officially Republic of Haiti
Country, West Indies .
It occupies the western third of the island of Hispaniola, with the Dominican Republic to the east. Area: 10,695 sq mi (27,700 sq km). Population (2002 est.): 7,064,000. Capital: Port-au-Prince . Almost the entire population is black or mulatto. Language: Haitian Creole and French (both official). Religion: Roman Catholicism; voodoo (voudou). Currency: gourde. Most of its land is mountainous, with about two-fifths above 1,600 ft (490 m) in elevation. The mountain ranges alternate with fertile but overpopulated lowlands. Its climate is tropical, modified by the mountains, and subject to periodic droughts and hurricanes. Its longest river is the Hispaniola . Haiti gained its independence when the former slaves of the island, led by Toussaint-Louverture in the 1790s and by {{link=Dessalines, Jean-Jacques">Jean-Jacques Dessalines in 1804, rebelled against French rule. The new republic encompassed the entire island of Hispaniola, but the eastern portion of the island was restored to Spain in 1809. It was reunited under Haitian Pres. Jean-Pierre Boyer (1818–43); after his overthrow the eastern portion revolted and formed the Dominican Republic. Haiti's government was marked by instability, with frequent coups and assassinations. It was occupied by the U.S. in 1915–34. In 1957 the dictator François ("Papa Doc") Duvalier came to power. Despite economic decline and civil unrest, Duvalier ruled until his death in 1971. He was succeeded by his son, Jean-Claude ("Baby Doc") Duvalier, who was forced into exile in 1986. Haiti's first free presidential elections, held in 1990, were won by Jean-Bertrand Aristide . He was deposed by a military coup in 1991, after which tens of thousands of Haitians attempted to flee to the U.S. in small boats. The military government stepped down in 1994, and Aristide returned from exile and resumed the presidency. His associate Rene Preval took office in 1995, and in 2000 Aristide again claimed the presidency. Economic and political instability, however, continued to plague Haiti at the outset of the 21st century.