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Haiti - US Comparison
2007

Background:
The native Taino Amerindians - who inhabited the island of Hispaniola when it was discovered by COLUMBUS in 1492 - were virtually annihilated by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In the early 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola, and in 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of the island, which later became Haiti. The French colony, based on forestry and sugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest in the Caribbean, but only through the heavy importation of African slaves and considerable environmental degradation. In the late 18th century, Haiti's nearly half million slaves revolted under Toussaint L'OUVERTURE. After a prolonged struggle, Haiti became the first black republic to declare its independence in 1804. The poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti has been plagued by political violence for most of its history. After an armed rebellion led to the departure of President Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE in February 2004, an interim government took office to organize new elections under the auspices of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Continued violence and technical delays prompted repeated postponements, but Haiti finally did inaugurate a democratically elected president and parliament in May of 2006.

Haiti covers an area of 27,750 square kilometers - slightly smaller than Maryland.

 

Haiti

United States
Land use: arable land: 28.11%
permanent crops: 11.53%
other: 60.36% (2005)		 arable land: 18.01%
other: 81.78%
permanent crops: 0.21% (2005)
Irrigated land: 920 sq km (2005) 223,850 sq km (2003)
Population: 8,706,497 301,139,947 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.1%
male 1,846,175;
female 1,817,082
15-64 years: 54.4%
male 2,313,542;
female 2,426,326
65 years and over: 3.5%
male 134,580;
female 168,792 (2007 est.)		 0-14 years: 20.2%
male 31,152,050;
female 29,777,438
15-64 years: 67.2%
male 100,795,752;
female 101,365,035
65 years and over: 12.6%
male 15,858,477;
female 21,991,195 (2007 est.)
Median age: total: 18.4 years
male: 17.9 years
female: 18.8 years (2007 est.)		 total: 36.6 years
male: 35.3 years
female: 37.9 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate:
(2007 est.)		 2.453% 0.894%
Birth rate: 35.87 births/1,000 population
(2003 est.)		 14.16 births/1,000 population
(2007 est.)
Death rate: 10.4 deaths/1,000 population
(2003 est.)		 8.26 deaths/1,000 population
(2007 est.)
Sex ratio: (2007 est.)
at birth:
under 15 years:
15-64 years:
65 years and over:
total population:		  
1.03 male(s)/female
1.016 male(s)/female
0.954 male(s)/female
0.797 male(s)/female
0.973 male(s)/female		  
1.05 male(s)/female
1.046 male(s)/female
0.996 male(s)/female
0.721 male(s)/female
0.967 male(s)/female
Infant mortality rate: per 1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total:
female:
male:		 63.83 deaths
68.45 deaths
59.07 deaths		 6.37 deaths
7.02 deaths
5.68 deaths
Life expectancy at birth:
(2007 est.)
total population:
male:
female:		  

57.03 years
55.35 years
58.75 years		  

78 years
75.15 years
80.97 years
Total fertility rate:
(2007 est.)		 4.86 children born/woman 2.09 children born/woman
Religions: Roman Catholic 80%,
Protestant 16%
(Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%,
other 3%
note: roughly half of the population also practices Voodoo		 Roman Catholic 24%,
Protestant 52%,


Jewish 1%,
Muslim 1%,
other 10%,
none 10% (2002 est.)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population:
male:
female:		 52.9%
54.8%
51.2% (2003 est.)		 99%
99%
99% (2003 est.)
Economy - overview:
Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with 80% of the population living under the poverty line and 54% in abject poverty. Two-thirds of all Haitians depend on the agriculture sector, mainly small-scale subsistence farming, and remain vulnerable to damage from frequent natural disasters, exacerbated by the country's widespread deforestation. A macroeconomic program developed in 2005 with the help of the International Monetary Fund helped the economy grow 1.8% in 2006, the highest growth rate since 1999. Haiti suffers from higher inflation than similar low-income countries, a lack of investment, and a severe trade deficit. In 2005, Haiti paid its arrears to the World Bank, paving the way for reengagement with the Bank. The government relies on formal international economic assistance for fiscal sustainability. In 2006, Haiti held a successful donors conference in which the total aid pledged exceeded Haiti's request. Remittances are the primary source of foreign exchange, equaling nearly a quarter of GDP.
GDP - composition by occupation:
agriculture:
industry:
services:		 66%
9%
25%		 .09%
20.4%
78.6% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity (2006 est.)
  $1,800 $43,800
Population below poverty line:
  80% (2003 est.) 12% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate: widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than two-thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs (2002 est.) 4.8% (2006 est.)