Haiti Epilogue

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Haiti Today - 200 Years After the Revolution

Haiti has remained the least-developed country in the Americas. On the HDI (Human Development Index) Haiti is now ranked 146th of 177 countries(Figure 1). In 2003, 80% of the population was estimated to be living in extreme poverty. Haiti is the only country in the America's who's Economic Growth has flat lined on the united nations list of least developed countries(Figure 2). 2/3 of Haitians work on small-scale subsistence farms. The main exports of Haiti consist of Mango's and Coffee beans. Haiti is also considered to be very high on the corruption scale (figure 3). Foreign aid makes up approximately 30%-40% of the national government's budget. The largest donor is the United States followed by Canada, and the European Union also contribute. The United States cut off all aid to Haiti from 200-2004 when a dispute about the elected president rose. Aid was restored when the president was dismissed in 2004.

Education in Haiti

The Literacy rate in Haiti is just below 50%. Most schools (90%) in Haiti are run by non profit organizations and are found in the most impoverished areas.

Demographics

There are approximately 250 people per square kilometer in Haiti, mostly concentrated in urban coastal areas. The whole population of Haiti is just larger than that of New York City. About 95% of Haitians are of predominantly of Afro-Carribean, Afro-Latino descent.There is a significant Haitian population in South Florida, specifically the Miami enclave of Little Haiti. New York City also has a large Haitian community with the second largest population of Haitians of any state in the nation. A considerable number also reside in Boston.

Haiti is faced with many environmental, political, and economic problems, leaving it as the most underdeveloped nation in the America's.

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