HAITI: IT’S PAST AND PRESENT Haiti is the second largest Caribbean Island. It occupies a third of the western part of the island it shares with the Dominican Republic. Haiti is also made up of several islands that surround the main territory. The capital is Port-au-Prince. It rains between November and March in the North of the island and between May and October in the South. “Once covered by forest, the country has been heavily logged for wood and fuel and to clear land for farming, and is now largely deforested.” Haiti is divided into “nine administrative departments.” Besides the capital, other important cities are Cap-Haitien and Gonaives. “Haiti is the most densely populated country in Latin America and has the lowest per …show more content…

The aftermath of Haiti’s earthquake has had a clear devastating impact on the capital, Port-au-Prince. “The National Palace, the Cathedral, the Ministry of Justice and other important Government offices have been destroyed. Hotels, hospitals, schools and the national penitentiary have all suffered extensive damage. Buildings and infrastructure were heavily damaged throughout the capital. Basic services such as water and electricity have collapsed almost entirely.” The remaining areas of Haiti appear to be largely unaffected. The destruction that the earthquake has caused is massive and the country is still very visibly shaken up as the casualties were vast, the destruction of homes immense, the water supply is short, and there are shortages of essential items. “Over 222,570 people have died, 300,572 injured and a staggering 2.3 million, nearly one quarter of the population, displaced. The government lost thousands of civil servants and most of their key infrastructure was destroyed.” Haiti’s present day situation is very grim. If you visit Haiti today it seems as if the earthquake had just taken place. Less