Haiti Profile
Haiti is situated in the Caribbean and shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic. It is approximately the size of the state of Maryland, and is mountainous with an acrid climate. Haiti is the least-developed country in the Western Hemisphere, and one of the poorest in the world.

• Population: 7.5 million people
• Capital: Port-au-Prince
• Government Type: Elected Government
• Ethnic Groups: African descent 95%; African and European descent 5%
• Religions: Roman Catholic 80%; Protestant 16%; voodoo practices widespread
• Languages: French and Creole
• Adult Literacy: 35%
• Birth Rate: 31.97 births/1,000 population
• Death Rate: 97.1 deaths/1,000 live births
• Life Expectancy at Birth: Total population: 49.21 years. Male: 47.46 years. Female: 51.06 years
• Population Below Poverty: 80%
• Unemployment Rate: 70%; widespread under-employment; more than two-thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs

| Scenes of Haiti |   | Photos by Dr. Kraus |

Haiti Healthcare

• The high mortality rate in Haiti is the result of the country’s generalized poverty and endemic illnesses. The health crisis is exacerbated by deficient water supply and basic sanitation services.
• According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the leading causes of child mortality in Haiti are diarrheal diseases, acute respiratory infections and malnutrition. Major causes of hospitalization for children 0-14 years old were prematurity (23%), pneumonia (16%), malnutrition (8%), meningitis (8%), typhoid (6%) and gastroenteritis (5%).
• Prevalent diseases seen in Haitian adult patients include tuberculosis, diabetes, HIV/Aids, hepatitis, sickle cell disease and hypertension.