Maps:

Haiti occupies the western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic. The country is slightly smaller than the state of Maryland and has a population of 8.5 million.

 

Haiti Facts:

• Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere, and the 3rd hungriest country in the world, with 80% of the population living under the poverty line and 54% in abject poverty. More than 2/3 of the population do not have formal jobs.
• Only 90 minutes by air from Miami (600 miles) the island is in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes, and periodic droughts.
  
• The Life Expectancy of the Population is 57.56 years
  male: 55.83 years
  female: 59.35 years (2008 est.)

• Only 52.9% of the population age 15 and over can read and write. There is no free education in Haiti. Families must often choose between buying food and paying school tuition. Less than 50% of children attend primary school which is the sixth lowest rate in the world.
• Unemployment is 70%. With a GDP per capita of US$460 (1999), its economic and social indicators compare unfavorably with those of many Sub-Sahara African countries and are far lower than the average for Latin America and the Caribbean. The most basic education and medical opportunities are considered a luxury. Haitians needing surgery or operations for life threatening problems either make their way to the U.S. or die.
  
• The difficulties of life such as low levels of community sanitation, improper housing, no electricity, no telephones, severe shortage of potable water and lack of transportation, contribute to the cycle of poor health, especially in the rural areas.
  
• Natural hazards: Haiti lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and is subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes; chronic drought.