the north, and the Caribbean Sea is to
the west and south.
The land is mountainous. At 8,773 feet
(2,674 meters), Mount la Selle in the
south is Haiti’s highest point. Between
the mountains are fertile plains. The
Artibonite is the longest of Haiti’s many
rivers. Haiti has a warm, humid tropical
climate. Droughts happen occasionally,
and hurricanes are common between
August and November.
Plants and Animals
Most of Haiti’s original forests have
been cut down. Some evergreen forests
still exist in the mountains. Coconut,
coffee, cacao, avocado, mango, lime, and
orange trees grow wild. Dry areas have
thorny scrub and cacti.
Haiti’s wildlife is also limited. It
includes flamingos and such reptiles as
lizards and caimans, which are similar to
alligators.
People
Nearly all the people of Haiti have African
roots. Most of the rest of the people
are mulattoes, or people with both white
and black ancestors. Most people speak
Haitian Creole, a mixture of French and
African languages. French is also common.
Most Haitians are Roman Catholics,
but many Catholics also practice
voodoo. Voodoo is a folk religion that
combines African and Catholic beliefs.
A Haitian man sells paintings of Haitian
scenes.
8 Haiti BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
The majority of Haitians live in rural
areas. Haiti’s cities are very crowded,
however.
Economy
Haiti is the poorest country in the
Americas. About 80 percent of the
people live in poverty.
Services—including government work,
tourism, shops, and restaurants—are the
main economic activities. However,
most people work in agriculture. Haitians
raise goats, cattle, and pigs. Food
crops include cassava, bananas, corn,
yams, and rice. Cocoa, coffee, and mangoes
are exported.
Many of Haiti’s industries put together
parts imported from the United States.
They produce such goods as clothing
and electronic components. Other
manufactured products include flour,
sugar, cement, cigarettes, and alcoholic
beverages.
History
When the explorer Christopher Columbus
arrived in Hispaniola in 1492, more
than a million Arawak Indians lived on
the island. Spanish settlers wiped out the
Arawak by about 1600.
In 1697 Spain gave western Hispaniola
to the French, who renamed it Saint-
Domingue. People brought from Africa
worked as slaves on sugar and cotton
plantations. In 1791 the slaves began a
revolution. They declared the independence
of Haiti in 1804. The new country’s
name came from an Arawak word
meaning “mountainous land.”
As an independent country Haiti continued
to face political problems. U.S.
Marines occupied the country during
1915–34. Dictators and the military also
ruled Haiti. The country held its first
free presidential elections in 1990. In
1991, however, a military group overthrew
President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
U.S. troops helped Aristide to return to
office. In 2004, during Aristide’s second
term, rebels forced the president to step
down once again.
..More to explore
Dominican Republic • Port-au-Prince
•West Indies
A fortress called La Citadelle Laferriere
stands on a peak near the city of Cap-
Haitien, Haiti. The fortress was built in the
early 1800s.
Facts About
HAITI
Population
(2008 estimate)
9,751,000
Area
10,695 sq mi
(27,700 sq km)
Capital
Port-au-Prince
Form of
government
Interim
government
Major cities
Port-au-Prince,
Carrefour, Delmas,
Cap-
Haitien,
Petion-Ville
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Haiti 9
Halloween
Halloween takes place on October 31.
It is a time when people dress up in
costumes, go trick-or-treating, and
carve jack-o’-lanterns from hollowed
out pumpkins. Ghosts and witches are
popular costumes of the children who
go from house to house saying, “Trickor-
treat!” The treat is usually candy.
The origins of Halloween date back to
several ancient festivals held in the
autumn.
In ancient times, the holiday was
marked by customs started by pagans.
Pagans believed in many gods rather
than a single god. It was believed that
on the last night of October, the spirits
of the dead roamed Earth. The holiday
is also called All Hallows’ Eve. In the
Christian church, All Hallows’ Eve is
the night before All Saints’ Day. On
November 1, All Saints’ Day honors all
of the Christian saints. Gradually,
Halloween became a nonreligious
celebration.
Hamilton,
Alexander
Alexander Hamilton was one of the
youngest and brightest of the founders
of the United States. He was the first
secretary of the treasury. He worked to
create a strong U.S. government.
Early Life
Hamilton was born on January 11,
probably in 1755, in the BritishWest
Indies. He later went to school in New
Jersey and New York. During the American
Revolution Hamilton joined the
military. From 1777 to 1781 he served
with General GeorgeWashington. After
the war Hamilton became a lawyer.
Political Career
Hamilton believed that the United
States needed a strong national government.
He supported the new U.S. Constitution
because it set up such a
government. Hamilton, James Madison,
Children in colorful costumes go trick-ortreating
on Halloween.
Alexander Hamilton
10 Halloween BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
and John Jay wrote a famous series of
essays to explain the Constitution.
