Haiti Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ==Geography== {{Main|Geography of Haiti}} [[File:Haiti topographic map-fr.svg|thumb|upright=1.6|Topographical map of Haiti]] Haiti forms the western three-eighths of [[Hispaniola]], the second largest island in the [[Greater Antilles]]. At {{convert|27750|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} Haiti is the third largest country in the Caribbean behind [[Cuba]] and the [[Dominican Republic]], the latter sharing a {{convert|360|km|mi|0|adj=on|sp=us}} [[Dominican Republic–Haiti border|border]] with Haiti. The country has a roughly horseshoe shape and because of this it has a disproportionately long coastline, second in length ({{convert|1771|km|mi|0|abbr=on|disp=or}}) behind Cuba in the Greater Antilles.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.loc.gov/today/placesinthenews/archive/2010arch/20100114_haiti.html |title=Geography: Haiti |website=[[Library of Congress]] |access-date=29 September 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/caribb/haiti/htland.htm |title=Geography: Haiti| access-date=29 September 2014}}</ref> Haiti is the most mountainous nation in the Caribbean, its terrain consists of mountains interspersed with small coastal plains and river valleys.<ref name="CIA World Factbook – Haiti">{{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/haiti/ |title=CIA World Factbook – Haiti|access-date= 3 September 2019}}</ref> The climate is tropical, with some variation depending on altitude. The highest point is [[Pic la Selle]], at {{convert|2680|m|ft|0||sp=us}}.<ref name="NgCheong-Lum, Roseline 19" /><ref name="CIA World Factbook – Haiti"/><ref name="Encylopedia Britannica - Haiti"/> The northern region or '''Marien Region''' consists of the ''[[Massif du Nord]]'' (Northern Massif) and the ''[[Plaine du Nord]]'' (Northern Plain). The ''Massif du Nord'' is an extension of the ''Cordillera Central'' in the Dominican Republic.<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica - Haiti"/> It begins at Haiti's eastern border, north of the [[Guayamouc River]], and extends to the northwest through the northern peninsula. The lowlands of the ''Plaine du Nord'' lie along the northern border with the Dominican Republic, between the ''Massif du Nord'' and the North Atlantic Ocean. The central region or '''Artibonite Region''' consists of two plains and two sets of mountain ranges. The ''Plateau Central'' (Central Plateau) extends along both sides of the Guayamouc River, south of the ''Massif du Nord''. It runs from the southeast to the northwest. To the southwest of the ''Plateau Central'' are the ''[[Montagnes Noires, Haiti|Montagnes Noires]]'', whose most northwestern part merges with the ''Massif du Nord''. Haiti's most important valley in terms of crops is the Plaine de l'Artibonite, which lies between the Montagnes Noires and the [[Chaîne des Matheux]].<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica - Haiti"/> This region supports the country's longest river, the [[Artibonite River|Riviere l'Artibonite]], which begins in the western region of the Dominican Republic and continues for most of its length through central Haiti, where it then empties into the [[Gulf of Gonâve|Golfe de la Gonâve]].<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica - Haiti"/> Also in this valley lies Haiti's second largest lake, [[Lac de Péligre]], formed as a result of the construction of the [[Péligre Dam]] in the mid-1950s.