The Haitian people live one of the worst nightmares on the Planet. The Island, a country in crisis for decades, was assaulted by an earthquake and has left much of Port-au-Prince's infrastructure in tatters. This metropolis is the capital and largest city, where there are up to four million people. There are not words to describe it. But is also the worst economic disaster to hit this Island since 1804. A country which is making enormous efforts to build a peaceful society, and where over 90 percent of the nation's population lives on less than one dollar a day.
The international organizations estimated that there are at least three million homeless and between 50, 000 and 100,000 persons dead. Over 10,000 buildings have been destroyed, including hospitals, schools, and hotels. In the last days, Haiti has moved from being one of the 25 poorest nations on Earth to being considered the world's poorest country, below many war-torn countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan and Iraq.
From 1804 to the Present-day
The Republic of Haiti occupies the western third of Hispaniola, the second-largest island on the Caribbean (shares the Island with the Dominican Republic). It covers 10,700 square kilometers ( 27,750 km). This French-speaking Island is slightly larger than the state of New Hampshire. About 70 percent of the country's territory is made up of mountains. With over nine million inhabitants, it has one of the most ethnically homogeneous populations on the mainland of the Americas (98% of the population are of African descent). It is also one of the most densely populated countries in Latin America. More than 70 percent of Haiti's people live in rural areas.
Following more than 105 years under French rule, by the early 1800s, Haiti, led by Jean Jacques Dessalines, gained its national independence and was home to the first black republic in history. Soon afterwards, a monarchy was set up. Subsequently, it had been plagued by political violence and social instability. From the mid-1950s to the mid-2000s, the nation's post-independence history had been written by dictators and anti-democratic warlords, which had plundered the Island's economy. At the same time, the Caribbean Island had 19 presidents and seven coups (1950-1997). In 1957 there were six Heads of State: Joseph Nemours Piere-Louis, Frank Sylvain, Leon Cantave, Daniel Fignole, Antoine Kebreau, and Francois Duvalier (also known as "Papa Doc").
Haiti hence became one of the world's least-developed countries. As a result, the Island boasted one of the world's lowest standards of living in the latter half of the 20th century, along with Zimbabwe, Zaire and Liberia. But that was not all. There are other legacies from the past. Due to political corruption and economic mismanagement, this Caribbean Island is still considered among the world's three most corrupt nations. On the other side, by the 1980s, it boasted one of the world's highest rates of HIV/AIDS infection. In the 21st century Haiti holds one of the developing world's most fragile democracies. The Caribbean nation has received more money per capita to promote democracy than any country in the world (equivalent to $ 38 for each Haitian), including Sudan, Burma and Belarus.
International Solidarity
But the Island is not alone. This French-speaking country has a number of friends in the world. Having obtained the full support of the United States: more than $100 million in aid. In Peru, on January 14, 2010, the nation's ruler Alan Garcia Perez decreed a day of national mourning. In the meantime, Haiti and the People's Republic of China don't have diplomatic ties, but Beijing has sent economic aid to Port-au-Prince.
Finally, Haiti's architect Albert Magones once said: "Because independence came early Haiti is unique in history, going directly from slavery to nationhood. That achievement gave us a sense of knowing who we are. We joke about ourselves; we criticize ourselves; sometimes we even despite ourselves..."
Alejandro Guevara Onofre: Freelance writer. Alejandro is author of a host of articles/essays about over 220 countries and dependencies (and American States as well), from ecology, history, tourism and national heroes to Olympic sports, foreign relations, and wildlife. In addition, he has published some books on women's rights, among them "History of the Women in America" and "Famous Americans." Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alejandro_Guevara_Onofre |  |
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