Country explorer: Haiti
EXPERIMENTAL
2024
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Overview
Haiti is a mountainous, lower-middle-income country in North America with a medium-sized population. Its economy has been volatile in recent decades, and is based on agriculture, mining, textiles and tourism.
Haiti has a rich cultural heritage with a blend of African, French, and Spanish influences.
Economy
Haiti's economy has been characterized by high inflation rates, escalating unemployment, and a significant proportion of the population living below various poverty thresholds, distinguishing it from its peers by its pervasive economic challenges and a more pronounced struggle with poverty and joblessness.
Demographics
Haiti has experienced significant demographic changes, including a steady population increase despite challenges of net migration loss, a marked decrease in fertility rate from 4.4 children per woman in 2000 to 2.8 in 2022, and gradual improvements in life expectancy amidst fluctuations influenced by crisis periods, underlining the resilience and evolving dynamics of its society amidst internal and external pressures.
Basic needs
Haiti has seen markedly slower progress in improving access to clean cooking fuels and electricity compared to regional peers, underscoring persistent challenges in meeting basic needs.
Human development
Haiti has experienced a gradual improvement in human development indicators such as the Human Development Index, child mortality rate, and literacy rate, however, it still faces significant challenges and lags behind its regional peers, particularly in education quality and outcomes.
Environment & energy
Haiti has experienced a significant decline in its forest area, reflecting broader environmental challenges, including deforestation and limited access to renewable freshwater resources, which exacerbate the vulnerability of its ecosystem and energy infrastructure compared to its regional peers.
Technology & innovation
Haiti has experienced gradual but noteworthy progress in technology and innovation, marked by a significant increase in internet usage and mobile phone subscriptions, although it still remains behind global averages and faces challenges in scientific output and research & development.
Culture & society
Haiti has experienced modest shifts in demographics and gender equality, exhibiting high age dependency and gender inequality while maintaining a relatively stable level of foreign-born population and low self-reported life satisfaction, thereby highlighting its ongoing challenges compared to other nations.
Governance
Haiti has faced persistently low scores in governance indicators such as the rule of law, corruption perception, political civil liberties, and press freedom, suggesting systemic challenges in creating an equitable and transparent legal and political environment.