The countries of the Caribbean region attract an amazing climate and a good location with access to both the sea and the ocean. But this is far from all that distinguishes local states. For example, the Republic of Haiti is an original country, about which many interesting things can be told. Where is it located and what is worth knowing about it?
Geographical position
To find Haiti on a world map, just find the Caribbean. It is located between the continents of North and South America. There you will find a major point - the island of Haiti. The Dominican Republic occupies its eastern part. The whole west belongs to the state of Haiti. The northern part of the island of the same name is washed by the Atlantic Ocean, and the southern - by the Caribbean. Mountain ranges with an average height of a thousand meters pass through the state from east to west. The largest peak is La Sel peak. It rises two thousand six hundred eighty meters above sea level. The country's water basin is represented mainly by mountain rivers, which are not distinguished by an impressive length. The largest lakes of the state are Pligre, it is freshwater, and Somatra filled with salt water.
The history of Haiti
The island was discovered by the Spaniards in 1492, Columbus and his sailors founded a settlement here. Then this piece of land was called Navidad. A year later, the travelers returned, but all the settlers were dead. Who killed them remained a mystery. From the seventeenth century the country became a French colony, but in 1804 it gained independence. Haiti's people on the world map were helped by the democratic sentiment that emerged after the Paris revolution. It gained independence immediately after the United States. As a result, the country became the first in the world with the rule of blacks. However, the situation now and then turns out to be unstable - because of the low standard of living, uprisings and strikes are frequent here.
Climatic conditions
What interests the traveler in the first place? Of course, the weather that distinguishes the island of Haiti, where the state of the same name is located! This area is characterized by a tropical climate, affected by trade winds. It is an ideal place for those who like warm and humid weather. Moreover, it remains unchanged all three hundred sixty-five days in a row. On average, the temperature for a year is twenty-five degrees Celsius; fluctuations during the month are negligible. In the capital, called Port-au-Prince, the annual minimum is plus fifteen degrees Celsius, and the maximum reaches almost forty. The Republic of Haiti cannot boast the extent of the territories, but there are different climate options within it. The main difference is in the amount of precipitation due to the terrain - the mountain and coastal areas cannot coincide in this regard. About five hundred millimeters fall in the valleys per year, and five times more can happen in the highlands - up to two and a half thousand. The main rainfall occurs during the rainy seasons, which fall on the periods from April to June and from September to November. The rest of the year is characterized by dry and warm weather. Powerful tropical hurricanes can happen, as a rule, they happen from June to September. It is recommended to come to Haiti only during periods when the wind is much weaker.
Haitian money
An interesting fact - in the country there are several currency options. The official one is called gourde and is one hundred centimes. In the course of banknotes in denominations of a thousand, five hundred, two hundred and fifty, one hundred, fifty, twenty five and ten. There are coins of five and one gourde, as well as fifty, twenty, ten and five centimes. The official international designation is HTG. Unofficially, the country uses the so-called "Haitian dollars." In addition, United States money is widely used. They can be used in the market or in private institutions. The official currency of Haiti can be obtained at numerous exchange offices in the capital, but the terms of the transaction and the amount of commission can be very different. There is also a black market. The course of informal money changers can be very profitable, but at the same time, everything can end with a robbery, so foreigners are not recommended to contact them. You can pay with a credit card almost everywhere, but getting cash is easy only in the capital - finding an ATM in the province is often quite difficult. In conditions of poverty and unemployment, locals simply do not need them.
Culture and beliefs of the population
The state of Haiti used to be a French colony, which is still noticeable in many areas of local life. So, many here communicate in Creole. Widespread not only in Haiti, Creole is a French language interspersed with Spanish and English. Such an adverb is used by most citizens. Classical French is spoken by about fifteen percent of the population. The Republic of Haiti is a Christian country. Most consider themselves Catholics, far less Protestant on the island. Local residents manage to combine traditional religion with pagan beliefs of voodoo - every second citizen of the country believes in these practices.
