Facts to Better Understand Haiti

I have decided to do a different blog. I wanted to present some facts so that people might better understand Haiti. Today with the Haitian Gourde worth less compared to the US$, everyday goods are much more expensive and people are much less able to provide for their families.

• Native Haitians were called Taino,”the good people”. They named their land “Ayiti” meaning “Land of Mountains” which evolved into Haiti.
• More than 10% of Haitian children die before age five.
• 80% live in poverty, 54% in abject poverty.
• 53% can neither read or write.
• Gourds were so important to the Haitian people they named their currency “gourdes”.
• 20% live in the Capital Port-Au-Prince.
• Only 10% who complete elementary school go on to high school.
• Most Haitians are descendants of slaves shipped to the Caribbean.
• In Haiti there is one hospital bed for every 10,000 people. There are only 8 doctors and 10 Nurses for every 100,000 people.
• Life expectancy is 50 years for men and 53 for women.
• Infant mortality is 74 deaths per 1,000 births
• Only 40% of children attend school.
• 1% of Haiti’s population owns more than 50% of the nation’s wealth.
• Estimated to be 430,000 orphans in Haiti.
• The average capita income in Haiti is $480.00.  In Canada it is $48,520.00.
• Haiti’s national sport is soccer. If provided adequate funding Haiti could be competitive at the World Cup.
• Haiti is considered the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.
• Population density in Haiti is 747 people per square mile, in Canada it is 9 per square mile.