<ref name=Wells>Jennifer Wells, [https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2010/11/21/a_dam_for_the_people_and_a_people_damned.html "A dam for the people, and A people damned"], ''Toronto Star'', 21 November 2010</ref> [[File:Aerial 2.jpeg|thumb|right|Saint-Marc Arrondissement, [[Artibonite (department)|Artibonite Department]]]] The southern region or '''Xaragua Region''' consists of the ''[[Plaine du Cul-de-Sac]]'' (the southeast) and the mountainous southern peninsula (the [[Tiburon Peninsula, Haiti|Tiburon Peninsula]]). The Plaine du Cul-de-Sac is a natural depression that harbors the country's saline lakes, such as [[Trou Caïman]] and Haiti's largest lake, [[Étang Saumatre]]. The [[Chaîne de la Selle]] mountain range – an extension of the southern mountain chain of the Dominican Republic (the Sierra de Baoruco) – extends from the Massif de la Selle in the east to the [[Massif de la Hotte]] in the west.<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica - Haiti"/> Haiti also includes several offshore islands. The island of [[Tortuga (Haiti)|Tortuga]] is located off the coast of northern Haiti. The [[Arrondissements of Haiti|arrondissement]] of [[Gonâve Island|La Gonâve]] is located on the island of the same name, in the [[Gulf of Gonâve|Golfe de la Gonâve]]; Haiti's largest island, Gonâve is moderately populated by rural villagers. [[Île à Vache]] is located off the southwest coast; also part of Haiti are the [[Cayemites]], located in the Gulf of Gonâve north of [[Pestel, Grand'Anse|Pestel]]. [[Navassa Island]], located {{convert|40|nmi|mi km}} west of [[Jérémie]] on the south west [[peninsula]] of Haiti,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/haiti/rock.htm |title=Whose Rock Is It? Yes, the Haitians Care |author=Larry Rohter |date=19 October 1998 |work=Port-au-Prince Journal (reprinted in New York Times)|access-date=28 January 2012}}</ref> is subject to an ongoing territorial dispute with the United States, who currently administer the island.<ref name="USGS">{{cite web|author=US Geological Survey(August 2000)|publisher=US Geological Survey|title=Navassa Island: A Photographic Tour (1998–1999)|access-date=18 November 2012|url=http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/navassa|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121119101317/http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/navassa/|archive-date=19 November 2012}}</ref> ===Climate=== [[File:Haiti Köppen.svg|thumb|left|Köppen climate types of Haiti]] Haiti's climate is tropical with some variation depending on altitude.<ref name="CIA World Factbook – Haiti"/> Port-au-Prince ranges in January from an average minimum of {{convert|23|°C|1}} to an average maximum of {{convert|31|°C|1}}; in July, from {{convert|25|–|35|°C|°F}}. The rainfall pattern is varied, with rain heavier in some of the lowlands and the northern and eastern slopes of the mountains. Haiti's dry season occurs from November to January. Port-au-Prince receives an average annual rainfall of {{convert|1370|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}. There are two rainy seasons, April–June and October–November. Haiti is subject to periodic droughts and floods, made more severe by deforestation. Hurricanes are a menace, and the country is also prone to flooding and earthquakes.<ref name="CIA World Factbook – Haiti"/> ===Geology=== [[File:Haiti Saut-d'Eau.JPG|thumb|right|[[Saut-d'Eau]] waterfall]] There are [[Thrust fault#Blind thrust faults|blind thrust faults]] associated with the [[Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault zone|Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault system]] over which Haiti lies.<ref name="USGSHaiti2">{{cite web|url=https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eqinthenews/2010/us2010rja6/#summary |title="Magnitude 7.0 – HAITI REGION Tectonic Summary" United States Geological Survey, 12 January 2010 |publisher=Earthquake.usgs.gov |access-date=11 January 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100115110510/http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eqinthenews/2010/us2010rja6/ |archive-date=15 January 2010 }}</ref> After the earthquake of 2010, there was no evidence of [[surface rupture]] and geologists' findings were based on seismological, geological and ground deformation data.