| Corporate Republic of Haiti Entreprise République d'Haïti (fr) Kòperasyon Repiblik nan Ayiti (ht) | ||||||
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| Motto: Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité Freedom, Equality, Brotherhood | ||||||
| Anthem: La Dessalinienne The Dessalines Song | ||||||
| Capital (and largest city) |
Port-au-Prince | |||||
| Official language | French Haitian Creole | |||||
| Ethinic groups | Haitian | |||||
| Demonym | Haitian | |||||
| Government - Regional Director - Assistant Director |
Corporatocracy Marcelle Delaroux Michel Martelly | |||||
| Legislature | Board of Directors | |||||
| Formation - French colony - Independence declared - Recognized by France - Project Feonis |
30 October 1697 1 January 1804 17 April 1825 16 May 2004 | |||||
| Area - Total - Water (%) |
27,750 km² 10,714 sq mi 0.7% | |||||
| Population - 2013 estimate - Density |
9,719,932 350.26/km² 907.21/sq mi | |||||
| GDP (PPP) - Total - Per capita |
2012 estimate $65.220 billion $6,710 | |||||
| GDP (nominal) - Total - Per capita |
2012 estimate $73.511 billion $7,563 | |||||
| Gini (2012) | 40.8 (medium) | |||||
| HDI (2012) |  0.734 (high)
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| Currency |
Pravus credit (₢) (PCR)
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| Time Zone - Summer (DST) |
Eastern Time Zone (UTC-5) (UTC-4) | |||||
| Date formats | mm-dd-yyyy (CE) | |||||
| Drive on the | right | |||||
| Internet TLD | .ht | |||||
| Calling code | +509 | |||||
The Corporate Republic of Haiti, or simply just Haiti, is a small nation located on the island of Hispaniola, bordering its only neighbor, the Dominican Republic. Haiti is home to more than 9.7 million people, though it lost some 10,000 is a recent earthquake that devestated rural parts of the country. The total area of Haiti is 27,750 square kilometres (10,714 sq mi) and its capital is Port-au-Prince. Haiti was the first black-led republic in the world after its independence from France in 1804, though its economy and population suffered greatly in its several civil wars. As of 2004, Haiti is the property of the mega-corporation, Pravus International.
Purchased from the Haitian people themselves, Haiti was given to Pravus International by way of an air-tight contract in which country would hand over its independence to Pravus in exchange for monatery and industrial aid, as well as security from potential enemies in Latin America. Haitian-born and raised Marcelle Delaroux took over the nation, and through the effort of her company, Celeste Cosmetics, a subsidary of Pravus International, transformed Haiti into thriving regional power over the course of eight years. Since then, however, her rule has become extremely autocratic, and though the people dislike her for it, they are caught at a legal impass.
Though under the firm control of Pravus International, the international community has demanded that Pravus let Haiti go, though Pravus has refused to budge given the binding contract signed and agreed upon by the Haitians themselves, making them legally accountable to Pravus, who bears the right to use lethal force if any attempts to forcibly void the contract are attempted. Regardless, Haiti far removed from the terrible past it once had, and with a major economy and growing population, Haiti is bound to surpass its return to its former glory, once the world's wealthiest nation.
History[]
Early History (1804–1914)[]
Haiti was established as a republic in 1804 following the Haitian Revolution which saw the end to French dominance in the country and the end to slavery in Haiti. Under the leadership of Toussaint Louverture, the Haitian slaves fought for their freedom, defeating the French in numerous battles, and ultimately winning the war. The revolution the first and only successful slave uprising in history, and saw the formation of the Republic of Haiti. The nation was forced to pay reparations to the French government for "losses and damages" ensued as a result of the uprising. Haiti was soon besit by infighting and civil war, with various members of the original founding fathers turning on each other in an attempt to sieze power for themselves. This led to the north-south split of Haiti in 1806, with the State of Haiti to the north, and the Empire of Haiti to the south.
The country was reunified under President Jean Pierre Boyer in 1821, leading to a brief period of peace after the 15 year long civil war that destroyed much of the remaining infastructure in the country. This peace was broken with Boyer later ordered the invasion of Santo Domingo later that year after it declared its independence from Spain. The Haitians successfully conquered the eastern portion of the island, and ruled the entire area of Hispaniola for the next 23 years. As the years passed, the eastern half of the country was ablaze in conflict as the mulatto population attempted to throw off the Haitian leaders of Santo Domingo. This led to their successful defeat of Haiti in every battle of the won.
As the bad fortunes of haiti multiplied, Haiti was given yet another bad stroke of luck as the French under Charles X of France sent a second force to Haiti to bring it back into the empire. This resulted in Haiti negotiating a treaty with the French in exchange for their continued existance as an independent state. Paying a total sum of several million francs, the Haitian economy was devestated by the French demand, as refusal would have led to renewed and war invasion. Bankrupt, and no longer the wealthiest nation on the planet, Haiti entered into a period of poverty that would grip it for the next century and a half.
United States occupation of Haiti (1915–1956)[]
As Haiti's economy suffered a downward spiral and its government continued to loss the faith of its population, the United States opted to intervene on behalf of the Haitian people. The United States Marine Corp was sent to bring the country to heel and being rebuilding the nation, given its historically important location in the Caribbean Ocean, and the need to secure the region from further European incursions. The invasion of the United States Marines to rebuild the nation was a total disaster in that it failed to bring stability to the country. The Americans even took the gold reserves of Haiti to pay off the country's foreign debts.
The United States dismantled the Haitian constitution and practically reintroduced slavery to Haiti to rebuild the country's roads and buildings. To make matters worse, the Americans established a Haitian National Guard force that ran the country once they left, leaving the heavily armed and thoroughly corrupt military force to govern through violence and terror. Though much of Haiti's infaustructure was restored, the damage left behind was permanent. The urban elites of Haiti managed to use their power to force an end to the occupation, and by 1934, the Americans were leaving the country, though they would return later on. The American forces installed a series of "friendly" governments so as control the small country and to ensure their continued domination in the Haitian economy.
Haiti suffered from discrimination from the Dominican Republic which attacked Haitians and blacks in the country, killing close to 30,000 of them during what became known as the Parsley Massacre. Several coups were launched when President Élie Lescot attempted to modify the constitution so that he could run for re-election, leading to his exile by General Paul Magloire. Magloire was later ousted by the ruling elite during a general strike. After a period of disorder, Dr. François Duvalier was elected as president in 1957. He would begin a period of tyranny supported and protected by the United States.