Geography of Haiti

When Christophe Colomb discovered the island of Haiti, in 1492, she was inhabited by populations of man with coppered skin. From the political point of view, the island was divided into five kingdoms called caciquats: Magua, Marien, Xaragua, Maguana and Higuey.

The Spaniards charmed with these various kingdoms their independence and exterminated the Indians by subjecting them to forced labors. In 1503, the island of Haiti lives to arrive the first Africans, introduced by the Traite blacks.

Geographical location of the island of Haiti

The island of Haiti is located at the center of the Greater Antilles , Between Cuba in the North-West, the Jamaica in South-west and Puerto Rico in the east. It lies between the parallels 17° and 20° of northern latitude and the meridian lines 68° and 75° of western longitude of the Méridien of Greenwich. The whole island has a surface of 78 250 km and a population of almost 18 000 000 inhabitants, which makes approximately 230 inhabitants with the km. Two independent countries divide the island of Haiti: the Republic of Haiti in the West and the Dominican Republic in the east.

Coasts of the island

The coasts of the island of Haiti, very cut out, are bathed in north and the east by the Atlantic Ocean ; in the south and the west by the Caribbean Sea . They are very full of fish. Marine abysses border mainly the North-East of the island: the probe goes down to 8.000 meters to broad from the peninsula from Samana.

Reliefs of the island

The Indians called their island: Haiti , i.e. “ high ground ”. It, indeed, is dominated by a complicated whole of mountainous crumplings. The relief of the island of Haiti is appeared as two principal mountainous bands, one in north, the other in the south, separated by the plain from the Cul-de-sac and the lake Azueï in Haiti, by the lake Enriquillo and the plain of Neyba in Dominican Republic.

The mountains of north extend since the Dominican peninsula and Engano to the Haitian peninsula from the south. More the high summits exceed 3.000 meters, altitude which is reached in no other of the Antilles. Between the large chains of mountains of the island and in edge of the sea extend from abundantly sprinkled flat rich person.

Climate of the island

The climate of the island of Haiti is tropical. However, thanks to its relief, the island does not miss areas where freshness supports the human activity. In the Dominican Republic, the valley of Constanza is re-elected for its happy climate. In the Republic of Haiti, one praises the pleasant freshness of Pétionville (400 meters), of Kenscoff, Furcy (1 400 meters), of the valley of Jacmel (800 meters).

On the coastal towns, blows regularly a fresh breeze which moderates a climate without that rather torrid; the breeze of sea blows during the day and the breeze of ground during the night.

The temperature, in the shade, varies around 30° C in summer, of 20° with 26° C in winter. Between May and November, the stormy showers are frequent in Haiti. The winds are in Haiti more or less dry and more or less violent one. In certain areas, the East wind causes the dryness.

The Republic of Haiti

The border between the Republic of Haiti and the Dominican Republic is thus fixed by the last agreements:

It leaves the mouth of the Massacre, follows this river then the river of Capolitte until its source. It passes by dull the Wood-Pines, joined the Ténèbres river, follows the international road and Artibonite to its confluence with Macassia.
It goes up the Macassia river until San Pedro and passes Cachiman at the height. It cuts then the river Los Indios while moving towards the lake Azueï.
After having skirted the east coast of the lake, it passes to El Numéro, Maré Lemon-yellow, Gros Pond, descends the river from Pédernales to its mouth to Handle-with-Clowns.

The Republic of Haiti has a surface of 27.700 square kilometres.

Mountains of the Republic of Haiti

As for the whole island, the relief of the Republic of Haiti is made of two principal mountainous bands: one in North, the other in the South.

Mountains of North

The mountains of North include/understand:

the Chain of the Large River of the North to which the chain of Vallières is attached, the chain of Saint-Raphaël; the chain of Marmalade, concealment of Pleasure and the dull one of the Cut-with-Limb;
the chain of the High-Piton, the chain of the Saint Nicolas's Day Mole and concealment of Jean-Rabel;
the solid mass of the Black Mountains which includes/understands the chain of Ennery, the chain of Cahos and the chains of the Black Mountains;
the chain of the Math students and concealment of Hole-in Eau.

Mountains of the South

The mountains of the South are composed of the solid mass of the Saddle and that of the Hood. The Northern slope of the solid mass of the Saddle includes/understands:

dull the Saddle (2 680 meters)
the dull one of the Lost Children
the Black Mountain
dull the Hospital.

The Southern slope of the Solid mass of the Saddle includes/understands:

the dull one of the Police chiefs
dull the Wood-Pines
dull the Hell
the Cock Sings
the mountains of Jacmel.

The solid mass of the Hood includes/understands:

dull Sangris
the doctor's cap
the dull Head Ox
the chain of Plymouth
Macaya (2.400 meters)
Casetaches.

Plains of the Republics of Haiti

The plains are numerous in Haiti and it is for the majority of the coastal plains.

Mountains of North depend:

the plain of North,
the valley of the Three-Rivers,
the plain of the Mosquitos,
the plain of the Tree,
the plain of Gonaïves,
the plain of Artibonite,
the Central Plate,
the plain of Arcahaie.

The plain of the Cul-de-Sac separates the two mountainous bands from North and the South.

To the mountains of the South are attached:

the plain of Léogane,
the plain of Baconnois
vallé of Grand' Handle
the plain of Cayes
the Plate of Bottom-of-Negros
the valley of Jacmel

Geographical division of the Republic of Haiti

The Republic of Haiti is divided into 10 department S and 41 Arrondissement S made up of 136 common S and 519 communal sections.

External bond

ten departments of the Republic of Haiti
Haitian administrative subdivisions

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