Art of the Republic of Haiti
The original religious preferences that distinguish the Republic of Haiti are interesting not only due to the unusual combination with Christianity prevalent here, but also the manifestations of art to which they lead. So, special ritual music performed on drums makes the country famous throughout the world. You can also see stunning architecture here - the remains of Sanssouci Palace are the most famous in the Caribbean. The ruins of the mysterious structure are included in the UNESCO list of cultural heritage. Black slaves worked at the construction site of the palace, and today this place attracts connoisseurs of architecture. Haitian painting deserves special mention. It is called naive or intuitive, but this does not mean that the drawings have a children's level of performance or lack of skill. Filled with color and emotions, the work of the famous local artist Hector Hippolytus in the twentieth century subdued connoisseurs of art in the United States. Other significant creators are Rigot Benoit, Jean-Baptiste Bottlet, Joseph Jean-Gilles and Custer Basile. Traditional sculptures of the country also deserve interest. The best sculptor of this country is Albert Mangoes.
Parsley war
The repression of the Haitians that took place in the thirties during the Dominican dictatorship of Trujillo, has an unusual name associated with harmless greenery. What is the name for parsley massacre? The fact is that these repressions, the number of victims of which, according to various sources, range from five to twenty-five thousand people, were accompanied by a special way of identifying Haitians. It is rather difficult to distinguish them from the Dominicans, but the former speak French Creole from childhood, while the latter prefer Spanish. This leads to a noticeable difference in pronunciation. That is why the Dominicans showed the alleged victim a sprig of parsley and offered to name it. If the word was spoken in the Spanish way, the person was released, and if in French, he betrayed himself and the soldiers grabbed him for further reprisal. And so it turned out that ordinary parsley is connected in the history of Haiti with such ominous events that still terrify the locals.
Interesting Facts
The state of Haiti is located in an extremely warm climate, so in the hottest hour of the day everything is often closed. For example, banks operate from nine in the morning until five in the evening with a two-hour lunch break - from one to three. Some open on Saturdays, but by the middle of the day they are already shutting down. Shops also have lunch breaks. Such traditions remind of the Spanish siesta. The price tags deserve special interest - here they are written in three currencies at once, in the Haitian gourde and the dollar, as well as in the currency of the United States of America. Foreigners are often confused and cannot figure out exactly how much they need to pay.
Dangerous state
Haiti does not have a high standard of living, so studying it in detail for a foreigner is not possible. Residents of other countries are not allowed to go to slums located on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien. Locals are quite friendly and welcoming, but more than eighty percent of citizens live below the poverty line, so the crime rate here is still quite high and in some areas only Haitians can stay. In addition, exotic diseases remain in the country - malaria and typhoid. Only the region near the port of Labadi is safe. In Haiti, it is not recommended to even drink tap water - it is not sufficiently purified, and even locals prefer to boil it.
State flag
The main symbol of the country has a traditional rectangular shape. The cloth is divided into two horizontal strips of equal sizes. The flag of Haiti is dark blue above and deep red below. In the center is the image of the coat of arms. The parties relate to each other in a ratio of five to three. The red color of the banner is intended to symbolize the local population - the mulattos. Blue is a sign of black residents. Both repeat the colors of the flag of France, which indicates the history of the country, which has long had the status of a colony. The combination of contrasting shades is an indication of the peaceful union of the inhabitants of the state, who are immigrants from different countries - on the territory there are just two opposing people.
National emblem
The logo image is used on the flag. The symbol representing the coat of arms of Haiti appeared in 1807. In the center is an image of a palm tree. Above it is a symbol of freedom - the Phrygian cap of two-tone fabric. A variety of military trophies surround the palm tree - cannonballs, anchors, guns, axes, and guns. The background is a green field on which gold scraps of chains are placed - a peculiar mention of the colonial past. Six fighting banners in national colors of local residents also surround the palm. At the foot of the tree is a white ribbon, which depicts the motto of the state, sounding like "The Union creates power."