Geography of Haiti

Physical geography

Haiti's terrain varies, with more than three fourths of the territory above 700 feet (210 m). Its climate is predominantly tropical, with some smaller areas of semi-arid, subtropical, and oceanic climate. Fertile valleys are interspersed between the mountain ranges forming vast areas of contrast between elevations in many areas throughout the territory. Haiti (and Hispaniola) are separated from Cuba by way of the Windward Passage, a 45 nmi (83 km; 52 mi) wide strait that passes between the two countries.

Haiti's lowest elevation is reported by one source to be sea level (the Caribbean Sea), by another source to be below sea level (Gheskio clinic, Port-au-Prince or in Gonaïves, <-1m), while its highest point is Pic la Selle at 2,680 m (8,793 ft).

• Haiti's most important valley in terms of crops is the Plaine de l'Artibonite, which is oriented south of the Montagnes Noires. This region supports the country's (also Hispaniola's) longest river, the Fleuve Artibonite whose watershed begins in the western region of the Dominican Republic and continues most of its length through central Haiti and onward where it empties into the Gulf of Gonâve. The river is navigable for a distance by barge. The eastern and central region of the island is a large elevated plateau.
• The northern region consists of the Massif du Nord (Northern Massif) and the Plaine du Nord (Northern Plain). The Massif du Nord is an extension of the Cordillera Central in the Dominican Republic. It begins at Haiti's eastern border, north of the Guayamouc River, and extends to the northwest through the northern peninsula. The Plateau Central (Central Plateau) extends along both sides of the Guayamouc River, south of the Massif du Nord. It runs from the southeast to the northwest. To the southwest of the Plateau Central are the Montagnes Noires, whose most northwestern part merges with the Massif du Nord.
• The southern region consists of the Plaine du Cul-de-Sac (the southeast) and the mountainous southern peninsula (also known as the Tiburon Peninsula). The Plaine du Cul-de-Sac is a natural depression which harbors the country's saline lakes, such as Trou Caïman and Haiti's largest lake Lac Azuei (also known as Étang Saumâtre). The Chaîne de la Selle mountain range, an extension of the southern mountain chain of the Dominican Republic (the Sierra de Baoruco), extends from the Massif de la Selle in the east to the Massif de la Hotte in the west. This mountain range harbors Pic la Selle, the highest point in Haiti at 2,680 metres (8,793 ft).

Islands

Numerous smaller islands make up a part of Haiti's total territory. The most notable islands are:

1. Île de la Gonâve, the largest offshore island of mainland Hispaniola, is located to the west-northwest of Port-au-Prince in Haiti's Gulf of Gonâve, in the Caribbean Sea (the largest gulf of the Antilles). It has an area of 743 km². Its Taíno name was Guanabo. La Gonâve was once a pirate base.
2. Tortuga (Turtle), is the second largest offshore island of the mainland, located off the northwest coast of Hispaniola. It has an area of 180 km². The island was a major center of Caribbean piracy during the 17th century and has become famous in many works of literature and film. The island's name derives from the turtle-like shape of the island.
3. Île à Vache (Cow Island) is a small and lush Caribbean island located off southwestern of Haiti with a total area of 52 km².
4. Les Cayemites, a pair of islands located in the Gulf of Gonâve off the coast of southwest Hispaniola. It has a combined area of 45 km².
5. La Navasse, is a rocky outcropping that has been subject to an ongoing territorial dispute with the United States. The island is located 40 nautical miles (46 mi; 74 km) west of Jérémie on the south west peninsula of Haiti, and measures 2 square miles (5.2 km²).

Haiti also has several lakes. The largest lake in Haiti, and the second largest lake of the island of Hispaniola and the West Indies, is Lake Azuei. It is located in the Cul-de-Sac Depression with an area of 170 km². It is a saline lake with a higher concentration of salt than the sea water and harbors numerous fauna such as American crocodiles and American flamingos.

Lake Péligre is an artificial lake created by the construction of the Péligre Hydroelectric Dam.

Trou Caïman is a saltwater lake with a total area of 16.2 km². Lake Miragoâne is one of the largest natural freshwater lakes in the Caribbean, with an area of 25 km².

Statistics

Maritime claims

• Territorial sea: 12 nmi (22.2 km; 13.8 mi)
• Contiguous zone: 24 nmi (44.4 km; 27.6 mi)
• Exclusive economic zone: 126,760 km² (48,940 mi²) and 200 nmi (370.4 km; 230.2 mi)
• Continental shelf: to depth of exploitation

Climate

Tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds

Terrain

Mostly rough and mountainous

Natural resources

Bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower, arable land

Land use

• Arable land: 36.28%
• Permanent crops: 10.16%
• Other: 53.56% (2012 est.)

Irrigated land

970 km³

Total renewable water resources

14.03 km³ (2011)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

• Total: 1.2 km³/yr (17%/3%/80%)
• Per capita: 134.3 m³/yr (2009)

Natural hazards

Lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes; periodic droughts

Extreme points

• Northernmost point – Pointe Tete de Chien, Tortuga Island, Nord-Ouest Department
• Southernmost point – south of Torbeck, Les Cayes Arrondissement
• Westernmost point – cape near Anse d'Hainault, Grand'Anse
• Easternmost point – border with Dominican Republic, Centre Department
• Highest point – Pic la Selle: 2680 m
• Lowest point – Caribbean Sea: 0 m

Environment—current issues

Extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land is being cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion; inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment—international agreements

• Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection
• Signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes

External resources