Haiti is an independent republic of the West Indies, occupying the western third of the island of Hispaniola. Haiti became the first independent black-led republic in the modern world in 1804, after the Haitian Slave Revolt. Throughout its history, the country has been divided between a small wealthy elite and a large underclass of people with little economic or political power. Located between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic.
Area: 27,750 sq km
Population: 7 million
Capital: Port-au-Prince
People: 95% African descent, 5% mulatto and European descent
Language: French
Religion: 80% Catholic, 16% Protestant (an estimated 50% of Haitians also practice
Vodou)
Government: Republic
GDP: US$8.9 billion
Major Industries: Sugar refining, cement, textiles, and tourism
Major Trading Partners: USA, and the EU
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