Behind the vibrant energy of its predominantly young population lies a nation of stark contrasts, where resilience is tested daily by profound economic, social, and environmental challenges.
Key Takeaways
- Haiti's total population as of July 2024 is estimated at 11,724,763 people, with a population density of 434 people per square kilometer.
- The median age in Haiti is 24.2 years, with males at 23.2 years and females at 25.2 years as of 2024 estimates.
- Haiti's birth rate stands at 21.5 births per 1,000 population as of 2024, reflecting high fertility rates.
- Haiti's GDP (PPP) is estimated at $42.124 billion as of 2023.
- GDP per capita (PPP) stands at $3,720 as of 2023 estimates.
- Real GDP growth rate is -1.9% for 2023.
- Life expectancy at birth total is 64.4 years (2022), males 62.7, females 66.1.
- Infant mortality rate total is 45.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2022).
- Under-5 mortality rate is 58 deaths per 1,000 live births (2022).
- Adult literacy rate 62.1% total, 64.3% male, 60.0% female (2023).
- School life expectancy gender parity index 0.92 (2021).
- Gross enrollment ratio primary 104% (2021).
- Total land area of Haiti is 27,750 square kilometers.
- Water area comprises 0 square kilometers, total area 27,750 sq km.
- Comparative area slightly smaller than Maryland, USA.
Haiti is a densely populated, young nation grappling with poverty and instability.
Demographics
- Haiti's total population as of July 2024 is estimated at 11,724,763 people, with a population density of 434 people per square kilometer.
- The median age in Haiti is 24.2 years, with males at 23.2 years and females at 25.2 years as of 2024 estimates.
- Haiti's birth rate stands at 21.5 births per 1,000 population as of 2024, reflecting high fertility rates.
- The death rate in Haiti is 8.3 deaths per 1,000 population in 2024, influenced by health and disaster factors.
- Net migration rate for Haiti is -2.5 migrants per 1,000 population annually as of 2024.
- Urban population in Haiti constitutes 59.8% of the total population as of 2024 estimates.
- Haiti's population growth rate is 0.74% per year as estimated for 2024.
- Ethnic groups in Haiti are 95% Black, 5% mulatto and White combined per 2014 census data.
- Languages spoken: French (official) 42%, Haitian Creole (official) 58% as per 2015 data.
- Religions in Haiti: Protestant 16-45%, Roman Catholic 35-40%, Voodoo 2.1%, other 5-33%, none 29% per 2020 estimates.
- Life expectancy at birth for total population is 66.8 years, males 64.8, females 68.9 as of 2024.
- Total fertility rate is 2.57 children born per woman in 2024 estimates.
- Maternal mortality ratio is 350 deaths per 100,000 live births as of 2020.
- Infant mortality rate is 40.8 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2024.
- Dependency ratio total is 64.3% (youth 58.4%, elderly 5.9%) as of 2020.
- Sex ratio at birth is 1.02 males per female, overall 0.97 males per female in 2024.
- Population pyramid shows 33.5% under 15 years, 63.3% 15-64, 3.2% over 65 in 2024.
- Major urban areas: Port-au-Prince 2.444 million, Delmas 383,000, Cap-Haitien 232,000 per 2024.
- Haiti's literacy rate for population age 15+ is 62.1% (men 64.2%, women 60.2%) per 2023 est.
- Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) is 40.6% total, 40.2% male, 41.1% female per 2023.
- Poverty headcount ratio at $2.15/day (2017 PPP) is 58.5% as of 2020.
- Gini index measures inequality at 40.2 in Haiti as of 2023 survey.
- HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate is 1.9% (2022 est.)
- Orphans due to AIDS estimated at 230,000 (2023 est.)
- Major infectious diseases include food or waterborne diseases like bacterial and protozoal diarrhea (2023).
- Obesity rate among adults is 22.9% (2016/17 est.)
- Children under 5 stunted (low height-for-age) at 21.9% per 2019 survey.
- Population below poverty line is 58.5% (2012 est.)
- Haitian diaspora estimated at 1.5-2 million in the US, Canada, and France combined (2023).
- Remittances represent 20-25% of Haiti's GDP annually as of 2023.
Demographics Interpretation
While statistically young and densely packed, Haiti's narrative is one of resilience under pressure, evidenced by its steady growth against a backdrop of profound challenges and a heavy reliance on its scattered children abroad.