<ref name="Hayes">{{cite journal|last=Hayes|first=G.P. |author2=Briggs R.W. |author3=Sladen A. |author4=Fielding E.J. |author5=Prentice C. |author6=Hudnut K. |author7=Mann P. |author8=Taylor F.W. |author9=Crone A.J. |author10=Gold R. |author11=Ito T. |author12=Simons M.|year=2010|title=Complex rupture during the 12 January 2010 Haiti earthquake|journal=Nature Geoscience|doi=10.1038/ngeo977|volume=3|issue=11|pages=800–805|bibcode = 2010NatGe...3..800H |url=https://authors.library.caltech.edu/21200/2/ngeo977-s1.pdf }}</ref> The northern boundary of the fault is where the [[Caribbean plate|Caribbean]] [[tectonic plate]] shifts eastwards by about {{convert|20|mm|in|abbr=in}} per year in relation to the [[North American plate]]. The [[strike-slip fault]] system in the region has two branches in Haiti, the [[Septentrional-Oriente fault zone|Septentrional-Oriente fault]] in the north and the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault in the south. A 2007 earthquake hazard study, noted that the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault zone could be at the end of its seismic cycle and concluded that a worst-case forecast would involve a 7.2 M<sub>w</sub> earthquake, similar in size to the [[1692 Jamaica earthquake]].<ref name="DeMets">{{cite journal|last=DeMets|first=C.|author2=Wiggins-Grandison W.|year=2007|title=Deformation of Jamaica and motion of the Gonâve microplate from GPS and seismic data|journal=[[Geophysical Journal International]]|volume=168|issue=1|pages=362–378|doi=10.1111/j.1365-246X.2006.03236.x|bibcode=2007GeoJI.168..362D|doi-access=free}}</ref> A study team performing a hazard assessment of the fault system recommended "high priority" historical geologic rupture studies, as the fault was fully locked and had recorded few earthquakes in the preceding 40 years.<ref name="18cgc">{{cite web|url=http://www.ig.utexas.edu/jsg/18_cgg/Mann3.htm |title=Entiquillo-Plantain Garden Strike-Slip Fault Zone: A Major Seismic Hazard Affecting Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica |publisher=18th Caribbean Geological Conference |last1=Mann |first1= Paul |last2=Calais |first2= Eric |last3=Demets |first3= Chuck |last4=Prentice |first4= Carol S |last5=Wiggins-Grandison |first5= Margaret |date=March 2008 |access-date=13 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100116160020/http://www.ig.utexas.edu/jsg/18_cgg/Mann3.htm |archive-date=16 January 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The magnitude 7.0 [[2010 Haiti earthquake]] happened on this fault zone on 12 January 2010. Haiti also has rare elements such as [[gold]], which can be found at The [[Mont Organisé]] [[gold mining|gold mine]].<ref>[http://www.ute.gouv.ht/caracol/images/stories/docs/environmental%20assessment%20of%20the%20usaidhaiti%20north%20park%20power%20project.pdf ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF THE USAID/HAITI NORTH PARK POWER PROJECT]. United States Agency for International Development. ute.gouv.ht. June 2011</ref> Haiti has no currently active volcanoes. "In the Terre-Neuve Mountains, about 12 kilometers from the Eaux Boynes, small intrusions at least as late as [[Oligocene]] and probably of [[Miocene]] age are known. No other volcanic activity of as late a date is known near any of the other warm springs."