CAP-HATIEN

also called Le Cap, city, northern Haiti, and one of the republic's largest cities. Founded in 1670 by the French, the city was then known as Cap-Franais and gained early renown as the Paris of the Antilles. It served as capital of the colony (then known as Saint-Domingue) until 1770 and was the scene of slave uprisings in 1791. United States ships used its harbour during the dispute with France (17981800) and during the American Civil War. Haitian and French troops razed the city in 1802. Henry Christophe, self-proclaimed king of Haiti, rebuilt much of it, but an earthquake in 1842 and a hurricane in 1928 destroyed many historic buildings; its colonial parish church survived. Cap-Hatien's modernized harbour handles about one-ninth of Haiti's importexport trade. It is also a market for local produce, including bananas, pineapples, sugarcane, coffee, and cacao. One of the world's largest sisal (rope fibre) plantations (45,000 acres [18,000 hectares]) is just outside the city, as is a government stock-feeding station. There is some industrial development. A new highway reduced traveling time between Port-au-Prince and Cap-Hatien from 11 to 3 hours and effectively opened the area to tourism. Attractions include the nearby palace of Sans-Souci and the fortress of La Citadelle Laferrire, both built by Henry Christophe. The latter, often called the Eighth Wonder of the World, was begun in 1804 and took 13 years and 200,000 slaves to complete. It is accessible only by a two-hour ascent by mule. The nearly ruined palace of Napoleon's sister, the wife of Gen. Charles Leclerc, recalls Leclerc's ill-fated invasion ordered by Napoleon in 1801. Pop. (1989 est.) 75,519.