A mostly mountainous country with a tropical climate, Haiti's location, history and culture once made it a potential tourist hot spot. occupies one third of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola and also includes many smaller islands, such as La Gonâve, La Tortue (Tortuga), Les Cayemites, Île de Anacaona, and La Grande Caye. The uninhabited island of Navasse is claimed both by Haiti and the United States. Haiti shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic. The total area of Haiti is 10,714 square miles or 27,750 km² and its capital is Port-au-Prince.
This former French colony, Haiti is the first independent black republic. Haiti became the second independent country in the Americas (after the United States) when it declared its independence on January 1st, 1804.