Economy
- Haiti's GDP (PPP) is estimated at $42.124 billion as of 2023.
- GDP per capita (PPP) stands at $3,720 as of 2023 estimates.
- Real GDP growth rate is -1.9% for 2023.
- GDP composition by sector: agriculture 20.3%, industry 19.2%, services 60.5% (2023 est.).
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) is 28.3% for 2023.
- Unemployment rate is 14.8% as of 2023 est.
- Public debt is 51.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Current account balance is -$1.245 billion (2023 est.)
- Exports are $2.918 billion (2023 est.)
- Imports are $6.345 billion (2023 est.)
- Export partners: USA 45%, Dominican Republic 14%, Italy 5% (2022).
- Import partners: USA 37%, China 18%, Netherlands 9%, Colombia 5% (2022).
- Agriculture products: coffee, mangoes, cocoa, sugarcane, rice, sorghum, wood (2023).
- Industries include textiles, sugar refining, flour milling, cement, light assembly (2023).
- Industrial production growth rate is 2.5% (2023 est.)
- Labor force is 4.312 million (2023 est.)
- Labor force by occupation: agriculture 38.1%, industry 23.4%, services 38.5% (2015).
- External debt is $3.098 billion (31 December 2023 est.)
- Exchange rate: 135 gourdes per USD (2023 avg.)
- Fiscal year runs from 1 October to 30 September.
- Taxes and revenues: 7.1% of GDP (FY23/24 est.)
- Budget expenditures: 21.8% of GDP (FY23/24 est.)
- Foreign direct investment inflows: $47.4 million (2023 est.)
- Gold reserves: 0 tonnes (2023 est.)
- Electricity access: 51.9% of population (2022).
- Haiti ranks 163rd in GDP nominal at $19.85 billion (2023 IMF est.).
- Ease of doing business rank: 178 out of 190 (2020).
- Tourism contributes about 2.4% to GDP pre-COVID (2019).
- Coffee exports value $100 million annually (2022).
- Textile exports to US under HOPE/HELP acts $1 billion+ yearly (2022).
Economy Interpretation
Haiti's economy is a fragile house of cards, where over half the population farms but food is imported, inflation runs wild as growth retreats, and its vital textile exports to the US stitch together a budget that remains critically threadbare.
Education
- Adult literacy rate 62.1% total, 64.3% male, 60.0% female (2023).
- School life expectancy gender parity index 0.92 (2021).
- Gross enrollment ratio primary 104% (2021).
- Net enrollment rate primary 89% (2021).
- Primary completion rate 52% (2021).
- Gross enrollment secondary 55% (2021).
- Pupil-teacher ratio primary 35:1 (2021).
- Government expenditure on education 1.4% of GDP (2021).
- Youth literacy rate ages 15-24 78.5% (2023).
- Tertiary enrollment gross 2.5% (2021).
- Out-of-school children primary age 11% (2021).
- Teachers in primary education 72,000 (2021).
- Official entrance age primary 6 years.
- Duration of primary education 6 years.
- Compulsory education age range 6-15 years.
- Education index from HDI 0.493 (2022).
- Mean years of schooling 5.2 years (2022).
- Expected years of schooling 9.6 years (2022).
- Primary schools number 15,000+ (2021).
- Secondary schools enrollment 500,000 students (2021).
- Universities in Haiti 10 public and private major ones (2023).
- Gender parity secondary gross intake ratio 0.85 (2021).
- Learning poverty rate 85% unable to read proficiently by end primary (2022).
- Vocational training programs cover 5% of youth (2022).
- Dropout rate primary 20% annually (2021).
- Higher education gross graduation ratio 15% (2021).
- Public expenditure per student primary $200 USD (2021 PPP).
- Private schools represent 90% of primary enrollment (2021).
- Teacher training institutes 5 major ones (2023).
- Adult education programs reach 100,000 participants yearly (2022).
Education Interpretation
For all its lively schoolhouses and hopeful youth, Haiti's education system is a heartbreaking ledger where near-universal initial enrollment quickly devolves into a cascade of dropouts, chronic underfunding, and the stark reality that 85% of children leave primary school without proficient reading skills, all while the government invests a paltry 1.4% of its GDP into reversing this tragic equation.
