Haiti

Lore & Background

Haiti was originally inhabited by Indigenous peoples, known as the Taíno. In 1492, Christopher Columbus established the first European settlement in the Americas, La Navidad, on its northern coast. The island was part of the Spanish Empire until 1697, when the western portion was ceded to France and became Saint-Domingue, dominated by sugarcane plantations worked by enslaved Africans. The 1791–1804 Haitian Revolution made Haiti the first sovereign state in the Caribbean, the second republic in the Americas, the first country in the Americas to officially abolish slavery, and the first country established by a successful slave revolt. The independent state began as an empire, later splitting into two nations before reunifying in 1820; a second empire was established under Faustin Soulouque before the return of the republic in 1859. The 19th century also saw political instability, international isolation, a crippling debt to France, and failed invasions of the Dominican Republic, including a costly war. U.S. forces occupied Haiti from 1915 to 1934, followed by the dictatorial rule of the Duvalier family (1957–1986). Following a coup d'état in 1991, a U.S.-led multinational force intervened in 1994; a second coup in 2004 was followed by a United Nations intervention. In the 2010s, a catastrophic earthquake and a large-scale cholera outbreak devastated the country. Historically poor and politically unstable, Haiti has faced severe economic and political crises, gang activity displacing over 1.3 million, and the collapse of its government. The presidency has been vacant since the 2021 assassination of Jovenel Moïse, while the National Assembly and the judiciary have been rendered inoperative, leaving the country in virtual anarchy with almost nonexistent state control. One of the world's least developed countries and with no elected officials remaining, Haiti has been described as a failed state.

In Their Own Story

As the sun bleeds gold into the turquoise horizon over Port-au-Prince, long shadows stretch across streets alive with the sizzle of plantains hitting hot oil and the salt tang of the Caribbean breeze. Somewhere nearby, a drumbeat kicks in—deep, hypnotic, and relentless, echoing the pulse of a nation that once toppled empires. An elder perches on a weathered stoop, eyes tracing the laughter of children racing past a vibrant mural of Toussaint Louverture, their joy weaving into the evening's low hum. Here, amidst the visible scars of history and an unyielding vibrancy, the spirit of revolution doesn't just whisper; it pulses through the swaying palms.

Reader's Guide

Haiti is a founding member of the United Nations, Organization of American States, Association of Caribbean States, and the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie. In addition to CARICOM, it is a member of the International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organization, and Community of Latin American and Caribbean States.

Did You Know?

• Haiti's name comes from the Indigenous Taíno language and means 'land of high mountains'.
• Haiti is the most populous Caribbean country, with an estimated population of 11.4 million.
• The Haitian Revolution (1791–1804) made Haiti the first country in the Americas to officially abolish slavery.
• In French, Haiti's nickname is La Perle des Antilles ('Pearl of the Antilles').