Caribbean · North America

Haiti

Discover Haiti - the first nation founded by a successful slave revolution, where vibrant art, vodou spirituality, and Creole culture pulse through the oldest Black republic in the world.

Where Is Haiti?

Haiti is a country in the Caribbean, North America. Its capital is Port-au-Prince.

Where Haiti isCaribbean · Capital Port-au-Prince

Capital Port-au-Prince
Population 11.9M
Area 27,750 km²

Haiti is the country that changed the world. In 1804, enslaved Africans in the French colony of Saint-Domingue did what no enslaved people had ever done before - they rose up, defeated Napoleon's army, and founded the first free Black republic in history. That revolution shook the foundations of slavery across the Americas, inspired independence movements from Latin America to Africa, and doubled the size of the United States when Napoleon, humiliated, sold Louisiana to fund his wars. No country this small has ever had this much impact on world history.

The western third of Hispaniola, Haiti is a place of extraordinary cultural richness and devastating hardship. Haitian art - the vivid, colorful paintings, the intricate metalwork, the elaborate Carnival costumes - is among the most distinctive in the Americas. Haitian Creole, spoken by 12 million people, is a full language with its own grammar and literature. Vodou, often misunderstood and caricatured by outsiders, is a complex spiritual tradition that sustained enslaved people through unimaginable suffering and remains central to Haitian identity. The Citadelle Laferriere, the largest fortress in the Americas, stands on a mountaintop as a monument to the determination of a people who refused to be enslaved again.

At a glance

Language

Haitian Creole & French

Currency

Haitian Gourde (HTG)

Calling Code

+509

Drives On

Right

Internet

.ht

Timezone

EST (UTC-5 / UTC-4)

Script

Latin

Government

Semi-presidential Republic

Independence

1804

By population

Largest cities in Haiti

Port-au-Prince

Capital and largest city cascading down hillsides around a bay, a vibrant, chaotic metropolis that is the cultural and economic heart of Haiti

2,800,000

Cap-Haitien

Second city on the north coast, the colonial capital of French Saint-Domingue and gateway to the Citadelle Laferriere and Sans-Souci Palace

275,000

Gonaives

City of Independence where Haitian freedom was declared in 1804, a historically significant city on the western coast

230,000

Jacmel

Charming southern coastal town known for its annual Carnival, vibrant arts scene, and well-preserved French colonial architecture

40,000

People

Famous people from Haiti

Toussaint Louverture
Politics
Leader of the Haitian Revolution who turned an enslaved population into a fighting force that defeated the armies of France, Spain, and Britain
Wyclef Jean
Music
Grammy-winning musician and Fugees co-founder who brought Haitian music and culture to global mainstream attention
Edwidge Danticat
Literature
Acclaimed Haitian-American novelist whose works Breath, Eyes, Memory and The Farming of Bones are essential Caribbean literature
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Art
Neo-expressionist painter of Haitian and Puerto Rican descent whose raw, powerful work made him one of the most important artists of the 20th century

Food

Traditional cuisine of Haiti

Griot: Haiti's signature dish - pork shoulder marinated in citrus and spices, then braised and fried until crispy on the outside and tender inside, served with pikliz
Diri ak Djon Djon: Rice cooked with dried black mushrooms unique to Haiti that turn the rice a striking dark color, a dish served at celebrations and special occasions
Soup Joumou: UNESCO-recognized pumpkin soup eaten on January 1st to celebrate independence, a dish enslaved Haitians were forbidden to eat under French rule
Pikliz: Fiery pickled cabbage and vegetable relish with scotch bonnet peppers, the essential Haitian condiment served with virtually everything
Akra: Crispy fried fritters made from malanga root and spices, a beloved Haitian street food with West African roots

Nature

Nature and landmarks in Haiti

Citadelle LaferriereLandmark: UNESCO World Heritage mountaintop fortress, the largest in the Americas, built after independence to defend against potential French return
Bassin BleuRiver: Series of stunning cobalt-blue pools and waterfalls hidden in the mountains near Jacmel, one of Haiti's most beautiful natural treasures
Pic la SelleMountain: Haiti's highest peak at 2,680 meters in the Massif de la Hotte, surrounded by some of the last remaining cloud forest in the country
Ile-a-VacheIsland: Peaceful island off the southern coast with unspoiled beaches, mangroves, and a quiet fishing village atmosphere far from Port-au-Prince

Sport

Sports in Haiti

Football: Haiti qualified for the 1974 FIFA World Cup in West Germany, the smallest Caribbean nation to reach the tournament at that time
Basketball: Basketball is hugely popular in Haiti, with a growing culture influenced by the large Haitian diaspora in the United States

Facts

Did you know?

Haiti was the first country founded by a successful slave revolt and the first free Black republic in the world, independent since 1804
Soup Joumou, the pumpkin soup eaten on New Year's Day, was recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage - it was forbidden to enslaved people under French rule
The Citadelle Laferriere is the largest fortress in the Americas, built by 20,000 workers on a mountaintop to protect the new nation
Haiti's revolution was so influential that it helped convince Napoleon to sell the Louisiana Territory to the United States, doubling its size
Haitian Creole is spoken by about 12 million people worldwide and is a fully developed language with its own grammar, not broken French
Haiti is the most mountainous country in the Caribbean, with the name Haiti coming from the Taino word meaning land of high mountains

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