Haiti

[hey-tee]

noun

1. Formerly Hayti. a republic in the West Indies occupying the western part of the island of Hispaniola. 10,714 sq. mi. (27,750 sq. km). Port-au-Prince.

2. Also Hayti a former name of Hispaniola.

Haiti

/ ˈheɪtɪ, hɑːˈiːtɪ /

noun

1. a republic occupying the W part of the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean, the E part consisting of the Dominican Republic: ceded by Spain to France in 1697 and became one of the richest colonial possessions in the world, with numerous plantations; slaves rebelled under Toussaint L'Ouverture in 1793 and defeated the French; taken over by the US (1915–41) after long political and economic chaos; under the authoritarian regimes of François Duvalier ('Papa Doc') (1957–71) and his son Jean-Claude Duvalier ('Baby Doc') (1971–86); returned to civilian rule in 1990, but another coup in 1991 brought military rule, which was ended in 1994 with US intervention. Official languages: French and Haitian creole. Religions: Roman Catholic and voodoo. Currency: gourde. Capital: Port-au-Prince. Pop: 9 893 934 (2013 est). Area: 27 749 sq km (10 714 sq miles)

2. a former name for Hispaniola

Haiti

1. Republic in the West Indies, on the western third of the island of Hispaniola, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Its capital and largest city is Port-au-Prince.

With its extremely low average income and literacy rate, Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere.

In 1957, François (“Papa Doc”) Duvalier established a dictatorship; at his death in 1971, he was succeeded by his son, Jean Claude (“Baby Doc”), who was finally overthrown in 1986. Since then the government has changed several times through military coups. In 1994, U.S. troops arrived in Haiti in an effort to restore democratic government, however, the political and economic future of Haiti remains uncertain.

Example Sentences

"We are so deeply grateful to everyone, in Haiti and internationally, who has worked tirelessly over these terrible weeks to help secure their safe return," the statement added.

From BBC

The 30-year-old man from Haiti said conditions started to deteriorate around March as hundreds of extra people were packed into the facility.

From Los Angeles Times

It added that their religion "compels" them to reach out to others in the area, with other parishes and with their sister school in Haiti.

From BBC

"He's a gang leader responsible for heinous human rights abuses, including violence against American citizens in Haiti."

From BBC

The family of an Irish woman kidnapped from an orphanage in Haiti has said they are "absolutely devastated" and described the situation as "deeply worrying".

From BBC