<ref>{{cite journal | last=Brown | first=John S. | title=The Hot Springs of the Republic of Haiti | journal=The Journal of Geology | publisher=University of Chicago Press | volume=32 | issue=5 | year=1924 | url=https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdf/10.1086/623111 | issn=0022-1376 | doi=10.1086/623111 | pages=384–399| bibcode=1924JG.....32..384B | s2cid=128421492 }}</ref> ===Environment=== {{Main|Environment of Haiti|Deforestation in Haiti}} [[File:Haiti deforestation.jpg|thumb|Haiti's border with the [[Dominican Republic]] in 2002, showing the extent of deforestation on the Haitian side (left)]] The [[Erosion|soil erosion]] released from the upper [[Drainage basin|catchments]] and [[deforestation]] have caused periodic and severe flooding, as experienced, for example, on 17 September 2004. Earlier in May that year, floods had killed over 3,000 people on Haiti's southern border with the Dominican Republic.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/weather/hurricane/2004-09-23-haiti-deforest_x.htm |title=Deforestation Exacerbates Haiti Floods |work=USA Today |date=23 September 2004 |access-date=24 July 2013 |archive-date=23 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111223200050/http://www.usatoday.com/weather/hurricane/2004-09-23-haiti-deforest_x.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> Haiti's forests covered 60% of the country as recently as 50 years ago, but that has been halved to a current estimate of 30% tree cover. This estimate poses a stark difference from the erroneous figure of 2% which has been oft-cited in discourse concerning the country's environmental condition.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.envirosociety.org/2016/05/haiti-is-covered-with-trees/ |title=Haiti Is Covered with Trees |website=EnviroSociety |last=Tarter |first= Andrew |date=19 May 2016 |access-date=19 May 2016}}</ref> Haiti had a 2019 [[Forest Landscape Integrity Index]] mean score of 4.01/10, ranking it 137th globally out of 172 countries.<ref name="FLII-Supplementary">{{cite journal|last1=Grantham|first1=H. S.|last2=Duncan|first2=A.|last3=Evans|first3=T. D.|last4=Jones|first4=K. R.|last5=Beyer|first5=H. L.|last6=Schuster|first6=R.|last7=Walston|first7=J.|last8=Ray|first8=J. C.|last9=Robinson|first9=J. G.|last10=Callow|first10=M.|last11=Clements|first11=T.|last12=Costa|first12=H. M.|last13=DeGemmis|first13=A.|last14=Elsen|first14=P. R.|last15=Ervin|first15=J.|last16=Franco|first16=P.|last17=Goldman|first17=E.|last18=Goetz|first18=S.|last19=Hansen|first19=A.|last20=Hofsvang|first20=E.|last21=Jantz|first21=P.|last22=Jupiter|first22=S.|last23=Kang|first23=A.|last24=Langhammer|first24=P.|last25=Laurance|first25=W. F.|last26=Lieberman|first26=S.|last27=Linkie|first27=M.|last28=Malhi|first28=Y.|last29=Maxwell|first29=S.|last30=Mendez|first30=M.|last31=Mittermeier|first31=R.|last32=Murray|first32=N. J.|last33=Possingham|first33=H.|last34=Radachowsky|first34=J.|last35=Saatchi|first35=S.|last36=Samper|first36=C.|last37=Silverman|first37=J.|last38=Shapiro|first38=A.|last39=Strassburg|first39=B.|last40=Stevens|first40=T.|last41=Stokes|first41=E.|last42=Taylor|first42=R.|last43=Tear|first43=T.|last44=Tizard|first44=R.|last45=Venter|first45=O.|last46=Visconti|first46=P.|last47=Wang|first47=S.|last48=Watson|first48=J. E. M.|title=Anthropogenic modification of forests means only 40% of remaining forests have high ecosystem integrity – Supplementary Material|journal=Nature Communications|volume=11|issue=1|year=2020|page=5978|issn=2041-1723|doi=10.1038/s41467-020-19493-3|pmid=33293507|pmc=7723057|bibcode=2020NatCo..11.5978G }}</ref> Scientists at the [[The Earth Institute#Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN)Earth Institute|Columbia University's Center for International Earth Science Information Network]] and the [[United Nations Environment Programme]] are working on the Haiti Regenerative Initiative, an initiative aiming to reduce poverty and natural disaster vulnerability through ecosystem restoration and sustainable resource management.