Haiti Fast Facts

Official Name: Republic of Haïti
Local long form: Republique d’Haiti/Repiblik d Ayiti
Motto: L’Union Fait La Force (French, “Unity Makes Strength”).
National Bird: Hispaniolan Trogon
National Flower: Hibiscus

Population:  10,110,019 (July 2015)
Capital: Port-au-Prince (Largest city)
Area Code: 509
Currency: Gourde

Current President: Jocelerme Privert ( Until April 24th, 2016)
Prime Minister: Evans Paul

Independence: January 1st, 1804 (from France)
National Holiday: Independence Day, 1 January (1804)
National Anthem: “La Dessalinienne” (The Dessalines Song)

Nationality: Haitian
Languages: French (official), Creole (official)
Ethnicity: Black (95%) Mulatto and White (5%) notes: Haitian constitution specifies:
( All Citizens must be known as “Black” regardless of skin color)
Religion: Roman Catholic (official) 54.7%, Protestant 28.5% (Baptist 15.4%, Pentecostal 7.9%, Adventist 3%, Methodist 1.5%, other .7%), voodoo (official) 2.1%, other 4.6%, none 10.2%
note: many Haitians practice elements of voodoo in addition to another religion, most often Roman Catholicism; voodoo was recognized as an official religion in 2003

Geography: shares the island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)
Location:Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic
Natural Resources: bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower, arable land

More Facts from World Factbook

The Flag

Adopted on February 26, 1986, the national flag of Haiti is divided in two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a centered white rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a palm tree flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing the motto L’UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength); the colors are taken from the French Tricolor and represent the union of blacks and mulattoes.

The coat of arms features a palm tree, topped with the Phyrgian cap, a symbol of liberty, and surrounded by six Haitian flags. The tree is flanked by cannons, and between them are several objects, including a drum and bugles, and a broken chain. Across the bottom of the coat of arms is a banner that reads “L’Union Fait La Force,” which means “Unity is Strength.”

The colors of the Haitian flag  reflect Haiti’s status as a former French colony, using the red and blue from the French flag. The story behind this resemblance is that the revolutionary Jean-Jacques Dessalines created the flag from the French flag, removing the white center and rotating the stripes, the blue and red left to represent Haitians, symbolically removing any remnants of white influence. The blue represented the former slaves and the red represented the mulatto population, who are people of mixed black and white ancestry.  The flag first came into use in 1806, and was made official by the national constitution on February 25, 2012.

Haiti National Anthem:

La Dessalinienne is the national anthem of Haiti, honoring Jean-Jacques Dessalines. It was written by Justin Lhérisson and composed by Nicolas Geffrard in French and adopted in 1904. Haitians who have been to school are more likely to know the first and last stanzas. The others (especially the fourth one) are rarely sung.

Haitian People:

A Haitian, or Haitian people (Kreyòl: Ayisyen) are the inhabitants or citizens of Haiti. Haiti is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds from West Central region of Africa, Polish, Jews (during the Holocaust), French and Taino Indian influences who are native to the country of Haiti, in the west of the island of Hispaniola.

Creole and French in Haiti : Haitian Creole is the true national language of the Republic of Haiti.  In addition to seven million people in the homeland, it is spoken by about a million Haitians living abroad. All Haitians speak the language, but a small minority of about 10% of the population also speak French, which they have learned either at home or at school.  However, even Haitians who master French consider Haitian Creole, which they use for most everyday communication, as the symbol of their national identity. –read more

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Republic of Haiti: National Holidays

January 1: Independence Day
January 2: Ancestors’ Day
May 1: Agriculture and Labor Day
May 18: Flag and University Day
October 17: Anniversary of the Death of Jean-Jacques Dessalines
October 24: United Nations Day
November 1: All Saints Day
November 2: All Souls Day
November 18: Battle of Vertières’ Day
December 25: Christmas Day

Legal / Religious / Traditional Holidays
(some dates vary according to the liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church)

Carnival ( Kanaval)  (Monday through Ash Wednesday)
Good Friday
Pan-American Day: April 14
Ascension Thursday
Feast of the Assumption
Corpus Christi

To read about facts about Haiti, Click Here  and Here

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  • I’m glad to find a website like this, because I left Haiti 38 years ago ,for my own good,I ‘m very proud to be Haitian and my kids who are Haitian-American are very proud to have some one like me as a mother. Some one with deep roots and not afraid of the unknown.As Haitians we are not afraid of any thing or any one ,but we do respect and give respect to all.

