Haiti

Haiti occupies the western third of the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean. Although in the tropics, Haiti is semiarid because mountains cut off the moist trade winds. About two-thirds of Haiti's terrain is unsuitable for farming.

Haiti is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. Most Haitians are subsistence farmers who cultivate small plots of land around their mud-and-thatch homes. A typical diet includes bananas and coffee for breakfast, cornmeal with beans or yams for lunch, and a supper of sweet oatmeal pudding.

In 1492, Columbus discovered Hispaniola, and the island became the center of Spanish rule in the West Indies. Soon, the indigenous people were wiped out, and slaves were brought from Africa to populate the island. In 1804, the island won independence as the republic of Haiti. Forty years later, the eastern part of the island split off as Dominican Republic. Since then, Haiti has had a troubled history. In 1991 a military coup forced thousands to seek asylum in the U.S. In 1994, the president returned from exile, and military rule was abolished.

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