the French revolution a bloody fight for independence was started by the slave Toussaint l'Ouverture. This civil war led to independence for Haiti in 1804.
The 19th century was marked by political instability.
In 1915 Haiti was occupied by the USA. The foreign forces did not leave until 1934, when a period of democratic rule started. In 1957 Dr Francois Duvalier, called Papa Doc, was elected president. He started ambitious reforms but they ceased and his regime degenerated into pure dictatorship. With means of terror he maintained power and in 1964 he appointed himself head of state and government for life.
By his death 1971 his 19 year old son Jean-Claude Duvalier, called Baby Doc, was made president for lifetime.
Severe drought from 1975 to 1977 caused famine and in 1980 most crops were destroyed by a hurricane.
Riots in 1986 forced Baby Doc to leave the country. Power was taken over by a civilian/military council under the general Henri Namphy. In a referendum 1987 a new constitution was passed and in the elections 1988 Leslie Marigat was elected president.
The opposition claimed extensive electoral rigging and in June 1988 general Namphy proclaimed himself president. In a military coup the same year Namphy was ousted.
Several military governments succeeded one another until the Reverend Jean-Bertrand Aristide was elected president in December 1990. In September 1991 Aristide was arrested by the military and thrown out of the country.
Aristide has since then been in the USA and tried to find help to resume democratic rule in Haiti. In 1994 the USA threatened the military junta with an invasion and after negotiations the junta left the country in October 1994 and Aristide was reinstalled as president.
