5 Facts of Haiti

The capital of Haiti is Port-au-Prince

Haiti is a country located in the West Indies which takes up about one third of the western part of the island of Hispaniola. Haiti lies in between The Atlantic Ocean to the North and The Caribbean Sea to the South. Haiti has been known for many violent and tumultuous times but there are many things a person either researching or visiting Haiti may not know.

5 Facts You Might Not Know

1

There are two official languages in Haiti. One of them being Haitian Creole which is a language based on mainly french influences is also influenced by African, Spanish and English languages. The other official language is French.

2

The geography of Haiti is unique as two thirds of the country is made up of mountainous regions. The other parts of the country are made up of valleys, plateaus, and small plains.

3

Nearly eighty percent of Haiti is made up of Christian followers who share roots with Roman Catholic beliefs. The remainder of individuals in Haiti are generally Protestant and various other religions. While in some countries a large population being of a single religion is uncommon due to diversity and other factors.

4

The government of Haiti is a semi-presidential republic where individual leaders are elected based upon a popular election system. The legal system of Haiti can be seen as based on a version of Napoleonic code. This code, created by Napoleon in 1801, offers protection of religious beliefs, government jobs for the most qualified, and also eliminated the practice of privileges gained at birth.

5

Recently, Haiti suffered a major earthquake in 2010. The magnitude of the earthquake was 7,0. The affects of the earthquake and its magnitude rivaled anything that had been seen in the area in over 200 years. Officially, the death toll caused by the earthquake of 2010 was approximately 316,000 as stated by the government.