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://haiti.ciesin.columbia.edu/ |title=Haiti GeoPortal at CIESIN |year=2012 |publisher=Columbia University |location=New York |access-date=6 December 2016 |archive-date=11 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220911115349/http://haiti.ciesin.columbia.edu/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> ====Biodiversity==== {{Main|Wildlife of Haiti}} [[File:Hispaniolan Solenodon crop.jpg|thumb|right|The endangered Hispaniolan solenodon, endemic to the island]] Haiti is home to four ecoregions: [[Hispaniolan moist forests]], [[Hispaniolan dry forests]], [[Hispaniolan pine forests]], and [[Greater Antilles mangroves]].<ref name="DinersteinOlson2017">{{cite journal|last1=Dinerstein|first1=Eric|last2=Olson|first2=David|last3=Joshi|first3=Anup|last4=Vynne|first4=Carly|last5=Burgess|first5=Neil D.|last6=Wikramanayake|first6=Eric|last7=Hahn|first7=Nathan|last8=Palminteri|first8=Suzanne|last9=Hedao|first9=Prashant|last10=Noss|first10=Reed|last11=Hansen|first11=Matt|last12=Locke|first12=Harvey|last13=Ellis|first13=Erle C|last14=Jones|first14=Benjamin|last15=Barber|first15=Charles Victor|last16=Hayes|first16=Randy|last17=Kormos|first17=Cyril|last18=Martin|first18=Vance|last19=Crist|first19=Eileen|last20=Sechrest|first20=Wes|last21=Price|first21=Lori|last22=Baillie|first22=Jonathan E. M.|last23=Weeden|first23=Don|last24=Suckling|first24=Kierán|last25=Davis|first25=Crystal|last26=Sizer|first26=Nigel|last27=Moore|first27=Rebecca|last28=Thau|first28=David|last29=Birch|first29=Tanya|last30=Potapov|first30=Peter|last31=Turubanova|first31=Svetlana|last32=Tyukavina|first32=Alexandra|last33=de Souza|first33=Nadia|last34=Pintea|first34=Lilian|last35=Brito|first35=José C.|last36=Llewellyn|first36=Othman A.|last37=Miller|first37=Anthony G.|last38=Patzelt|first38=Annette|last39=Ghazanfar|first39=Shahina A.|last40=Timberlake|first40=Jonathan|last41=Klöser|first41=Heinz|last42=Shennan-Farpón|first42=Yara|last43=Kindt|first43=Roeland|last44=Lillesø|first44=Jens-Peter Barnekow|last45=van Breugel|first45=Paulo|last46=Graudal|first46=Lars|last47=Voge|first47=Maianna|last48=Al-Shammari|first48=Khalaf F.|last49=Saleem|first49=Muhammad|title=An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm|journal=BioScience|volume=67|issue=6|year=2017|pages=534–545|issn=0006-3568|doi=10.1093/biosci/bix014|pmid=28608869|pmc=5451287}}</ref> Despite its small size, Haiti's mountainous terrain and resultant multiple climatic zones has resulted in a wide variety of plant life.<ref name="Bradt6">Clammer, Paul (2016), ''Bradt Travel Guide – Haiti'', p. 6.</ref> Notable tree species include the [[breadfruit tree]], [[mango tree]], [[acacia]], [[mahogany]], [[coconut palm]], [[royal palm]] and [[Cedrela odorata|West Indian cedar]].<ref name="Bradt6"/> The forests were formerly much more extensive, but have been subject to severe deforestation.<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica - Haiti"/> Most mammal species are not native, having been brought to the island since colonial times.<ref name="Bradt6"/> However, there are various native [[bat]] species, as well as the endemic [[Hispaniolan hutia]] and [[Hispaniolan solenodon]].<ref name="Bradt6"/> Whale and dolphin species can also be found off Haiti's coast. There are over 260 species of birds, 31 endemic to Hispaniola.<ref name="Bradt4">Clammer, Paul (2016), ''Bradt Travel Guide – Haiti'', p. 4.</ref> Notable endemic species include the [[Hispaniolan trogon]], [[Hispaniolan parakeet]], [[grey-crowned tanager]] and the [[Hispaniolan Amazon]].<ref name="Bradt4"/> There are also several [[Raptor (bird)|raptor]]s, as well as pelicans, ibis, hummingbirds and ducks. Reptiles are common, with species such as the [[rhinoceros iguana]], [[Chilabothrus fordii|Haitian boa]], [[American crocodile]] and [[gecko]].<ref name="Bradt5">Clammer, Paul (2016), ''Bradt Travel Guide – Haiti'', p. 5</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. 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