  • Ayiti means high mountains in Taino, the indigenous language. Not in Haitian Creole, which it is Gros Morne, the town my family is from. The original name of the island was Ayiti-Quisqeya-Bohio.

  • im haitian american and im twelve years old i was born in haiti i came here when i was little and these pictures are beautifu;l

  • trust me haiti isnt 95% black thats what american wants people to believe. Ayiti is Africa in the New World but, were not…were haitians

  • I am pretty sure the facts on Voodoo are not accurate. If 3% exclusively practice voodoo and 98% practice it as a secondary religion, that amounts to 101%. Not only does this number not make sense, but it pretty says that ALL Haitians practice Voodoo when in fact that is a lie. I am Haitian and grew up around Haitians and have yet to meet one who does practice it. I know my family certainly does not. This number is completely unrealistic and is creating a certain image of our country that instills fear in others (mainly because the practice Voodoo may be misunderstood).

    • I completely understand what you are saying, and your right I don’t know a single person in my family that does, heck, we don’t even believe in it but the author Molly stated that her facts were researched so im not sure. All I can do is reach out to her with your question..

      • I do not think they know what the actual numbers are in terms of religion /voodoo. I am Haitian and I been in the U.S. since 3 years old . I find that most Hatians are aware of Voodoo and don’t really talk about it but will seek it when they want or need some type of change /action for the good or bad! Most nationalities have their own Voodoo, witch craft or black magic. I heard many stories of its power and sometimes seen effects of what I thought was a result of it. Most who do Voodoo will not tell u and many are known thru the villages by the locals . I went to Haiti few years ago and I was with my cousin he took me to a Voodoo priest house . He didn’t even tell me where we was going but I figured it out when I was in his home . I was in the room and witnessed certain rituals he performed . Voodoo is out there but its hard to know the numbers! Its best to respect all Religion and don’t under estimate it.

  • haiti is so beautiful. i’m from Jamaica and doing some research about Caribbean countries for my Caribbean studies class. a big thumbs up to you Haitians as you and your ancestors before you are a force to be reckon with you taught the caribbean that slavery was never a permanent state of being

  • I am Haitian, I was born and raised in Haiti. I came in United States for political reason. I am currently pursuing my bachelor on business administration and Finance. My goal is to invest in Haiti as much as I can; educate the Haitian people, and create jobs opportunities. I have a group on Facebook called Haitian Entrepreneur n which members get to discuss on issues down here. I am very passionate about Haiti!!!!

  • I’m proud to say i’m Haitian i came to the United state when i was 13 year ago I’m still learning more everyday about my country a lot of stuff they say about Haiti is not true i love being haitian 100%

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  • haiti is so beautiful. i’m from indonesia and doing some research about Caribbean countries for my Caribbean studies class. a big thumbs up to you Haitians as you and your ancestors before you are a force to be reckon with you taught the caribbean that slavery was never a permanent state of being slaves so far Haiti into a country with low economic

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  • I am Haitian, I was born and raised in Haiti. I came in United States for political reason. I am currently pursuing my bachelor on business administration and Finance. My goal is to invest in Haiti as much as I can; educate the Haitian people, and create jobs opportunities.

  • I am haitian and pretty sure the facts on Voodoo are not accurate. If 3% exclusively practice voodoo and 98% practice it as a secondary religion, that amounts to 101%. Not only does this number not make sense, but it pretty says that ALL Haitians practice Voodoo when in fact that is a lie.
    Thanks