Haiti

[ hey-tee ]

noun

1. a republic in the West Indies occupying the western part of the island of Hispaniola. 10,714 sq. mi. (27,750 sq. km). : Port-au-Prince. Formerly Hayti.
2. Also Hayti. a former name of Hispaniola.

Haiti

/ ˈheɪtɪ; hɑːˈiːtɪ /

noun

1. a republic occupying the W part of the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean, the E part consisting of the Dominican Republic: ceded by Spain to France in 1697 and became one of the richest colonial possessions in the world, with numerous plantations; slaves rebelled under Toussaint L'Ouverture in 1793 and defeated the French; taken over by the US (1915–41) after long political and economic chaos; under the authoritarian regimes of François Duvalier ('Papa Doc') (1957–71) and his son Jean-Claude Duvalier ('Baby Doc') (1971–86); returned to civilian rule in 1990, but another coup in 1991 brought military rule, which was ended in 1994 with US intervention. Official languages: French and Haitian creole. Religions: Roman Catholic and voodoo. Currency: gourde. Capital: Port-au-Prince. Pop: 9 893 934 (2013 est). Area: 27 749 sq km (10 714 sq miles)
2. a former name for Hispaniola

Haiti

1. Republic in the West Indies , on the western third of the island of Hispaniola, which it shares with the Dominican Republic . Its capital and largest city is Port-au-Prince.

Notes

With its extremely low average income and literacy rate, Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere .

In 1957, François (“Papa Doc”) Duvalier established a dictatorship ; at his death in 1971, he was succeeded by his son, Jean Claude (“Baby Doc”), who was finally overthrown in 1986. Since then the government has changed several times through military coups . In 1994, U.S. troops arrived in Haiti in an effort to restore democratic government, however, the political and economic future of Haiti remains uncertain.

Example Sentences

The announcement comes amid a worsening climate of violence in Haiti with some 25 suspected gang members killed in the capital on Tuesday.

From BBC

As someone born in Saint-Marc, Haiti, who moved to the U.S. when she was 7, her platform now — and its potential for good, whether it’s escapism or speaking out — is a bright spot.

From Los Angeles Times

Earlier this week, three planes that were either landing or taking off from the main airport in Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, were struck by gunfire as gang violence ravages the Caribbean nation.

From BBC

A new prime minister was sworn into office in Haiti earlier this week.

From BBC

America's aviation regulator has suspended flights by US carriers to Haiti for at least 30 days after three gun attacks in a day on planes departing from the Caribbean nation.

From BBC