Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for the Liberation and Advancement of Haiti or ALAH
[Reynold GEORGES]; Assembly of Progressive National Democrats or
RDNP [Leslie MANIGAT]; Ayiti Kapab [Ernst VERDIEU]; Convention for
Democratic Unity or KID [Evans PAUL]; National Congress of
Democratic Movements or KONAKOM [Victor BENOIT]; Nationalist
Progressive Revolutionary Party or PANPRA [Serge GILLES]; Democratic
Movement for the Liberation of Haiti or MODELH [Francois LATORTUE];
Grand Center Right Front coalition (composed of MDN, MRN, and PDCH)
[Hubert de RONCERAY, Jean BUTEAU, Osner FEVRY and Marie-Denise
CLAUDE]; Haitian Christian Democratic Party or PDCH [Osner FEVRY and
Marie-Denise CLAUDE]; Haitian Democratic Party or PADEMH [Clark
PARENT]; Haitian Democratic and Reform Movement or MODEREH [Dany
TOUSSAINT and Pierre Soncon PRINCE]; Heads Together [Dr. Gerard
BLOT]; Lavalas Family or FL [leader NA]; Liberal Party of Haiti or
PLH [Michael MADSEN]; Mobilization for National Development or MDN
[Hubert DE RONCERAY]; Movement for National Reconstruction or MRN
[Jean Henold BUTEAU]; Movement for the Installation of Democracy in
Haiti or MIDH [Marc BAZIN]; National Front for the Reconstruction of
Haiti or FRON [Guy PHILIPPE]; National Progressive Democratic Party
or PNDPH [Turneb DELPE]; New Christian Movement for a New Haiti or
MOCHRENA [Luc MESADIEU]; Open the Gate Party (Parti Louvri Bayre) or
PLB [leader NA]; Popular Party for the Renewal of Haiti, or
Generation 2000 [Claude ROMAIN and Daniel SUPPLICE]; Struggling
People's Organization or OPL [Edgard LEBLANC]; MNP28 [Dejean
BELIZAIRE]; KOMBA [Evans LESCOUFLAIR]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Autonomous Organizations of Haitian Workers or CATH [Fignole
ST-CYR]; Confederation of Haitian Workers or CTH; Federation of
Workers Trade Unions or FOS; Group of 184 Civil Society
Organization, or G-184 [Andy APAID]; National Popular Assembly or
APN; Papaye Peasants Movement or MPP [Chavannes JEAN-BAPTISTE];
Popular Organizations Gathering Power or PROP; Roman Catholic
Church; Protestant Federation of Haiti
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, Caricom (suspended), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, MIGA, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory),
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDP, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Raymond JOSEPH (as of November
2004)
chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090
FAX: [1] (202) 745-7215
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, and San Juan
(Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James B. FOLEY embassy: 5 Harry S Truman Boulevard, Port-au-Prince mailing address: P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince telephone: [509] 222-0354, 222-0269, 222-0200, 222-0327 FAX: [509] 223-1641 or 222-0200 ext 460
Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a centered
white rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a palm tree
flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing the motto
L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength)
Economy Haiti
Economy - overview:
In this poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, 80% of the
population lives in abject poverty, and natural disasters frequently
sweep the nation. Two-thirds of all Haitians depend on the
agriculture sector, which consists mainly of small-scale subsistence
farming. Following legislative elections in May 2000, fraught with
irregularities, international donors - including the US and EU -
suspended almost all aid to Haiti. The economy shrank an estimated
1.2% in 2001, 0.9% in 2002, grew 0.4% in 2003, and shrank by 3.5% in
2004. Suspended aid and loan disbursements totaled more than $500
million at the start of 2003. Haiti also suffers from rampant
inflation, a lack of investment, and a severe trade deficit. In
early 2005 Haiti paid its arrears to the World Bank, paving the way
to reengagement with the Bank. The resumption of aid flows from all
donors is alleviating but not ending the nation's bitter economic
problems. Civil strife in 2004 combined with extensive damage from
flooding in southern Haiti in May 2004 and Tropical Storm Jeanne in
northwestern Haiti in September 2004 further impoverished Haiti.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$12.05 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-3.5% (2004 est.)