Haiti: Sad, Sad Facts

Haiti has some 9 million inhabitants
More than half the population is rural; 95% are black and the rest mixed race and white
The official languages are French and Creole. Almost half the population over 15 years’ age (47.1%) is illiterate
The GDP is $7 billion. In terms of purchasing power parity, the per capita GDP is the lowest in Latin America (followed by Nicaragua) and only just abouve the countries of Africa and Nepal
Remittances from Haitians living abroad, mostly in New York and Miami, represent 40% of the GDP
Haiti is one of worst countries in the world in terms of income distribution. The poor receive only 0.7% while the richest 10% takes in 47.7%
80% of the population lives below the poverty line, with an “income” of less than a dollar a day
Almost 75% of the houses are of mud and wood and have no sanitation
Less than 40% of the population has access to drinking water
There is no garbage collection centre
80% of the population is unemployed. The average monthly salary is less than $50
Only 24% of the births are attended to by qualified medical personnel
Life expectancy fell from 52.6 years in 2002 to 49.1% in 2005. This is the lowest in Latin American and only just higher that the African countries, Bangladesh, Laos and Afghaistan
About 120,000 people, 2.2% fo the population, is affected by AIDS, one of the highest in the world
There are hardly 108,000 fixed telephone lines.

Source: Rebelion
Related Article: Galeano on Haiti: The White Curse

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