Want to learn a little more about the countries of the world? Take a look at these fun facts about Haiti!
1. Where is Haiti, anyway?
Haiti is an independent nation, occupying the western third of the island of Hispaniola between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean.
2. It has a few neighbours you may have heard of.
It shares one border with Dominican Republic to the east, whilst its nearest countries are Turks and Caicos Islands to the north, Jamaica to the west and Cuba to the north west.
3. Here’s who to call in Haiti.
The international dialing code for Haiti is +509.
4. Grab the compass and let’s go!
The coordinates for Haiti are 18.5333° N, 72.3333°
5. Take the rough with the smooth!
The terrain here is mostly rough and mountainous, with lots of beautiful sandy beaches to explore!
6. It holds a hilly record in the region.
In fact, Haiti is the most mountainous country in the Caribbean!
7. How big is Haiti?
The total land area of Haiti is 10,714 square miles (27,750 square kilometres).
8. Millions of people call Haiti home.
Haiti’s population was 11.4 million in 2020.
9. What’s the capital of Haiti?
The capital is Port-au-Prince which covers an area of 13.92 square miles (36.04 square kilometres) and has a population of 2,618,894 (2019).
10. Life expectancy may not be as long as you think.
The average life span here is 64 years (2019).
11. Hot stuff!
The residents of Haiti enjoy a tropical climate, with the climate changing to semi-arid in the east where mountains hinder trade winds.
12. Which languages are spoken here?
French and Haitian Creole are the official languages of Haiti.
13. It shares a curiosity with Canada.
Haiti and Canada are the only two independent nations in the Americas to have French as a national language!
14. The airline system here is rather odd!
Despite having an impressive 14 airports, only 4 have paved runways!
15. Transport in general is fairly bizarre…
It is unusual to own a car in Haiti and there are no trains; instead, most Haitians travel in buses called ‘Taptaps’!
16. Change up the cash!
So that you can sip your rum upon a stunning sandy beach, remember to exchange your spending money for Haitian Gourde, the official currency of Haiti.
17. Here’s what Haiti grows and exports.
Haiti grows coffee, sugarcane, rice and mangoes and produces timber. Strong authentic coffee and fresh juicy mangoes for breakfast… delicious!
Its industry consists of tourism, sugar refining, textiles, cement and flour milling. Haiti also exports coffee, oils and cocoa.
FAQs about Haiti
Is Haiti safe?
Unfortunately, Haiti is considered very risky to visit at the moment - due to crime and overall safety. However, some sources believe it is one of the safer areas in the Caribbean - the jury is out!
Can Americans move to Haiti?
Yes, but only for up to three months without a visa of any kind.
Is Haiti a poor country?
Unfortunately, yes - to an extent - it’s thought that the country struggles with a low rate of economic growth.
Do you know any fun facts about Haiti? Share them in the comments below!
