Haiti, country in the Caribbean Sea that includes the western third of the island of Hispaniola and such smaller islands as Gonâve, Tortue (Tortuga), Grande Caye, and Vache. The capital is Port-au-Prince. Haiti, whose population is almost entirely descended from African slaves, won independence from France in 1804, making it the second country in the Americas, after the United States, to free itself from colonial rule. Over the centuries, however, economic, political, and social difficulties as well as a number of natural disasters have beset Haiti with chronic poverty and other serious problems. Haiti is bordered to the east by
Geographical and historical treatment of Haiti, including maps and statistics as well as a survey of its people, economy, and government. Haiti was the second country in the Americas, after the United States, to free itself from colonial rule. Its capital is Port-au-Prince.