Haiti - Demographic Profile
The demographic face of Haiti has undergone major transformations since its founding as a colony of France in 1697. When Columbus and his conquistadores arrived in the Island of Hispaniola in 1492, there were large numbers of indigenous peoples collectively known as Tainos and Arawacks. These peoples numbered in their millions. By the time Columbus and his successors completed the pacification of Hispaniola, the Taino population of Ayti was reduced to a few hundred persons. By the time the French took over the one third part of Hispaniola that they rechristened Saint Domingue, the total elimination of Taino population through enslavement and genocide by the Spanish Conquistadores, made it necessary for the French to massively import Black Africans to replace the Tainos and Arawacks as slaves on their plantations.
The arrival of Black Africans caused the first major change in the demographic face of Haiti. By the middle of 18th century Anno Domino, the demographic profile of the colony of Saint Domingue looked something like this: White colonists, twenty five thousands; Mulattos, forty thousands; and Black Africans, five hundred thousands. The remnants of the Tainos and Arawacks had been assimilated by the two other racial groups, Whites and Africans. Towards the end of the eighteenth century, the war of independence further changed the demographic face of the colony in favor of the Black population. With virtual elimination of the French and other European peoples from Saint Domingue, the population was now essentially made up of people of African descent and their Mulatto brethren.
The demographic face of Haiti continued like this throughout much of the nineteen century, although there was a steady increase in population through natural procreation. The ratio of Mulatto to Black in the population mix was around one to ten. The white population though present, was insignificant, when compared to the other two population groups, African and Mulatto. Going into the twentieth century, the introduction of industries into Haiti gave rise to gradual influx of entrepreneurs who were mostly white American and Europeans. Then the tide changed in the other direction. The arrival of the Duvalier dynasty on the political scene changed the population landscape of Haiti once again. The oppressive nature of "Papa Doc" Duvalier"s regime, led to massive emigration of Haitian who opposed him.
The situation got to a head in the nineteen sixties and seventies, when Haitians were leaving the island in droves; using any floating contraption which they could find to ferry them across the shark infested Caribbean Sea. Of course, most of these so called boats were not sea worthy. Very many of these boats sank in the sea, and some of the lucky survivors were picked up off the coast of Florida by United States Coast Guards. Most of the émigrés were of Mulatto stock. They were generally well educated professionals, who sought a better life in Continental USA and Canada. The massive emigration of Mulattoes from Haiti, altered the racial demographic ratio of the country in favor of the Black population once again. The situation has not changed much since then.
Demographics of Present Day Haiti. Presently, about ninety five percent of all Haitians are of the predominant African descent. The remaining five percent of the population is mostly mulatto, or mixed Caucasian-African, ancestry. There are a few Haitians of European heritage. Among the people of mixed heritage in Haiti are those with Arawack bloodlines whose antecedents are traceable to results of the natives of the island having relations with the Spaniards and eventually being assimilated with the first shipments of African slaves; before they died out. Genetic studies are now being undertaken to determine the exact numbers of people of Taino heritage both in and out of Haiti. Some Taino and Arawack advocacy groups are in the frontline of attempts to resuscitate the moribund Taino culture and reassert its rich heritage.
The total population of Haiti which today numbers over eight million persons, is spread over a landmass of about 27,750 square kilometers or 10,714 square miles. This gives an average population density of a little less than three hundred persons per square kilometer, or seven and a half hundred per square mile. However the population is concentrated most heavily in urban areas, coastal plains, and valleys. This is as a result of Haiti being mostly inhabitable mountainous terrain. The over concentration of population density in and around major cities like Pot-au-Prince, Les Cayes, and a few other towns, has led to severe environmental degradation in these towns and their surrounding areas.
The cities are surrounded by shanty towns which are mostly slums, and which lack proper planning. The houses in these shanty towns are substandard; most being constructed from scrap logwood and cardboards. There are no good roads. There is neither potable water nor electricity. Over forty one percent of all Haitians have no access to potable drinking water. The air in these shanty towns is heavily polluted with smoke, rising from cooking fires made from wood. Ninety percent of all cooking is done with wood fuel. The result of this over reliance on wood as fuel, is that most of Haiti"s forests have been destroyed, and the once lush meadows have now become desolate wastelands.
The major languages of Haiti are Creole and French. The vast majority of people speak Haitian Creole; while only the educated few can speak, read and write in French. The illiteracy level in Haiti is abnormally high. Over fifty five percent of all adults are complete illiterates, while almost fifty percent of all those over the age of fifteen years can neither read nor write. With an adult literacy rate of only forty five percent, and this primarily in the eighteen to thirty years age group, it is no wonder that Haiti is often hreferred to as an essentially illiterate society. The high level of illiteracy among the adult population of Haiti is also hreflected in the low level of its skilled labor force.
Other essential statistics of the quality of life of this once proud country, give a depressing picture of a sad present and a bleak future. Unemployment is almost seventy percent. Malnutrition is over forty percent. With a doctor to patient ratio of one to four thousand, it is no wonder that the infant mortality rate of Haiti is over ten percent of all children of ages zero to five years. To worsen matters even further the rampaging AIDS pandemic has reduced the average Haitian life expectancy to only fifty one years. All of humanity, particularly agents of the world organizations like the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Health Organization (WHO), The World Bank and IMF need to do more to help this once prosperous country aptly nicknamed "The Jewel of the Antilles".
Haitianite.com Magazine - Working Together To Uplift A Nation.
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