A brief introduction to Hispaniola
Haiti and the Dominican Republic share a 120-mile-long border on the
Caribbean island of Hispaniola. It is the 22nd-largest island in the world,
slightly smaller than South Carolina. Hispaniola was also the site of the
first European colony in the New World, after Columbus landed there
during his first voyage in 1492.
Although the Dominican Republic is considered a poor nation, it is far
better off than Haiti in almost every measurable aspect. The Dominican
Republic shares many of the same problems of developing countries,
such as unemployment and government corruption, yet its economy
continues to grow and modernize. In stark contrast, Haiti is the poorest
country in the Western Hemisphere.
Facts & Figures
Haiti
Dominican Republic
9,801,664 ......................
938 ..................................
p o p u l at i o n
p o p u l at i o n d e n s i t y
(people per sq. mile)
23 ...............................................
b i r t h r at e
8 .................................................
d e at h r at e
10,088,598
�������������������������������� 536
�����������������
�������������������������������������������
(per 1,000 people)
52 .........................................
������������������������������������������������
(per 1,000 people)
i n fa n t m o r ta l i t y
���������������������������������������
(per 1,000 people)
1.9% .....................................
62 ..........................................
53% .....................................
$1,200 ....................
19
h i v / a i d s r at e
4
21
0.9%
���������������������������������������� 77
������������������������������������ 87%
������������������ $9,300
����������������������������������
l i f e e x p e c ta n c y
l i t e r a c y r at e
g r o s s n at i o n a l p r o d u c t
40% ................................
80% ......................
1% ...............................
(per capita)
u n e m p l o y m e n t r at e
13%
�������������������� 42%
������������������������� 32%
������������������������������
p o p u l at i o n b e l o w p o v e r t y l i n e
n at u r a l f o r e s t r e m a i n i n g
Source: CIA World Factbook (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook)
The question
If the countries of Haiti and the Dominican Republic share the same
island and were founded by Europeans around the same time, why did
their political, economic and ecological histories unfold so differently?
Why is Haiti so much poorer?