Geography
- Total land area of Haiti is 27,750 square kilometers.
- Water area comprises 0 square kilometers, total area 27,750 sq km.
- Comparative area slightly smaller than Maryland, USA.
- Coastline length 1,771 kilometers.
- Maritime claims territorial sea 12 nm, contiguous zone 24 nm.
- Climate is tropical moist, little seasonal temperature variation.
- Terrain mostly rough mountains with fertile valleys and small peninsulas.
- Elevation extremes lowest point Caribbean Sea 0 m, highest Pic la Selle 2,680 m.
- Natural resources include bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble.
- Land use arable 38.1%, permanent crops 12.4%, permanent pasture 29.3%, forest 3.6% (2018).
- Irrigated land 750 sq km (2012).
- Renewable water resources 14.03 cubic km (2020).
- Natural hazards frequent earthquakes, hurricanes, periodic droughts, flooding.
- Volcanism no volcanoes active.
- Environment current issues deforestation, soil erosion, inadequate water supply.
- Geography note shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic.
- Population distribution 59% urban (2024).
- Major cities Port-au-Prince (capital) 3 million metro (2024).
- Dependency to Dominican Republic for food, water, electricity, fuel.
- Roadways total 4,714 km, paved 1,289 km (2023).
- Waterways 48 km navigable (2011).
- Ports and terminals 7 major (2024).
- Airports 13 (2024), with 4 paved.
- Deforestation rate 1.44% annual decrease (2010-20).
- Forest area 3.9% of land (2020).
- Carbon dioxide emissions 3.03 million metric tons (2021).
- Electricity production 1.15 billion kWh (2021).
- Electricity consumption 1.075 billion kWh (2021).
- Electricity from fossil fuels 75.3% (2021 est.).
- Refined petroleum products consumption 31,000 bbl/day (2022).
- Haiti lies between latitudes 18° and 20° N, longitudes 71° and 75° W.
Geography Interpretation
Haiti is a geographically dramatic and resource-rich nation tragically shackled by environmental degradation, natural hazards, and a crippling dependency on its neighbor, making its resilient population's daily life an epic struggle against steep odds.
Health
- Life expectancy at birth total is 64.4 years (2022), males 62.7, females 66.1.
- Infant mortality rate total is 45.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2022).
- Under-5 mortality rate is 58 deaths per 1,000 live births (2022).
- Maternal mortality ratio 210 deaths per 100,000 live births (2020).
- HIV prevalence among adults 15-49 is 1.7% (2022).
- Tuberculosis incidence 142 cases per 100,000 population (2022).
- Malaria incidence 1,500 cases per 1,000 population at risk (2022).
- Physicians density 0.28 per 1,000 population (2020).
- Hospital beds density 1.3 per 1,000 population (2018).
- Drinking water access improved: 67.3% of population (2022).
- Sanitation facilities improved: 34.6% of population (2022).
- Malnutrition prevalence underweight children under 5: 15.6% (2019).
- Diabetes prevalence among adults 9.1% (2022 est.).
- Suicide mortality rate 9.5 per 100,000 population (2019).
- Immunization measles children 12-23 months 64% (2022).
- Diphtheria tetanus toxoid pertussis immunization 68% (2022).
- Polio immunization 68% (2022).
- Hepatitis B immunization 68% (2022).
- Non-communicable diseases account for 33% of deaths (2021).
- Communicable diseases 63% of deaths (2021).
- Health expenditure 5.2% of GDP (2022).
- Out-of-pocket health expenditure 54.7% of total (2022).
- Antiretroviral therapy coverage 64% (2022).
- Cholera cases reported 24,000 in 2022 post-2010 epidemic.
- Adolescent birth rate 72.4 births per 1,000 women 15-19 (2021).
- Contraceptive prevalence 32.8% among women 15-49 (2019).
- Female genital mutilation prevalence 0% (2023).
- Tobacco use among adults 8.9% (2022).
- Alcohol consumption per capita 3.6 liters pure alcohol (2019).
Health Interpretation
These statistics paint a portrait of a health system where the battle for survival begins at birth, is fought with scarce resources, and is often tragically lost to preventable diseases, leaving little energy left for the chronic ailments that come with a longer life.
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