- Country name
- conventional long form: Republic of Haiti
conventional short form: Haiti
local long form: République d'Haïti (French)/Repiblik d Ayiti (Haitian Creole)
local short form: Haïti (French)/ Ayiti (Haitian Creole)
etymology: derived from the Arawak name Ayti, meaning "Land of Mountains," that was originally applied to the entire island of Hispaniola - Government type
- semi-presidential republic
- Capital
- name: Port-au-Prince
geographic coordinates: 18 32 N, 72 20 W
time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November
etymology: the name means "the port of the prince" and probably came from a ship called The Prince that anchored in the bay in the early 18th century - Administrative divisions
- 10 departments (départements, singular - département); Artibonite, Centre, Grand'Anse, Nippes, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est
- Legal system
- civil law system strongly influenced by Napoleonic Code
- Constitution
- history: many previous; latest adopted 10 March 1987, with substantial revisions in June 2012
amendment process:
proposed by the executive branch or by either the Senate or the Chamber of Deputies; consideration of proposed amendments requires support by at least two-thirds majority of both houses; passage requires at least two-thirds majority of the membership present and at least two-thirds majority of the votes cast; approved amendments enter into force after installation of the next president of the republic; constitutional articles on the democratic and republican form of government cannot be amended
note: the constitution is commonly referred to as the “amended 1987 constitution” - International law organization participation
- accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; non-party state to the ICCt
- Citizenship
- citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a native-born citizen of Haiti
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years - Suffrage
- 18 years of age; universal
- Executive branch
- chief of state: President (vacant)
head of government: Prime Minister Alix Didier FILS-AIMÉ (since 10 November 2024)
cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president; parliament must ratify the Cabinet and prime minister's governing policy
election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a single non-consecutive term)
most recent election date: 20 November 2016
election results:
2016: Jovenel MOÏSE elected president in first round; percent of vote - Jovenel MOÏSE (PHTK) 55.6%, Jude CELESTIN (LAPEH) 19.6%, Jean-Charles MOÏSE (PPD) 11%, Maryse NARCISSE (FL) 9%; other 4.8%
2011: Michel MARTELLY elected president in second round; percent of vote in second round - Michel MARTELLY (Peasant's Response) 68%, Mirlande MANIGAT (RDNP) 32%
expected date of next election: 30 August 2026
note: former Prime Minister Ariel HENRY, who had assumed executive responsibilities following the assassination of President MOÏSE on 7 July 2021, resigned on 24 April 2024; a nine-member Presidential Transitional Council, equipped with presidential powers, was sworn in on 25 April 2024 and will remain in place until 7 February 2026 - Legislative branch
- legislature name: National Assembly (Assemblée nationale)
legislative structure: bicameral
note 1: when the two chambers meet collectively, it is known as the National Assembly (or L'Assemblée nationale) and is convened for specific purposes spelled out in the constitution
note 2: as of October 2024, the Senate and Chamber of Deputies were not functional - Legislative branch - lower chamber
- chamber name: Chamber of Deputies (Chambre des Députés)
number of seats: 119 (all directly elected)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 8/9/2015 to 10/25/2015
parties elected and seats per party:
Haitian Tet Kale Party (PHTK) (9); Konvansyon Inite Demokratik (KID) (7); Ayiti an aksyon (AAA) (6); Fanmi Lavalas (6); Patriotic Unity Party (Inite Patriyotik) (4); People's Struggle Party (OPL) (7); Other (24)
percentage of women in chamber: 0%
expected date of next election: August 2026 - Legislative branch - upper chamber
- chamber name: Senate (Sénat)
number of seats: 30 (all directly elected)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: partial renewal
term in office: 6 years
most recent election date: 11/20/2016 to 1/29/2017
parties elected and seats per party: Haitian Tet Kale Party (PHTK) (9); Truth (Vérité) (3); Konvansyon Inite Demokratik (KID) (2); Bouclier (2); Ayiti an aksyon (AAA) (2); Other (10)
expected date of next election: August 2026 - Judicial branch
- highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour de cassation (consists of 12 judges)
judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the president from candidate lists submitted by the Senate of the National Assembly
subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance; magistrate's courts; land, labor, and children's courts
note: the Superior Council of the Judiciary or Conseil Supérieur du Pouvoir Judiciaire is a 9-member body charged with the administration and oversight of the judicial branch of government
note: Haiti is a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice, the Constitutional Court (called for in the 1987 constitution but not yet established), and the High Court of Justice, for trying high government officials (currently not functional)
note: Article 174 of Haiti's constitution states that judges of the Supreme Court are appointed for 10 years, whereas Article 177 states that judges of the Supreme Court are appointed for life - Political parties
- Alternative League for Haitian Progress and Emancipation (Ligue Alternative pour le Progrès et l’Emancipation Haïtienne) or LAPEH
Christian Movement for a New Haiti or MCNH or Mochrenha
Christian National Movement for the Reconstruction of Haiti or UNCRH
Combat of Peasant Workers to Liberate Haiti (Konbit Travaye Peyizan Pou Libere Ayiti) or Kontra Pep La
Convention for Democratic Unity or KID
Cooperative Action to Rebuild Haiti or KONBA
December 16 Platform or Platfom 16 Desanm
Democratic Alliance Party or ALYANS (coalition includes KID and PPRH)
Democratic Centers' National Council or CONACED
Democratic and Popular Sector (Secteur Démocratique et Populaire) or SDP
Democratic Unity Convention (Konvansyon Inite Demokratik) or KID
Dessalinian Patriotic and Popular Movement or MOPOD
Effort and Solidarity to Create an Alternative for the People or ESKAMP
Fanmi Lavalas or FL
Forward (En Avant)
Fusion of Haitian Social Democrats (Fusion Des Sociaux-Démocrates Haïtiens) or FHSD
G18 Policy Platform (Plateforme Politique G18)
Haiti in Action (Ayiti An Aksyon Haiti's Action) or AAA
Haitian Tet Kale Party (Parti Haitien Tet Kale) or PHTK
Independent Movement for National Reconciliation or MIRN
Lavni Organization or LAVNI
Lod Demokratik
Love Haiti (Renmen Ayiti) or RA
MTV Ayiti
National Consortium of Haitian Political Parties (Consortium National des Partis Politiques Haitiens) or CNPPH
National Shield Network (Reseau Bouclier National)
Organization of the People's Struggle (Oganizasyon Pep Kap Lite) or OPL
Patriotic Unity (Inite Patriyotik) or Inite
Platform Pitit Desalin (Politik Pitit Dessalines) or PPD
Political Party for Us All or Bridge (Pont) or Pou Nou Tout
Popular Patriotic Dessalinien Movement (Mouvement Patriotique Populaire Dessalinien) or MOPOD
Rally of Progressive National Democrats (Rassemblement des Démocrates Nationaux Progressistes) or RDNP
Respe (Respect)
Women and Families Political Parties (Defile Pati Politik Fanm Ak Fanmi) - Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission: Ambassador Lionel DELATOUR (since 11 June 2025)
chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090
FAX: [1] (202) 745-7215
email address and website:
amb.washington@diplomatie.ht
https://www.haiti.org/
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Miami, Orlando (FL), New York - Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Henry T. WOOSTER (since 12 June 2025)
embassy: Tabarre 41, Route de Tabarre, Port-au-Prince
mailing address: 3400 Port-au-Prince Place, Washington, DC 20521-3400
telephone: [011] (509) 2229-8000
FAX: [011] (509) 2229-8027
email address and website:
acspap@state.gov
https://ht.usembassy.gov/ - International organization participation
- ACP, ACS, AOSIS, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
- Independence
- 1 January 1804 (from France)
- National holiday
- Independence Day, 1 January (1804)
- Flag
- description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red; a centered white rectangle bears the coat of arms, which has a palm tree flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll with the motto L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength)
meaning: the colors are taken from the French flag and represent the union of ethnic groups - National symbol(s)
- Hispaniolan trogon (bird), hibiscus flower
- National color(s)
- blue, red
- National anthem(s)
- title: "La Dessalinienne" (The Dessalines Song)
lyrics/music: Justin LHERISSON/Nicolas GEFFRARD
history: adopted 1904; named for Jean-Jacques DESSALINES, founder of Haiti - National heritage
- total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: National History Park – Citadel, Sans Souci, Ramiers